Benefits
Oshawa MPP Jennifer French (NDP) introduced a private member’s bill last Thursday aimed at closing loopholes in the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act “that penalize victims and their families”.
The Protecting Victims of Occupational Disease Act, 2015 (Bill 98) amends s. 43…
Medical decisionmaking – who is in control?
When a clinical neurologist went public last year over dealings with the Nova Scotia WCB (CBC News Oct. 10, 2014) that she termed “appallingly disturbing”, she raised an issue that often confronts injured workers, leaving them “between a rock and a hard…
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Bill 56 and injured workers’ retirement income
Currently two-thirds of Ontarians do not have a workplace pension. Tuesday when the House started sitting again, MPPs jumped into second reading debate on Bill 56, The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2014. Given that only 39% put away money for…
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Judicial review of WSIAT decision on age discrimination
Ontario’s Divisional Court [Gouthro v Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal et al, 2014 ONSC 7289] has upheld the WSIAT decision 512/06 that the age limits on recovery for LOE benefits do not violate the Charter of Rights, arguing that as…
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How the WSIB is failing injured migrant workers
“The WSIB’s austerity agenda: deporting injured migrant workers” / Samantha Ponting (RankAndFile.ca, Dec. 16, 2015)
The second of a two-part series on how the WSIB has failed in its duty to injured workers focuses on the plight of Ontario’s migrant workers who…
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Minister: “we need to remember why we have a (compensation) plan”
“Fully indexed benefits coming for injured workers in Ontario” / Patty Winsa (Toronto Star, Dec. 11, 2014)
Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn tells demonstrators at the Dec. 8 rally that the province will introduce full cost-of-living increases for injured workers receiving partial…
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Minister questioned in the House on injured workers
Taras Natyshak (MPP-Essex) rose in the House yesterday to question the Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn on issues raised by injured workers in their demonstration Monday outside the Ministry buildings.
Referring also to safety rebates for dangerous employers, the NDP Critic for…
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Injured workers deserve better healthcare!
Injured workers were handing out band-aids in front of the Ministry of Labour building on University Avenue yesterday. This was to underscore the WSIB’s failure to properly fund healthcare services, even as it rewards through large rebates “dangerous” employers with poor…
Shortcoming health care for Ontario’s injured workers
“How the WSIB is failing the injured workers of Ontario” / Samantha Ponting (Rankandfile.ca, Dec. 3, 2014)
Part one of a two-part series on problems in Ontario’s workers’ compensation system focuses on failure to meet the healthcare and medical rehabilitation needs of…
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Government fails to uphold country’s social obligation: response to AG report
“Vets needing PTSD benefits face dizzying paperwork, waits: auditor” / Murray Brewster (Hamilton Spectator, Nov. 26, 2014)
Opposition parties, following release of the Auditor General report on Veterans Affairs’ handling of disability benefits for veterans with mental health conditions, charged the government…
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