The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board ("WSIB") is an independent agency that administers compensation to workers injured on the job in Ontario. It also provides no-fault insurance for Ontario employers.
WSIB functions so that workers injured on the job are not required to sue their employer to receive compensation for their injuries. Instead, employers pay premiums to WSIB which are used to pay benefits to workers who become injured or ill in the workplace. The WSIB also aims to return injured workers to the workplace safely and quickly.
The WSIB system can be difficult for employers and employees to understand. Depending on the nature of the organization, employers may or may not be required to apply for WSIB coverage. Employers also pay different WSIB premium rates, depending on the nature of the work that their employees perform.
The process for an injured worker to file a WSIB claim and collect benefits is complex. Workers injured on the job are not automatically entitled to WSIB benefits. The WSIB thoroughly examines all workers' claims for benefits, and will require information from their employer too. If the worker is denied WSIB benefits, and appeals that denial, the employer may be entitled to participate in an appeals hearing.
The purpose of this seminar is to provide an overview of the WSIB system, and explain how to navigate the WSIB system when a worker is injured.
Learning objectives:
- Provide an overview of the WSIB's function and structure
- How the WSIB defines "injury" and administers benefits
- Provide an overview of how the WSIB assesses employee claims
- Provide an overview of how the WSIB assists injured workers return to the workplace safely
- How to proceed when an employee is injured or becomes ill on the job
- How to proceed when an employee appeals a WSIB decision