Education department fined for refusing compensation

WorkSafe Victoria has warned Victorian employers that failure to submit WorkCover forms would lead to court action and fines.

The call comes after the Victorian Department of Education & Training was found guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, after a school principal refused to process a compensation claim submitted by an injured worker at a secondary school in Melbourne's south-east.

The Department of Education and Training pleaded not guilty to one count of refusing to receive a compensation claim and was fined $1000 without conviction.

WorkSafe executive director, Len Boehm said WorkSafe pursued the case against the Department of Education and Training because its actions sent the wrong message to employers about managing a workplace injury and looking after a worker who was injured.