Deeming – a fair Ontario for injured workers?
ONIWG’s letter to the Premier follows up on questions on deeming raised with her during recent Town Halls by providing recent research on how severely injured workers are impacted by the WSIB practice of deeming.
ERWG Submission re Rate Framework Consultation
Submission focuses on the Temporary Employment Agencies policy which does nothing to further the workplace health and safety of temporary workers. Proposed measures means the use of temporary workers is still a way employers can avoid premium increases from their injuries, and therefore an incentive to give them the more dangerous tasks…Brief also addresses claims suppression, with Oct. 2015 submission appended.
Letter to Minister on deeming and minimum wage (post Bill 148)
Given their many discussions with the Minister’s Office, ONIWG expresses disappointment at rejection of a proposed amendment to Bill 148…
Download Letter to Minister on deeming and minimum wage (post Bill 148)
Coalition letter re WSIB’s discrimination against workers with mental injuries
Letter by a coalition of injured workers, community legal clinics, private bar lawyers, and doctors calls on the Premier to take urgent action on the new WSIB policy on mental stress which will put workers with mental injuries in Ontario in a worse position than they have ever been…
Download Coalition letter re WSIB’s discrimination against workers with mental injuries
Submission re Bill 148 “Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”
IWC supports Bill 148 as an important first step for vulnerable workers struggling with the effects of precarious and unstable work. The brief proposes solutions to addressing WSIB practice of deeming so injured workers with a permanent work-related disability will not be negatively impacted; and calls for an end to the incentive caused by ‘experience rating’ to hire temporary agency workers for dangerous work.
Download Submission re Bill 148 “Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”
re Workers’ compensation universal coverage
With approx. 29% of Ontario workers not covered, letter to the Minister of Labour asks his government to make workers’ compensation more inclusive, expanding coverage to industries not specifically named in the legislation (a list barely updated in the past 50 years), with the non-covered and new sectors disproportionately affecting women. Letter also addresses the cost-shifting to the public purse that occurs when workers in a non-insured workplace get injured.
Presentation on Bill 148 to the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs
In his July 19 presentation to the Niagara public hearing on “Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017”, ONIWG president Will Noiles addresses the issue of why the WSIB policy of deeming must be changed if the increase in minimum wage is to avoid harming injured workers. See also video of his presentation.
Download Presentation on Bill 148 to the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs
Re: Our support in Bill 148, Better Jobs Act, 2017
Group fully supports the progressive changes in Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, which provide protections for many new immigrants entering the labour force who, because of employment barriers, are often placed in jobs at minimum wage, physically demanding and involve irregular or odd working hours. However, because of the WSIB policy of deeming, injured workers will NOT benefit from the increase in minimum wage…
Submissions to the WSIB Draft Mental Stress Policy Consultation
Legal clinic endorses recommendations of the Ontario Federation of Labour‘s submission, and outlines IWC’s principal concerns: overly narrow definition of “chronic mental stress” and “workplace bullying”; added discriminatory barriers to approval and access to care, that set a higher bar for workers with mental injuries compared to workers with physical injuries; the exclusion of all employment decisions (inconsistent with other Ontario legislation).
Download Submissions to the WSIB Draft Mental Stress Policy Consultation
Re Consultation on Draft Traumatic and Chronic Mental Stress Policy
While supporting several draft provisions, ONIWG Submission details its concerns including failure to adequately address workplace sexual harassment; standards for entitlement different than those for physical injury; proposed distinctions between high- and low-stress jobs; legislative limits regarding employer decisions.
Download Re Consultation on Draft Traumatic and Chronic Mental Stress Policy