Basic weekly payment

WorkCover will pay you a basic weekly payment when we don’t have enough information to calculate your weekly compensation.

The basic weekly payment is calculated as a percentage of Queensland Ordinary Time Earnings (QOTE).

• Full-time workers: you will receive 55% of QOTE.
• Part-time and casual workers: you will receive a prorated amount of 55% of QOTE based on your usual hours over the past 4 weeks.

The first payment will be made on either the 6th day after we approve your claim, or the end of the excess period, whichever comes later. The excess period is up to the first week you're unable to work.

We’ll continue to provide the basic weekly payment until we receive all the necessary wage information from your employer to finalise your normal weekly benefit. Any under/overpayment will be reconciled when your normal weekly benefit commences.

Please note, you will only be paid the basic weekly payment for the time your doctor says you need off work.

Read more about weekly compensation payments here.

Requesting wage information from employers

We will send a written notice to employers asking them to provide the wage details we need. Once received, the employer has 5 business days to respond to this notice.

Failure to respond to request for wage information

If an employer fails to comply without a valid reason, there may be a penalty.

If they receive a penalty, they can apply in writing to have the penalty waived or reduced. The application should explain the circumstances and why the penalty should be adjusted. We’ll review the request and decide whether to waive or reduce the penalty, or if we need to uphold it.

If an employer is not happy with our decision, they have the right to request a review.