A recently proposed law change in South Australia is set to make it easier for injured workers in the state to get back into employment.

By revising the state's existing worker compensation laws, the bill attempts to create a greater differentiation between serious and minor injuries which are currently both treated in the same manner. By moving resources away from minor injuries and towards more serious cases, employees will have a smoother time returning to work.

The bill will also introduce considerable savings for companies, with a drop in the amount employers need to pay in premiums for worker compensation. In fact, a business with around ten employees may see their bills almost halved.

While companies will benefit from these changes, there are still many groups which cannot access state-backed workers compensation. The self-employed, sole traders and contractors will still have no cover under these new laws, making it important that these groups take out their own workers compensation insurance.

Other measures which will be introduced include raising the threshold for injuries before they can receive state support. This makes it more likely that individuals who suffer minor injuries will not be able to receive the same level of support they might be used to under the old system.

One way this higher threshold will be introduced is by making it harder for non-work-related injuries to be compensated for. There will now be a stricter test for those seeking compensation, with claimants needing to prove that work was the main cause of these injuries.

This change also raises the importance of securing income protection insurance for anyone who might be exposed to an injury outside of their work. Trades people, for example, will need to be sure that they are covered, even if an injury doesn't occur on site.

No matter what your working situation, understanding these important changes around worker compensation are going to be essential for ensuring that your work runs smoothly.