Am I covered by WorkCover if I'm injured working from home?

Yes, in most cases. If you are injured while performing your work duties in your home office during agreed working hours, you are likely covered by workers compensation. The key test is whether the injury arose out of or in the course of your employment. This includes ergonomic injuries from poor workstation setup, trips and falls in your home office area, and repetitive strain injuries from prolonged computer use.

What types of WFH injuries are covered?

Common work-from-home injuries covered by WorkCover include: back pain and neck pain from poor ergonomic setup, repetitive strain injuries (RSI) from prolonged keyboard and mouse use, trip and fall injuries in the home workspace, eye strain and headaches from screen use, and psychological injuries related to isolation, excessive workload, or blurred work-life boundaries. The injury must have occurred while you were performing work duties.

Condition Guide

Injured Working From Home? You May Be Covered.

Work-from-home injuries are covered by WorkCover. Same-day telehealth consultation. Certificate issued during the call. $0 with a valid claim.

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Work From Home Injuries and WorkCover

Since the shift to remote and hybrid work accelerated in 2020, work-from-home injuries have become a rapidly growing category of workers compensation claims. Many remote workers operate from makeshift workstations — kitchen tables, couches, spare bedrooms without proper ergonomic equipment — leading to musculoskeletal injuries that would have been prevented in an office environment with proper workstation assessments.

Under NSW workers compensation law, your employer's duty of care extends to your home workplace. If you are injured while performing work duties during your agreed working hours, you are covered by WorkCover — regardless of where you are physically located.

Common Work From Home Injuries

Lower back pain (poor chair/desk setup)

Neck pain and cervical strain

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Tennis elbow (mouse overuse)

Eye strain and chronic headaches

Shoulder impingement

Slip and fall in home workspace

Work-related stress and anxiety

When Are WFH Injuries Covered?

The test for coverage is the same as any workplace injury: the injury must arise out of or in the course of your employment. For work-from-home injuries, this generally means:

The injury occurred during your agreed or ordinary working hours
You were performing work duties at the time of the injury (not personal activities)
The injury is connected to your work — e.g. using work equipment, sitting at your workstation, attending a work call
For gradual-onset injuries (RSI, back pain), your work duties are a substantial contributing factor

Employer's WHS Obligations

Your employer has a legal obligation to ensure your home workspace is safe, just as they would for an office. This includes conducting workstation assessments, providing or funding ergonomic equipment (chair, desk, monitor, keyboard), and addressing any WHS risks in your home setup. If your injury resulted from your employer's failure to provide a safe home workspace, this strengthens your claim.

Telehealth: The Natural Fit for WFH Claims

If you work from home and have been injured, telehealth consultation is the logical choice. You are already in the environment where your injury occurred — your doctor can observe your workstation setup via video, identify ergonomic issues contributing to your condition, and document these findings in your Certificate of Capacity. This is information that would not be available in a clinic-based consultation.

How Claims Doctor Helps

Claims Doctor provides same-day video consultations for work-from-home injuries. Your doctor assesses your condition, reviews your home workstation setup via video, issues your Certificate of Capacity, and recommends ergonomic modifications, physiotherapy, or specialist referrals. $0 cost with a valid claim number.