Recent documents are in both PDF and html formats but all may be available in alternate formats on request.
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.
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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, […]
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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 […]
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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.
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Avoiding disaster – Can you prevent the minimum wage increase hurting injured workers?
ONIWG’s letter to the Minister of Labour welcomes the province’s increase in the minimum wage but warns that, unless the WSIB’s policy and practice of deeming is eliminated, this increase will hurt many permanently disabled workers by reducing their benefits.
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Letter to Minister on unfair practice of deeming and impact of minimum wage on injured workers
In a follow-up to their April 4 letter, Bright Lights tells the Minister why, until the practice of deeming is ended, the much-needed increase to the minimum wage hurts injured workers.
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Submissions to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs re Bill 127
Coalition of legal aid clinics, workers’ compensation lawyers, injured worker groups, doctors address provisions in amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act regarding chronic mental stress entitlement and the expansion of Board policy-making powers.
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Letter to the Minister on deeming
Injured workers share their thoughts on how deeming affects their lives. Their question to the Minister: “Are you going to do the right thing and make the WSIB base our benefits on reality, instead of the jobs they pretend we have?”
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Letter in support of ISAC submission to pre-budget consultations
Letter to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs supports recommendations in the submission of the Income Security Advocacy Centre calling for increased investment in social assistance and a number of changes in the rules …
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Letter to the Premier – Make workers compensation fair again
Letter asks the Premier to reconsider the austerity agenda that is impacting injured workers and calls for action on 4 major concerns: continued violation by WSIB of the Charter of Rights in its handling of chronic mental health claims; systemic disregard of treating doctors’ medical opinion; denial of entitlement for time to heal; lack of […]
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