Blog Post #1185 – WCB Nova Scotia Announces Further Support for Employers During COVID-19

Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine

Employers who have front-line workers contract COVID-19 due to their work Will not have the costs of those workplace injury insurance claims impact their industry rate for individual experience rating, the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) of Nova Scotia announced May 29, 2020.

“Workers and employers on the front lines of this pandemic are facing unprecedented challenges arising from Covid-19,” said Stuart MacLean, CEO. “Claims costs arising from Covid-19 will not impact industry rates, where the experience rating of the individual employer, and will instead be spread over the general collective liability.”

As of May 29, 2020, there were 39 Nova Scotia workers who received compensation due to Covid-19, 19 of whom have returned to work.

The change means that instead of an individual employer industry having their rates affected by cost claims related to Covid-19, they will be absorbed by the employer base as a whole.

Based on the relatively low numbers, the impact of any individual employer will be very small, if it is noticed at all. The change is not expected to impact the average rate.

Employer premium payments will continue to be deferred until October, including waving of late fees and interest.

My opinion

I’m very pleased to see that Nova Scotia has found it necessary to include “Covid-19 outbreaks in the workplace” and realized that this is new territory. The employers are ill-equipped, or were ill-equipped, to deal with an outbreak at their workplace.

Mind you, 39 cases would’ve been a great day in Ontario so the Nova Scotia government’s handling of the workplace Covid-19 would have been fairly easy to deal with. Mind you, I guess the government needed to pass at the information to the employers that they were not to be held personally responsible if an outbreak happens at their facility.

I wonder what they would do if one particular employer didn’t practice social distancing, mask wearing or other protection for their workers and were being noticed by the WCB?

Ensure your workplace is a safe place.

Remember – “In Canada, ALL Accidents are Preventable”

‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.

Daniel L. Beal

CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.

 

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