THE SURFIE’S SICKIE

Even in tough economic times, with the jobless heading towards one million people, Australians still think that taking a sickie is almost a national sport. And when it comes to defrauding Workcover and insurance companies it’s epidemic. Has been for decades since staged car accidents for whiplash injuries and the notorious Mediterranean Back. I remember when doing the HINCH programs on TV we exposed dozens of rorters and fraudsters.

A professional boxer getting money for a back injury. We sprung him on the day he was due to step into the ring. A young Melbourne woman, off work on benefits, who not only went to Queensland for an aerobics championship –she won.  And stupidly had her photo in the paper.

And that TV commercial showing a young man supposedly of work sick but caught on camera yahooing at the cricket was pretty accurate.

It still goes on and at times the Industrial Relations Commission doesn’t help.  The case of champion surfer Wayne Bevan must make employers shake their heads and almost admit defeat.

Bevan went surfing in the Coolum Classic while on sick leave for a bad back. And he got fired. He’d gone back to work the day after the contest and was asked if he’d been surfing.  He said he’d been for ‘a bit of a paddle’.

He sued for unfair dismissal. The Industrial Relations Commission backed the employer Oceania Aviation Services where Bevan worked as a baggage handler.

But on appeal a Full Bench supported Bevan’s claim that his sacking was harsh, unjust and unreasonable and ordered the company to pay him compensation. Gimme a break. They even ruled that he’d been surfing in his own time anyway because that Sunday was a rostered day off. The commission even found that he did not mislead the company.

I would have thought that defending your title Coolum Classic was a lot more than ‘a bit of a paddle’.

While on sick leave Bevan had flown to Sydney for his grandfather’s funeral which was understandable and spent a couple of days with relatives before flying home to compete.

The Australian newspaper headline today summed it up: Surf on a Sickie? You’re Home Dry.

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2009