Provisional payments

Support for mental injuries

Workers with a mental injury claim can access early treatment and support when they need it most.

How provisional payments help

Provisional payments help support people with recovery and return to work regardless of claim outcome.

They also help workers with a mental injury get the right support, which is important for getting back on track.

Getting treatment early gives workers the best chance of a full recovery. It can also help prevent an injury from getting worse.

Workers and eligible volunteers can access provisional payments for reasonable treatment and services for work-related mental injuries, while they wait for a claim outcome. If a claim is not accepted, a worker or eligible volunteer can continue to receive provisional payments for up to 13 weeks.

Provisional payments eligibility

A worker can receive provisional payments for up to 13 weeks if their claims form or certificate of capacity shows a mental injury.

Additionally, the following criteria have to be met.

• No previous claim was accepted for the same injury and circumstances.
• The worker's employment is connected to Victoria.
• The claim is being lodged on the worker's employer.

Mental injury eligibility

There have been changes to eligibility for mental injuries incurred on or after 31 March 2024.

To be eligible for compensation, a mental injury must:

• cause significant behavioural, cognitive or psychological dysfunction
• have been diagnosed by a medical practitioner using the latest version of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• be predominantly caused by employment

A mental injury is ineligible for compensation if it is:

• largely from stress or burnout as a result of events that are usual or typical and reasonably expected to occur in the course of the worker's duties
• caused by reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner.

More information may be needed to determine claims entitlement. During this time workers can receive provisional payments to support their treatment and recovery.

Resources for employers

Employers have an obligation to provide early notification of mental injury claims. If you are an employer, learn more about your duties and what support is available to help your worker return to work.

Resources for healthcare providers

There are additional services, resources and tools for healthcare providers to support patients with a mental injury.