33 new industries, including agriculture, now covered
Manitoba's workers' compensation program now covers workers in 33 more industries, most notably agriculture.
The expansion of coverage, which came into effect Jan. 1, means about 30,000 employees of 7,500 employers are now covered by the system.
Along with agriculture, other newly covered industries include call centres, cemeteries, advertising firms, flea markets, schools (except teachers), unions and museums and galleries.
“Covering additional industries provides wage replacement and health-care treatment for workers. Employers will also receive protection against lawsuits for workplace injuries and illness,” said Minster of Labour Nancy Allan in a release when the regulations were first announced in October.
The coverage, along with the extension of employment standards regulations to farming last July will hopefully make farm work more attractive to workers in Manitoba, Ian Wishart, the president of farm lobby Keystone Agricultural Producers, told Canadian OH&S News.
At family-run farms, family members are exempt from mandatory coverage but all other employees must be covered. While there were initially concerns that mandatory coverage would be costly for farm owners, Wishart said there has been a reduction in cost because many farms were able to reduce their existing private insurance plans.
