Federation releases 2013 workplace safety report card
The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Manitoba has never once fined an employer for illegal claims suppression, even though a recent external review confirming that this employer abuse is happening in Manitoba, according to the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL).
The information was revealed in documents obtained through freedom of information requests, the MFL says.
The MFL released the information with its annual workplace health and safety report card, which focuses on workers compensation in recognition that 2013 is the 100th anniversary of the royal commission that led to the establishment of workers compensation in Canada.
Highlights from the report card include the following:
• one in four Manitoba workers do not have WCB coverage, which the MFL says is the third worst coverage rate in Canada
• although an external review found the WCB rate model is encouraging illegal claims suppression, no reforms have been made yet to the rate model. Even with the modest rate model change proposals recently sent for review, claims suppression would continue to be profitable for employers
• because the WCB is not consistently enforcing its return to work policy, many injured workers are being forced back to work prematurely
• a freedom of information document shows staff resources to help injured workers through the worker advisor office have been reduced, and lag behind those in other provinces
• Manitoba’s WCB earns top marks for financial stability and governance/accountability.
Overall grade: C
The report card awarded Manitoba an overall grade of C, based on grades in the following categories:
• WCB Protection (per cent of workers covered) — D
• claims Suppression — F
• services for Injured Workers — C
• benefits — B
• workplace injury/illness prevention — C
• return-to-work programs — C
• financial stability — A
• governance/accountability — A
