Efforts to recognize effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on workers are being rewarded with provincial legislation
Perceptions around what constitutes a workplace injury continue to change as the province of Manitoba becomes the latest to recognize post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a work-related occupational disease.
Changes to the Workers Compensation Act in Manitoba came into effect on Jan. 1. Moving forward, when an employee who has experienced a traumatic event on the job is diagnosed with PTSD, the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) will presume the condition was caused by the job automatically.
“This is a big step forward in recognizing that mental health injuries are something that need to be looked at seriously,” said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.
“All too often, unless someone breaks a bone or splits their skin, we kind of shrug it off or tell people to suck it up. Recognizing things like PTSD is a step towards doing a better job of recognizing the mental health impact work can have on people.”
The new bill extends coverage and benefits to all workers diagnosed with PTSD by a medical professional and who are eligible under the WCB.
New legislation not geared to specific jobs
The Manitoba Government and General Employees Union (MGEU) was a strong advocate for the changes in its effort to raise awareness about the way workplace trauma can affect nurses, firefighters and first responders. However, the legislation is not restricted to any specific positions.
“There is recognition that any worker could be in an incident through their work and be affected by this,” Rebeck said.
The legislation also recognizes that providing support for employees suffering from PTSD as soon as possible is best for both workers and employers.
“Before this legislation came through PTSD was still potentially recognized but it was always subject to challenges,” Rebeck said. “When people are going through PTSD they’re not necessarily in the best place to be dealing with challenges and hang-ups or being told they’re going to have to wait a few months while this gets sorted out before they can get the medical help they need. This is a fast-track for them to really get the help they need.”
A private member’s bill up for debate in Ontario would provide a similar fast-track for first responders in the province by recognizing PTSD as a workplace illness. The bill — scheduled for debate in February after passing its first reading — would change the burden of proof so first responders with PTSD would be automatically considered for workers’ compensation should they need to take medical leave.
Employers throughout Canada have expressed concerns about the cost of these changes, but Rebeck said companies are already paying the cost of PTSD.
“Employers do pay for this. They’re just paying for it in a different way right now,” he said. “If someone is suffering due to PTSD, their productivity is affected. The employee could be physically there but not really present, or not there at all.”
Recognizing PTSD as a work-related occupational disease and extending coverage and benefits through WCB gives employers the benefit of predictability, Rebeck said.
Stigma of mental illness
Another benefit of this type of legislation is the way it contributes to reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, said Michelle Gawronsky, president of the MGEU.
“It’s going to allow the employees to be able to come forward,” she said. “It’s going to help reduce the stigma around PTSD and mental health because people are going to be able to look at it as a workplace injury, not a mental illness.”
Gawronsky said this shift in perception will be crucial not only for workers struggling with PTSD but also for their colleagues and managers.
“If your co-worker or your employee is not working up to the potential they were at one time, now instead of being critical we can start looking at, is there a reason this is going on? We can help each other to be better,” she said.
As perceptions surrounding PTSD and the way it is addressed in the workplace continue to shift, Dave Wilson — MLA for Sackville-Cobequid and NDP house leader in Nova Scotia — hopes his own proposals to improve coverage for first responders will find traction.
Wilson’s private member’s bill was introduced in October 2014 in an effort to provide current and former emergency responders with automatic or presumptive coverage for a PTSD diagnosis under workers compensation.
Currently, Wilson said, first responders are eligible for coverage if they are diagnosed with PTSD within a one-year period following the traumatic event. The problem with this system, he said, is that PTSD is often the result of cumulative exposure to traumatic events throughout an employee’s career.
“It’s frustrating,” Wilson said. “We’re continuing to push. Provinces around the country have been moving on ensuring the compensation their workers have is up to date and I’m hoping it’s a wake-up call for our government here in Nova Scotia. The sad part is, these men and women who are diagnosed with PTSD, that’s just the start of their battle. The last thing they need is to now battle with their employer I’ve been trying to work diligently in a non-partisan way to get across the importance of this. The fight continues.”
Rebeck agreed that employers and government need to collaborate in supporting employees suffering with PTSD.
“There’s a responsibility when employers are the ones who caused that to occur and have had that impact on an employee’s health,” Rebeck said. “They have a responsibility to help workers deal with it and get help and get well again.”
