Dear Blue Collar,
Q: Last year one of our male employees brushed up against a female colleague while passing behind her through a narrow corridor. By all accounts, according to eyewitnesses, the contact was innocent and harmless. However, the lady worker is now on WCB for severe anxiety and PTSD. She’s been off-work for months on the advice of her psychologist who says his patient is permanently disabled. And now it seems we’re on the hook for a permanent WCB pension. How can this be?
A: The specific details of the incident are always crucial in these cases. But taken at face value, your worker’s claim may be valid per WCB policy. For instance, if the worker has a history of suffering physical abuse, the ‘thin skull’ rule may apply—meaning that a pre-existing vulnerability to trauma would not preclude a WCB claim.
That said, it’s advisable to hire an experienced employer’s representative to ensure that a) the diagnosis was based on a comprehensive psych assessment and b) to advocate for cost relief if the workplace incident aggravated an already fragile mental state.
Visit BlueCollarConsulting.ca to learn more about our WCB management services. Send your disability-related questions to ben@bluecollarconsulting.ca
