The Queensland Government has frozen its workers’ compensation premium rate for another year as businesses battle to cope with the challenges of COVID-19.

The average premium will be maintained at $1.20 per $100 of wages paid for 2020-2021.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace says Queensland businesses pay the lowest average rates of any state or territory.

“When this crisis is over, we want business to come back bigger and stronger, creating more jobs and helping Queenslanders get back on track,” she said.

WorkCover is helping employers to reassess provisional wages for the current year for those affected by forced shutdowns, which could mean a reduction in outstanding premium or even a premium refund.

It has already refunded $17.5 million to 4300 SME businesses and expects to refund many more at end-of-year wages reconciliation.

WorkCover will maintain a 5% discount for early payment, as well as an incentive in which apprentice wages are excluded from premium calculations. Queensland businesses have saved $61 million over the past financial year due to the measures, and around $180 million since they were introduced in 2017, Ms Grace says.

WorkCover will not include additional amounts paid above an employee’s regular wage as a result of the JobKeeper payments when it calculates premiums.

In NSW, an amendment passed last month has given certain industries greater protection under the Workers Compensation Act if they contract coronavirus during the course of employment.

The change means prescribed employment NSW workers will no longer have to prove causation on the contraction of the disease and they may be entitled to a lump sum or payment for pain and suffering. They will be able to claim workers’ compensation for their time off work and all medical treatment, plus travel expenses and medication.

More than 200 notifications of claims for workers contracting Covid-19 in NSW have been made so far.