STD or LTD instead of WCB? Not so fast.
STD or LTD seems better than WCB. Think again. When a debilitating injury or illness strikes, it can feel like your world’s been turned upside down. In your moment of need, it’s easy to make decisions that seem like the quickest and most straightforward path to recovery. And many of us know of someone who’s […]
Surprise! CEWS and WCB
Employers getting burned for failing to report the CEWS subsidy While white-knuckling their passage through COVID, employers flocked to wage subsidy programs like the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to stay afloat. And while this program did provide crucial support to cash-strapped companies, tens of thousands of employers who received the subsidy were actually ineligible […]
Modified Duties 101
When injury strikes, modified work can be the bridge between disability and a full return to the workforce Under ideal circumstances, employees injured or sickened on the job recover quickly and are able to resume duties no worse for wear. But not everyone gets off so lucky. Oftentimes doctors permit a return to work provided […]
Failure to accommodate bites Tim Horton’s franchisee
Neglecting its duty to accommodate proves costly Disability management has a new-agey ring to it. As a nascent discipline, it seems something of a foray into the abstract conjured by a business school or prestigious consultancy to spawn new springs of billable hours. But courtesy of a recent Human Rights ruling, a Tim Horton’s franchisee […]
WorkSafeBC and WCB: A Comparative Analysis
A Comparative Analysis of WorkSafeBC and Alberta’s WCB Workers’ compensation is an important aspect of ensuring the safety and well-being of employees in the event of an injury or illness sustained on the job. In Canada, each province has its own workers’ compensation board, with specific regulations and processes in place. However, when comparing Alberta’s […]
WCB Cost Relief: Lower Premiums
WCB cost relief paves the way to lower employer premiums As an employer, you understand the importance of maintaining a healthy and safe workplace. However, sometimes accidents happen, and when they do, they can lead to costly workers’ compensation claims. Fortunately there’s a way for employers to reduce the cost of these claims through WCB […]
WCB audit causes anxiety
(Q) Learning that I’ve been selected for a WCB audit has triggered a fight-flight response. And now I need to submit documents in order to verify my operations and financial records. Did I bring this on myself by somehow accidentally misreporting? (A) Unlike the CRA, WCB isn’t known to use algorithms or AI-technology to detect […]
Paper trails and WCB
Many injuries (e.g., strains, burns, cuts) have an obvious relationship to a compensable accident. Consequently, determining WCB’s level of responsibility is relatively simple. However, there are other injuries which, because of their progressive nature or less obvious relationship to employment, thus require consideration of factors both in and outside employment which may have contributed to […]
Do this before calling the WCB Advisor Office
The WCB Advisor Office decoded Deciphering vernacular is half the battle in navigating Alberta’s workers’ compensation system. The WCB lexicon exists in near constant flux namely because of ever changing legislation and policy making. And for this reason, WCB’s alphabet soup is notoriously difficult to absorb. Of the many enigmas, perhaps most mystifying for both […]
Interprovincial Work and WCB Coverage
(Q) We just scored a large tender in the NWT. As an AB-based contractor, are my crews covered by WCB-AB or should I register with WCB-NWT? (A) According to WCB policy, workers who live in Alberta are eligible to have WCB coverage extended while working out of province provided certain conditions are satisfied. First off, […]