THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING PATTERNS OF EMPLOYMENT ON REPORTING OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND MAKING WORKER' COMPENSATION CLAIMS

In the past 20 years there has been a significant growth in those working in self-employme nt, in micro small businesses, or under casual, part-time, subcontract, franchised, telework or homeworking arrangements in Australia. These employment status groups are now commonly known as precarious workers; principally because their continued employment and income is uncertain. The available research indicates that the probability of a work-related injury is greater for precarious workers. This paper focuses on the extent to which precariously employed Australian workers formally report their work-related injuries and illnesses and claim workers' compensation. While Australia has comprehensive - although fragmented - workers' compensation insurance systems, this formal coverage does not correlate with the propensity to make workers' compensation claims. Findings from a series of Australian precarious worker studies are summarised in this paper and a detailed analysis of workers' compensation claims experiences from our latest research project on long distance truck drivers is presented. We argue that even those precarious workers covered by workers' compensation insurance are less likely to claim than other workers for two key reasons: uncertainty of coverage and fear of consequences if a claim is made. Thus injured precarious workers are more reliant on their own resources after injury, to externalise injury treatment costs onto taxpayer funded resources, or to leave injuries and illness untreated with a potential to develop into chronic conditions.