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Policy decisions finalized at the February, 2003 WCB Board of Directors meetings

The following resolutions were finalized by the WCB Board of Directors in February 2003. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure.

Consequential Policy Amendments in Regard to Governance Changes

The Board of Directors has approved consequential policy amendments to the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volumes I and II, and the Prevention Manual to reflect governance changes at the Workers' Compensation Board. (These changes were already reflected in the new Assessment Manual that came into effect on January 1, 2003.)

The policy amendments remove references to the former Governors and Panel of Administrators and insert new references to the Board of Directors. The amendments also incorporate an updated list of the Board of Directors' policy documents.

You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 129kb).

For further information about this amendment, please contact Heather Greene of the WCB's Policy and Regulation Development Bureau at 604 276-5160.

Policies of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors has approved a Bylaw re: Policies of the Board of Directors that contains an updated list of the policy manuals and other documents for the workers' compensation system.

You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 14kb).

For further information about this amendment, please contact Sheri Wynne of the WCB's Office of the Board of Directors at 604 214-5472.

Further Consequential Policy Amendment in Regard to the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (No. 2), 2002

The Board of Directors has approved a further consequential amendment to the Prevention Manual to implement the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (No. 2), 2002, or Bill 63. The policy in Item D12-196-7 now provides that an employer who has been ordered to pay an administrative penalty under section 196 must pay the amount of the penalty to the Board for deposit into the accident fund.

You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 31kb).

For further information about this amendment, please contact Nick Attewell of the WCB's Prevention Division at 604 273-2266, local 2618, or 1 888 621-7233, local 2618.

Retroactive change to the 2003 Classification and Rate List: a new classification unit for Resort Timeshare Operations

The Board of Directors has approved an amendment to the 2003 Classification and Rate List to create a new classification unit known as Resort Timeshare Operations. This policy amendment is effective January 1, 2003, for the 2003 rate year.

The new classification was created to properly classify employers that market and provide resort accommodation on a timeshare basis. In the pre-2003 system, such employers could be classified in several different classifications, leading to situations where some employers could have a competitive advantage over other, similar employers. Creating a single classification for all such employers ensures equity between competitors, and that such operations pay into the workers' compensation system at an appropriate rate.

In addition, the affected employers are being placed in an interim classification for 2002 to mimic the creation of this new classification for that rate year.

You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 18kb).

For further information on this change to the 2003 Classification and Rate List, please contact Gerry Paquette of the Board's Assessment Department at 604 244-6321, or toll-free, at 1 888 922-2768, local 6321.

Release to Public Hearing of Proposed Amendments to Reduce Duplication and Redundancy in Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

The Board of Directors has approved the release to public hearing of proposed amendments to reduce duplication and redundancy in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Regulations for Agricultural Operations. In addition, the proposal incorporates a 1998 Supreme Court of British Columbia decision that restricts the WCB's jurisdiction in aircraft operations. The amendments are divided into ten categories.

Section 226(1) of the Workers Compensation Act requires the WCB to hold at least one public hearing on the proposed regulations. The WCB will be holding a public hearing on the proposed amendments on March 25, 2003 in Prince George; and on March 27, 2003 in Richmond.

For further information on this issue, please contact David Young at 604 276-5160.

You may also examine:

Complete resolution (PDF 19kb).

Appendix A (PDF 139kb)

Appendix G (PDF 59kb)
Appendix B (PDF 122kb) Appendix H (PDF 56kb)
Appendix C (PDF 11kb) Appendix I (PDF 21kb)
Appendix D (PDF 24kb) Appendix J (PDF 129kb)
Appendix E (PDF 103kb) Appendix K (PDF 18kb)
Appendix F (PDF 11kb)  


Release to Public Hearing of Proposed Amendments regarding Occupational Exposure Limits

The Board of Directors has approved the release to public hearing of proposed amendments to replace the existing occupational exposure limits and designations for chemical substances in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, the Regulations for Agricultural Operations, and the Industrial Health and Safety Regulation with the 2002 Threshold Limit Values as established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

Section 226(1) of the Workers Compensation Act requires the WCB to hold at least one public hearing on the proposed regulations. The WCB will be holding a public hearing on the proposed amendments on March 25, 2003 in Prince George; and on March 27, 2003 in Richmond.

For further information on this issue, please contact David Young at 604 276-5160.

You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 327kb).

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