Workers Warned Over Medical Cover

Seasonal workers injured overseas may struggle to understand which insurance will cover their treatment, according to Australian Workers Union representative Latileta Gaga.

Gaga said an injury at work should begin a clear process. “That certificate is important because it can establish whether the injury is work-related and set out the treatment, referrals and appointments required.” She said workers should not have to navigate that process alone.

WorkCover provides protection separate from ordinary private medical insurance and is intended to cover expenses linked to workplace injuries. Gaga said workers may hold different policies with different levels of coverage, making it important to understand the terms before leaving home. She also urged workers to question inadequate cover and seek additional protection when needed.

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That certificate is important because it can establish whether the injury is work-related and set out the treatment, referrals and appointments required.

The warning forms part of broader concerns about the health and welfare of Pacific workers employed overseas. Australia says PALM workers receive the same workplace rights and protections as Australian workers, along with additional wellbeing measures. Gaga said those rights are useful only when workers understand them and feel able to use them, particularly when they are already under pressure to secure overseas employment.

She also said farms and glasshouses must meet workplace health and safety requirements. Workers who report a safety concern without seeing changes should report it again, she said. Gaga plans to raise issues affecting seasonal workers, especially women, at a national consultative committee meeting in October. Fiji participates in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, which provides seasonal and longer-term jobs in Australia.

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For workers who are already under pressure to secure employment overseas, that can be a difficult position.