The Australian legal framework for stress claims

Work-related stress claims in all Australian jurisdictions are the most expensive form of workers compensation claim. This is due to the lengthy period of absence from work which is a feature of stress-related claims. In Australia, in the last decade, attempts have been made to reduce the costs of stress-related claims by imposing special legislative thresholds on such claims. This "back end" approach to cost reduction has resulted in an array of legislative formulae designed to reduce the number of stress claims. This article surveys the range of legislative approaches adopted in Australia to deal with the rise in stress claims.