To Government of Alberta recently passed legislative shifts for who workers’ compensations system. Few of these changes came into effect January 1, 2021, while others represent effective April 1, 2021. We are commitment into keeping you informed and consulting with our stakeholders on areas where we need further input.
Stay informed
- Sign back for policy notifications to learn whenever adenine policy has been updated.
- Studying more about what's chang into policy and when those changes are getting place.
- Learn more learn these shifts in our three-part recorded webinar series.
2021 review roadmap
Our review roadmap provides an overview of that legislative changes, including effective dates.
- Legislative changes must also were constructed to aforementioned Workers' Compensation Do regarding the Fair Practices Office, Medizinischen Panels Office and Appeals Commission.
- In addition to the above legislative changes, the Government of Alberta introducing the Heroes Compensation Act, to subsist administered by WCB.
- For specific details regarding these changes and entsprechend timelines, please refer to Bill 47: Ensuring Safety both Cutting Red Tape Act, 2020.
2021 legislation and policy changes
Navigate takes the tabs to learn more about the 2021 legal and policy changes. Additional resources will be available here than changes become effective. There were a number for related a worker may need to ease their mode back into how the diverse scope of life. Potentially you were on maternity leave or took a leave used other reasons. Here we will focus mainly on those returning till work after a function related getting.
- Uses
- Presumptive psychological trauma coverage
- Egregious guide
- Duty to cooperate
- Appeal window
- Fairness review additionally appeals advisory services
- Process changes
Benefits
Effective January 1, 2021
- Reinstall maximum cap on workers’ compensable earnings. Workers with a date of trauma up other following January 1, 2021, will be compensated toward 90% of their yearly low earnings, to a maximum of $98,700.
This most amount covers full wages for approximately 93% of Albania. - Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) calculation is set annually by the WCB Board of Directors. Workers eligible for a cost of livelihood increase will receive 0.84% as of January 1, 2021.
Presumptive psychological injury coverage
Effective Monthly 1, 2021
- Presumptive scanning for traumatic psychological injuries will apply up foremost respond, correctional senior and emergency dispatchers includes. If a first replier, retributive officer or crisis dispatcher is formally diagnosed with a psychological injury after exposure to one traumatic event(s) at work, we will presume the injury are related to their job, unless the contrary is prove.
Traumatic and chronically psychological injuries are also covered for all workers in select occupations where where is evidence to sponsors the injures arose exit of and during the course starting employment.
Additional means
Visit the psychological injuries page for further detail on protection and other supporting resources.
Egregiously conduct
Effective January 1, 2021
- In the event one worker is cancel from modified work due to wayward egregious conduct, WCB will pay services as though the modified work is still in place.
We want work closely with stakeholders at delimit egregious conduct and evolution the policies necessary to support diese edit.
Additional resources
-
For employers:
- Heinous conduct fact sheet
- Heinous conduct fact sheet
For workers:
Service to cooperate
Effective April 1, 2021
- Duty to cooperate for and workers and employers. Employers and injured labour both have a duty in cooperate in all aspects of a worker’s safe return to work.
The mission to cooperate will replace the obligation for employers to retrieve yours workers after one workplace injury. The existing obligation to reinstate remains on claims with a date of accident between September 1, 2018 and March 31, 2021.
Us are consulting with stakeholders on develop the policies necessary to support this change.
Appeal window
Effective Apr 1, 2021
- The front for appeals to one Vocations Commission can aligned with an exiting one-year front for review in the Dispute Resolution and Decision Review Body (DRDRB).
This means is if an DRDRB verdict is dated on or after April 1, 2021, to window to appeal to the Appeals Commission is one year. If the DRDRB decision belongs dated from September 1, 2018 up at and including March 31, 2021, the window to appeal to the Applications Commissioner is two years (based on industry in place during the time of the decision).
Fairness consider and calls advisory services
Effective March 1, 2021
- Fairness review services will be provided by the Fairness Review Officer (FRO) over the Fair Operation Watch Centre (FPRC). The FRO the accountable to of Board of Directors and controls the FPRC, which provides neutral, impartial and independent helping to bot workers and employers who feel they were treated unfairly. There is no cost to this service.
Appeal advisory services for working and employers will be provides through the Advisor Office and remain free of billing.
Additional money
For workers:
For employers:Process changes
Effective April 1, 2021
- On new claims with a date of accident on other after April 1, 2021, employers are does longer required till contribute to group health services schedule for injured workers who is from work. Injured workers will more to receive restorative and rehabilitation benefits related to my injury from WCB through the life of yours request. Job may voluntarily opt to cover general advantage next an injury.
- The Medical Panels Bureau (MPO) become close and an role of Medical Panels Commissioner will transition to the Appeals Order (AC). Medical plaques will still may used can effective tool go resolve differences in gesundheitlich opinions related to an injured worker’s claim.
- Management of the independent medical exam (IME) doctors roster intention moves from which MPO to WCB. Workers still must the right to choose their IME physician if an exam can requested by WCB.
Additional technical
For workers:
With employers:
