On this page (7 sections)
The short answer
If you are hurt at work, including by a student, you can claim workers' compensation. Report the incident straight away (NSW: within 24 hours), see a doctor for a certificate of capacity, then lodge a claim. Weekly payments start at 95% of your average earnings in NSW and Victoria, and 100% in SA and Tasmania, then step down.
- Psychological injuries, such as from repeated aggression or a serious incident, can be claimed as well as physical ones.
- While a claim is decided you can use sick leave, which is usually restored if the claim is accepted.
- Your union can help with the claim and with safety at your school.
Occupational violence: what it is and what your employer must do
Occupational violence means being hit, kicked, bitten, pushed, threatened or abused at work. In schools it most often comes from students, sometimes from parents. It is a workplace health and safety hazard like any other, and your employer has a duty to manage it, not just to respond after the event.
Victoria's Work-Related Violence in Schools policy spells this out. Principals must record work-related violence as a hazard in the school's OHS risk register, report every related hazard, incident and injury on eduSafe Plus, do a documented risk assessment where the risk is high or extreme, and record the supports given to injured staff. Other states have similar safety duties, even if their policies are worded differently.
After a violent incident: what to ask for
- An incident report on the system (NSW: the Incident Report and Support Hotline; VIC: eduSafe Plus).
- A review of the student's behaviour or risk management plan, and whether you were told about known risks.
- Changes to supervision, rooming or support staff, recorded in writing.
- Time to recover and see a doctor, without pressure to return to the same class the next period.
- Information about counselling or employee assistance your employer offers.
- The option of reporting a serious assault to police. That is your decision.
Work out your pay rise and back pay
⚙Your details
New pay rates
Default: the new rates' operative date, 9 October 2026.
When the back pay lands. Default: six weeks from today. New rates apply from the following pay.
E.g. a sign-on or cost-of-living payment in the agreement (gross).
Back pay owed (before tax)
$505
New salary
$92,882
+3.0% on $90,177
Rise per fortnight
$104
$71 after tax
Tax on back pay
$162
32% of the lump
Back pay in hand
$344
What this means
From 9 October 2026 you should have been paid $104 more each fortnight. Because the new rates weren't paid yet, the difference builds up and arrives as one back payment: about $505 before tax. After that, your fortnightly take-home goes from $2,723 to $2,794.
Payroll taxes back pay at your marginal rate rather than spreading it, so roughly 32% comes off. That's your actual tax on the money: it doesn't push the rest of your salary into a higher bracket. These are the latest rates already in force: if they are on your payslip, nothing is owed. This shows what you're owed if payroll was late applying them.
Estimate only. Back pay = (new − old) fortnightly pay × fortnights between the two dates, using the pay column in force at the start of each fortnight. Tax uses the ATO marginal-rate method on your annual salary for 2026–27; back pay for an earlier financial year over $1,200 may be taxed differently and is reported as a lump sum E. Old rates: 9 October 2025 column; Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024, verified 16 October 2026.
How to claim workers' compensation, state by state
SA, TAS, ACT and NT claim steps are general: we did not confirm each employer's process. The ACT arrangement is based on secondary reports.
In Victoria, the first certificate of capacity can cover up to 14 days and later ones up to 28 days. The school must send your claim to Gallagher Bassett within 10 calendar days, or 3 business days for Part A of a mental injury claim. Keep copies of everything you hand in.
How much you get paid while off work
Weekly payments are worked out on your pre-injury average weekly earnings (PIAWE, or 'normal' or 'average weekly earnings' in some states). They step down the longer you are off. The shape differs a lot between states, so don't assume the NSW rules apply to you.
NSW has a maximum weekly amount that is indexed; check the current figure on the icare site. Unverified rows come from secondary sources only.
NSW teacher at the top of the scale: weekly payments (estimate)
- Salary (Step 7, from 9 Oct 2026)
- $133,422
- Average weekly earnings ($133,422 / 52.18)
- about $2,557
- Weeks 1-13 at 95%
- about $2,429 a week
- From week 14 at 80% (not working)
- about $2,046 a week
Our estimate. Your real PIAWE may include allowances and is set by the insurer. The NSW Department lets you use sick or extended leave to top up the 95% to full pay. Weekly payments are taxed as income.
Free calculator
What does 80% of your pay look like after tax?
Put in 80% or 95% of your salary to see the take-home pay you would have while on weekly payments.
Check my take-home payPsychological injury claims
A psychological injury, such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress after an assault or months of aggression, can be a compensable work injury. These claims are often harder and slower than physical ones, so good records matter: incident reports, emails raising concerns, and your doctor's notes.
In Victoria, Part A of a mental injury claim has to be sent on by the school within 3 business days, which is shorter than the 10-day rule for other claims. If your school is slow, follow up in writing.
Using sick leave while you wait
A claim can take weeks to decide. In NSW you use sick or extended leave while liability is pending. In Queensland the Department says you can use paid sick leave and then other leave, and balances are reinstated if the claim is accepted. In WA you take sick leave while absent. Victoria's agent has up to 28 days to accept or reject a claim, by the Department's guidance.
Sick leave balances vary by state; see teacher sick leave by state. If a claim is rejected or your leave runs out, income protection held inside your super may help, so check your fund's cover early.
Returning to work
- 1
Keep your certificates current
Weekly payments depend on a valid certificate of capacity. In Victoria later certificates cover at most 28 days, so book your GP before each runs out.
- 2
Take part in return-to-work planning
Your employer and insurer will plan suitable duties with you and your doctor. You can raise what you can and can't safely do.
- 3
Ask for safety changes first
If you were hurt by a student, ask what has changed in that student's management plan before you return to the same class.
- 4
Get union help with disputes
If a claim is rejected or payments stop, there are review and dispute steps in each scheme. Your union can help or refer you to a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Can teachers claim workers' compensation for being assaulted by a student?
How much is workers' compensation for teachers?
How long do I have to report a workplace injury as a teacher?
Can I claim workers' compensation for stress as a teacher?
Do I have to use my sick leave while my claim is assessed?
Who manages teacher workers' compensation claims in Victoria?
Is workers' compensation taxed?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-17
- 1.icare NSW: Weekly payments
- 2.NSW DoE Teachers Handbook: Workers' compensation
- 3.WorkSafe Victoria: Weekly payments information
- 4.VIC Department of Education PAL: Lodging a workers' compensation claim
- 5.VIC Department of Education PAL: Work-Related Violence in Schools policy
- 6.QLD Department of Education: Injury management FAQ
- 7.WA Department of Education: Injury management and workers' compensation framework
- 8.Return to Work SA: Support and benefits
- 9.Tasmanian Treasury: Workers compensation extent of cover (TRMF)
About this page
Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU Editorial Team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.
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