A survey by Australian Accident Helpline (AAH) has revealed an overwhelming 68 per cent of Aussies would feel ashamed to lodge a workers’ compensation claim against their employer despite being severely impacted by a workplace injury.
This peer group pressure is just one of the issues many Australians have with taking out a claim against an employer, with the study of 1000 people focused on attitudes towards personal injury and how comfortable employees felt about initiating disputes.
Future employment prospects and fears over lost promotion opportunities were the biggest stumbling block for people wanting to take on their employers, with 80 per cent saying they would not make a claim.
AAH founder, Liam Millner, said that this sentiment comes from a place of fear and misunderstanding about personal injury law.
“Many people fear they will be overlooked when applying for new jobs if they have previously made a claim against a former employer. One of the most significant questions in job applications is, have you ever made a workers’ compensation claim?. It is unsettling for prospective employees and gives the perception that making a rightful claim is bad,” Millner said.
Despite an estimated 1.3 million Australians experiencing a personal injury problem over a 12 month period, ranging from income loss, physical injuries or stress-related illness, the survey indicates there is still a strong stigma attached to the law. Indicating this stigma is the 68 per cent of employees who felt they would run the risk of losing their job in consequence of bringing a claim against an employer.
The survey further revealed as few as 18 per cent of Aussie employees were prepared to take out a workers’ compensation claim against their boss if they knew the company would be personally liable for the damages tab.
“I think the workers’ compensation system is flawed, biased and somewhat confusing,” Millner said. “It’s a worrying sign when nearly every person who contacts us share the same concern which is they feel as if their employer and insurance company have joined forces against them. There are also the few that easily ruin it for the many by making false claims which add to the stigma.”
