Claims for injury/illness

When an employer or self-employed Reservist is eligible for ESP or the member is undertaking service that, if completed as planned, would be eligible for ESP, then an ESP delegate may approve payment of ESP to the employer if:

• the member suffers an injury or illness as a result of the member's Defence service,
• the injury or illness prevents the member from returning to work or continuing to work (if the injury or illness is not diagnosed until after the member has already returned to work), and
• the member is receiving medical treatment for the injury or illness from the Defence Health Services (DHS) (whether from a health practitioner employed by DHS or another practitioner authorised by the DHS to provide this treatment) or is receiving compensation payments from the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) in relation to the injury or illness. In appropriate cases, the Director, Deputy Director or Assistant Director of the ESP Scheme may determine that this requirement does not apply.

Submitting Injury/Illness Claims

Injury/Illness claims should be submitted, using standard claim forms, to the Reservist's ESP Delegate. The claim form should be annotated as submitted on Injury/Illness grounds and accompanied by a supporting letter and evidence of the Injury/Illness, its treatment and its impact on work.

How long is ESP payable for Injury/Illness

ESP payments will cease:

• when the member returns to work or is reasonably able to return to work, or
• if the member ceases to be entitled to medical treatment from DHS and ceases to be entitled to compensation payments from DVA, or
• when payments have reached the maximum payment period of 78 weeks.