What is Injury Benefit?
Under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, the benefit is a weekly payment made to you if you are unfit to work. However, in order to be eligible for the payment, you must:
- Have had an accident at work
- Have had an accident while travelling to or from your place of work
- Suffer from an occupational disease, i.e., a disease/illness that has been caused by the work that you perform.
In addition to the criteria listed above, you must also be unable to work as a result of the injury or disease for a period of three days or more, which includes Sundays and paid holiday leave.
What if I can’t work for only three days or less?
In this instance, you can get a declaration to state that you had an occupational accident. This is important to do should you continue to suffer from the accident at a later date.
Is injury benefit taxable?
While the benefit will be paid to you without deducting tax, Revenue will be informed of the taxable amount to be considered for income tax purposes. What this means, in essence, is that you do not have to do anything for the correct tax to be paid.
USC and Social Insurance (PRSI) are also not charged on these payments.
How long is injury benefit paid for?
Payments of injury benefit will not begin until you have been absent from work due to illness or incapacity for three consecutive days.
Following this, you are entitled to receive injury benefit for up to six months.
If after six months you are still unable to work, you may apply for Illness Benefit, Disability Allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
How do I qualify for injury benefit?
You must be in employment insurable at PRSI Class A, D, J or M in order to qualify for injury benefit from the Department of Social Protection.
To receive an injury benefit claim form and a social welfare medical certificate, you can do so by requesting these from your GP. MED1 medical certificates must be sent every week for as long as you are unfit for work.
*In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.*
