Benefits

Chronic pain and RSI

January 17, 2017

In a recent two-part article for Rabble.ca (Jan. 5, Jan. 7, 2017), Penney Kome argues that failure to properly treat and prevent chronic pain in the workplace is the real issue behind the prescription opioid crisis. Tracing the increase in U.S. workers’…

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On The Agenda: WSIB still up to the task?

December 19, 2016

Last Wednesday (December 14) TVO’s flagship current affairs program “The Agenda” with host Steve Paikin took a look at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario, established more than 100 years ago to administer benefits to injured workers in Ontario, and…

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WSIA amendment introduced

December 13, 2016

The Legislative Assembly has now adjourned until Feb. 21 2017. Before the House rose, the Minister of Health and Long-term Care introduced amendments to various acts, including the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, in response to the federal Criminal Code legislation dealing…

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WSIB President on the air

November 6, 2016

“Injured workers confront WSIB” – podcast (Ontario Today, Nov. 2, 2016) CBC Radio’s noon call-in show, hosted by Rita Celli, continued its coverage of current issues regarding Ontario’s workers’ compensation system. WSIB President Tom Teahan responded to callers on the live show,…

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Injured workers’ advocates speak out on pre-existing conditions policy

October 28, 2016

“WSIB’s ‘devastating’ compensation policy all about board’s bottom line, lawyers charge: Some injured workers have had benefits cut by half since pre-existing conditions policy came into effect” / Ashley Burke (CBC News Ottawa, October 27, 2016) Advocates point to the larger…

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Pre-existing conditions : WSIB trimming the bottom line?

October 27, 2016

“Looking for fairness, not cash for life” – 54-year-old Dan O’Connor’s 19-year career as a paramedic ended 3 years ago after a workplace lower-back injury. Deemed as having reached “maximum medical recovery” by the WSIB, this recipient of a service award from…

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Maintaining employment after workplace injury or disease

October 23, 2016

The Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) recently presented its submission to the committee reviewing Canada’s performance under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Approximately 50,000 of the Canadian workers injured or made sick each…

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The state of benefit adequacy

October 10, 2016

The U.S. Dept of Labor’s recent report asks the key question: “Does the Workers’ Compensation System Fulfill its Obligations to Injured Workers?” Although there are notable differences between the American and Canadian systems, the report sounds the alarm on concerns relevant also…

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Clothing Allowance decisions reconsidered

October 10, 2016

THE WSIB is sending out letters in early October to injured workers who wore a WSIB-approved back support or back corset and did not receive the full Clothing Allowance amount payable during the period from November 1, 1996 to January 3, 2006.…

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“A farcical decision”: lawyer

October 10, 2016

“Injured farm worker struggles to survive after support cut off” / Sara Mojtehedzadeh (Toronto Star, Oct 7, 2016) Former migrant farmer Anthony Brown, seriously injured in a workplace accident while working on a Niagara-area fruit-picking operation, is in a no-win situation. Permanently…

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