Benefit improvement started back in 2018 with changes to legislation
New Brunswick has completely eliminated the three-day unpaid waiting period for workers experiencing a workplace injury or illness.
“This benefit improvement will directly help New Brunswick’s most vulnerable injured workers, who might not have access to sick leave benefits during this timeframe,” says WorkSafeNB.
The new rule came into effect on July 1, two years after the initial elimination of one unpaid day in 2019.
WorkSafeNB is also recommending that employers advise joint health and safety committees, human resources personnel and anyone who may connect with employees on workers’ compensation benefits of the change.
“We want to help ensure you share accurate, helpful information to your staff,” it says.
Changes start in 2018
In 2018, a Ministerial Task Force, comprised of equal representation of both workers and employers released a total of 28 recommendations designed to strike the right balance among compensation for injured workers, the employers’ financial interest and the long-term sustainability of the system. The legislative amendments announced in December 2018 address seven of the proposed 12 recommendations requiring legislative change.
“Eliminating the unpaid waiting period will provide wage loss benefits to all workers from the day following an accident,” said Haley Flaro, acting board chairperson for WorkSafe NB, back in December 2018, when the legislation was announced. “This benefit improvement will directly impact New Brunswick’s most vulnerable injured workers who might not have access to sick leave benefits during this time frame.”
Canadians lost nearly $2.8 billion in lost wages and productivity in 2020 because of long wait surgical times, according to a report from the Fraser Institute. The Canadian economy lost almost $2.1 billion in lost productivity and wages in 2019 due to long wait times for surgery and other medical treatments.
