Under special exemptions introduced last year, workers in industries including health, transport, hospitality, retail, education, construction, disability and aged care were presumed to have been infected with COVID-19 on the job when making a workers’ compensation claim.
The NSW government now plans to repeal that automatic workers’ compensation cover for essential workers such as Josh who, after the changes are introduced, will need to prove they contracted the virus on the job and not in the community or at the shops to make a successful claim.
Public Service Association general secretary Stewart Little said Disability Support Workers, prison workers and school support workers had to work “cheek by jowl” with people including unvaccinated children. Some prison staff had contracted COVID-19 and were unlikely to be able to work again.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/i-wouldn-t-know-where-to-start-frontline-workers-to-prove-they-caught-covid-at-work-20211116-p599br.html