Many workers have more than one job. You might work full-time during the week and casual shifts on weekends. You might combine a trade job with rideshare work, hospitality shifts, disability support, cleaning, delivery work or a second part-time role. If you are injured at one job, the impact may not stop there.
You may be unable to work your main job, your second job, or both. That can make weekly payments more complicated because the insurer needs to understand your full pre-injury earnings, your current capacity, and how the injury affects each role.
The First Issue: What Were You Earning Before The Injury?
Weekly payments in NSW workers compensation claims are usually linked to your pre-injury average weekly earnings, often called PIAWE.
SIRA explains that PIAWE reflects how much a worker was earning before the injury and is calculated by the insurer based on information provided by the worker and/or employer.
Where a worker had more than one job at the time of injury, this can become important. For workers injured on or after 21 October 2019, SIRA’s glossary explains that PIAWE generally includes gross earnings received from work in any employment the worker was engaged in at the time of injury.
In plain English, your second job may matter.
If the insurer only looks at the job where the injury happened, your weekly payments may not properly reflect what you were earning before the injury.
Example: One Injury Affecting Two Incomes
A warehouse worker injures their back lifting at work. Before the injury, they also worked Friday nights in hospitality.
After the injury, they cannot do warehouse duties because of lifting restrictions. They also cannot do hospitality shifts because standing for long periods makes their symptoms worse.
If the insurer only considers the warehouse income, the worker’s total loss may be understated. The injury has affected both jobs, even though the accident happened at only one workplace.
That is why evidence from both jobs can be important.
The Second Issue: Can You Still Work One Job?
Sometimes the injury affects one job but not the other.
For example, a worker may be unable to return to heavy labour but still able to do a desk-based second job. Another worker may be fit for light weekday duties but unable to continue weekend delivery work because driving aggravates their injury.
This does not always mean weekly payments stop. The insurer may need to consider what you are actually earning, what work you can safely do, and whether the injury has reduced your overall earning capacity.
The calculation can become more complex where you have partial capacity, reduced hours, or income from one job but not the other.
Why Payslips And Rosters Matter
When there are two jobs, evidence of income becomes essential.
Helpful records may include:
- payslips from both employers
- rosters from both jobs
- tax records
- employment contracts
- bank statements
- invoices, if you were self-employed
- records of overtime, penalties, allowances or casual loading
- messages confirming shifts you could no longer work
These records help show what you were earning before the injury and what changed afterwards.
A lawyer can help identify whether the insurer has used the right earnings information and whether income from a second job has been overlooked.
The Third Issue: What Are You Able To Do Now?
A worker with two jobs may have different physical or psychological demands in each role.
One job may involve lifting, bending, driving or standing. The other may involve sitting, customer contact, night work or high-pressure tasks. A medical certificate should be clear enough to explain how the injury affects both.
For example, a shoulder injury may stop a worker from doing manual handling in one job but may also limit keyboard work in another. A psychological injury may affect a high-pressure customer service role but not a quieter administrative role, or the reverse may be true depending on the person’s symptoms and triggers.
The details matter because the insurer may review whether you have capacity to keep working in one role or increase hours in another.
When The Insurer Reviews Weekly Payments
Insurers can review weekly payments as the claim progresses. They may look at medical certificates, work capacity, actual earnings, suitable employment and updated wage information.
SIRA explains that weekly payment entitlements can change depending on factors such as the time since the claim started, work capacity and hours worked.
With two jobs, a review may raise questions such as:
- Did the worker disclose both jobs?
- Were both incomes included in PIAWE?
- Is the worker still earning from one job?
- Can the worker safely return to either role?
- Are the medical restrictions clear enough?
- Has the worker lost overtime, penalties or casual shifts?
These questions are not always simple. A decision that looks correct on paper may still miss important details about the worker’s real income and capacity.
Common Problems In Two-Job Claims
Two-job claims often become difficult because information is missing or misunderstood.
A second employer may not provide wage records quickly. Casual income may vary week to week. The worker may have recently started their second job. Overtime or penalties may not be properly recorded. The insurer may focus on the injury employer and overlook the other source of income.
There may also be confusion about capacity. A worker might be fit for limited duties in one job but completely unfit for another. Or they may be able to work some hours but not enough to replace the income they lost.
This is where legal advice can make a real difference. A lawyer can review the calculation, identify missing income evidence, and help explain how the injury affects both jobs rather than treating the claim as if there was only one role.
Do Not Assume The Calculation Is Right
Weekly payment calculations can be technical, especially where there are multiple employers, irregular shifts or changing hours.
If the amount seems too low, it may be worth checking whether all relevant earnings were included. It may also be worth checking whether the insurer has properly accounted for current earnings, reduced capacity and any lost second-job income.
For example, missing weekend penalty rates or regular casual shifts may significantly affect the worker’s pre-injury earnings. If that income is not included, weekly payments may not reflect the true financial impact of the injury.
Getting Legal Help Can Protect Your Entitlements
Having two jobs should not mean your claim is treated too narrowly.
Law Advice assists injured workers by reviewing weekly payment calculations, checking whether PIAWE has been properly assessed, identifying missing wage records, and explaining how the injury affects each role.
A lawyer can help present the claim in a way that connects the injury, the lost income and the worker’s real capacity across both jobs. That can be especially important where the insurer has only considered one employer, misunderstood casual income, or assumed the worker can keep earning as before.
If one work injury has affected more than one income source, legal advice can help ensure your weekly payments are assessed on the full picture.