3
2
Army Accounts will be classified to the Vote hearing the charge for the ser vice or the men's wages.
6. The continuance and rate of " 'injury pay" (up to six months) will depend on the subsequent medical reports. The contractor's representative will be responsible for bringing the case forward for consideration in proper time, using Form L. in W. No. 2. Two copies of this Form should be kept, as directed in para, 4 above, the original serving as a voucher.
7. When a man in receipt of injury pay is sent back to the United Kingdom, the contractor's representative will without delay complete and subunit Form I, in W. No. 3, with copies of all the previous reports on the case, to the Military Officer in Charge, who will at once transmit it to t War Office, (F. 3),
It should be noted that failure to send such reports promptly causes lurdship to the men concerned, and is the cause of much friction.
Arrangements for further payments will be made by the War Office
and the firm at home.
8. If the man is obliged to remain abroad after drawing injury pay for five months, the contractor's representative will report the case on Form No. 3 through the Military Officer in Charge to the War Office for instructions.
9. Attention is called to paragraph (7) of the Scheme, which provides for a claim being settled by the payment of a lump sum,
Claims may be so settled :-
(a) For a sum not exceeding £25, at the discretion of the Assistant
Director of Works or corresponding officer of other services;
(6) For a sum in excess of £25, at the liscretion of the War Office. Where reference to the War Office is necessary, full particulars of the case should be given.
10. In the event of death abroad in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (10) of the Scheine, a report should be cabled to the War Office stating cause of death, whether specifically attributable to the employment, the amount of any injury pay issued and of any burial expenses, the average earnings, and the address of dependants, if known.
(2) Injury or sickness not specifically attributable to the nature or conditions of the employment abroad.
11. Where a civilian employed by a War Department contractor abroad in connection with warlike operations is incapacitated by injury or sickness not specifically attributable to the nature or conditions of the employment abroad the issue of full pay may be specially approved while he is oblige to remain abroad and is incapacitated, but for no longer period than three months. It will be noted that this allowance is full pay, ie, pay exclusive of overtime pay, and not average weekly earnings. Such sick pay will be authorised by the responsible officer on receipt of the report of the Medical Officer, Forms I. in W., No. 1. and No. 2 being used. The payment will be entered in the accounts as "sick pay," claims being duly certified and for- warded to the Command Paymaster.
12. If a man incapacitated by such sickness is sent back to this country he will come under home conditions regarding sickness, and full pay should not be issued beyond the date of debarkation at home. The case should be reported to the War Office as in paragraph 7 above..
13. Men in receipt of sick pay are not entitled to free hospital treat- ment and stoppages (23. a day) should be made from such "sick pay," unless thean is entitled to free rations and accommodation as a condition of his employment, in which case the hospital treatment may be regarded as in lieu. Where the disability is due to the man's misconduct, a stoppage should always be made.
14. No claim arises in the event of death from sickness not specifically attributable to the nature or conditions of the employment abroad.
Note-Contributions under the National Insurance Acts are not required to be paid while the employed person is out of the United Kingdom, and the War Office will not undertake to pay any contributious or arrears of contributions in respect of contractors' employees for such periods. The estion whether such arrears should be made good at the expense of the contractor or his employees is a matter for settlement between them.
B. WHEN THE MAN RETURNS HOME.
(1) Under the Scheme Framed under the Injuries in War (Compensation) Art. 1914 (Session 2).
(See paragraph 1 above.)
15. It is hoped that paragraph 7 above will secure that the return of invalids is reported to the War Office, but should the contractor have infor- mation of a man's return, he is requested to notify the War Office.
Where a man after return is entitled to further injury pay, it will generally be more convenient for payment to be made in the first instance by the contractor; but it should be understood that no payment can be made to contractors in respect of this service, and if they are unwilling to assist in this matter, they are requested to say so. As regards claims and payments on account see paragraph 26.
If the contractor is willing to make the payments, he should be guided generally by the following instructions:--
10. If the man is an in-patient in a civil hospital, his capacity may be regarded for the time as totally destroyed, and the contractor should issue the maximum compensation allowance provided by the Scheme. A certificate should be obtained from the hospital at intervals to the effect that the man is still an in-patient, and in asking for the certificate it should be stated that it is required by the War Office for official purposes connected with the war.
17. If the man is sent to his home or elsewhere than a hospital, or is discharged from a hospital, he should be asked to produce. a medical certi- ficate as to the percentage of his impairment and its probable duration, Payment may then be continued in accordance with the Scheme, and so long as the medical certificates justify it. If the contractor has any reason to think the certificates unduly favourable to the man, he should consult the War Office.
·
It may sometimes be found expedient to have the man examined by an Army Medical Officer or to send him into a military hospital for treatment or observation.
18. A civilian doctor cannot be required to furnish certificates gratis, nor can the man be required to pay for them. If, therefore, a charge is made, it must be admitted provided the amount is reasonable, say, 1s. to 2s. 6d,
19. If the man is being treated in a military hospital, the War Office will obtain periodical reports and will inform the contractor.
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