Workers' Compensation Board (WCB)

Part of work benefit one gets is enrolment in the Workers' Compensation Board or WCB. Each province manages their own WCB and you can easily find them via Google or your phone directory.

The main task of the WCB is to monitor employers of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation as well as to educate workers about work safety. In the event of the work related injury or disease, WCB will provide return-to-work rehabilitation, compensation, health care benefits, and a range of other services.

Employers are legally required to enroll their employees in WCB. But normally, only those whose work are more physically oriented are enrolled in WCB such as those who work in construction, forestry, nurses, etc. Office workers usually are not enrolled in WCB and the employer may have alternative coverages for their employees.

WCB is an important part of a benefits package as employers who register their employees under the WCB can minimize lawsuits against them if their employees suffer from a work related injury.

WCB also benefits the employees as it helps protect them from economic hardship caused by work-related injuries or diseases. Since lawsuits cost money and may take a lot of time, WCB will provide for a faster decision on claims.

I once knew a person who worked in a hotel who got injured and was off work for about six months. He got paid a disability claim by WCB and was also covered for his medical therapy until he was able to get back to work. Because of his WCB coverage, the employer did not have to compensate him and WCB handled everything.

WCB is not meant to replace your income 100%, you will only get a percentage of what you were earning prior to an injury. How much you can claim will be determined by various factors and it is best to consult your province's WCB website to find out what their guidelines are.

WCB is by no means the be-all and end-all of protecting employees and employers from the economic hardship from a work-related injury. Other forms of coverage like "Disability Insurance" may be a better option for some. The deciding factor is usually the nature of the work, the cost, the benefit and the extent of the coverage.

Each province has different regulations as who is required to be enrolled in WCB. Check out each province's WCB website for more information.

Here is the Google search result for WCB to get more information regarding WCB in your particular province.