Firefighter's presumptive rights compensation now available

Following the passage of the Firefighters' Presumptive Rights and Fire Services Amendment Legislation (Reform) Bill 2019, career and volunteer firefighters can now access presumptive compensation for specified cancers contracted while serving as a firefighter.

The compensation applies to career and volunteer firefighters who:

• have served in active firefighting roles for a specified number of years, depending on the cancer type
• have been diagnosed since 1 June 2016 with one of 12 specified cancer types
• are diagnosed during their service or within 10 years after the conclusion of their service
• have a listed cancer because of an exceptional exposure event in a firefighting capacity.

Additionally for volunteer firefighters, presumptive compensation will be available where they have attended fires to the extent reasonably necessary to fulfil the purpose of engaging in firefighting.

WorkSafe, via WorkSafe agents, will administer all presumptive compensation claims through the WorkSafe scheme.

Firefighters who do not meet the qualifying period requirement may be able to access the presumption on the basis that they have attended an exceptional exposure event.

An advisory committee will be established to provide advice to WorkSafe in regards to the scheme.

Firefighters should apply directly to WorkSafe for compensation under the scheme, using the claims form on the WorkSafe website.