What it does
The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Tas) is Tasmania's central workers compensation statute. It establishes a compulsory, no-fault insurance scheme under which employers are liable to compensate workers for workplace injuries and diseases and to fund their rehabilitation and return to work. The Act has been significantly amended over its three-decade history, most recently by the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Act 2025 (No. 17 of 2025).
The Act's six objects are set out in section 2A: prompt and effective injury management promoting return to work; fair and appropriate compensation; reducing workplace injury incidence; effective and economical dispute resolution; efficient and effective administration; and a fair, affordable, efficient and effective overall scheme. These objects guide interpretation of the Act's operative provisions.
Part II establishes WorkCover Tasmania (previously the WorkCover Tasmania Board) as the regulatory authority. Parts III and IV set out compensation entitlements and rehabilitation obligations. Part V provides for dispute resolution. Parts IX to XIII deal with insurance, licensing, and the compensation fund.