Quick Links
Customer Centres
Policy decision finalized at the July 2010 WorkSafeBC Board of Directors meeting
The following Resolutions were finalized by WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure.
- Enhancement/Devaluation of Permanent Disability Awards
- Cost Relief for Subsequent Non-Compensable Incidents
Policy decision finalized at the September 2009 WorkSafeBC Board of Directors meeting but taking effect July 1, 2010
Enhancement/Devaluation of Permanent Disability Awards
On July 20, 2010, the Board of Directors approved amendments to policy item #39.12, Enhancement, and policy item #39.13, Devaluation, of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II (“RS&CM”).
The policy changes clarify when permanent disability awards are enhanced or devalued. Changes to policy item #39.12 provide that enhancement:
- Applies to bilateral disabilities involving both arms, or both legs
- Applies to disabilities that impede assisted ambulation
- Does not apply to two or more disabilities of the spinal column
- Is only applied to awards assessed under the Permanent Disability Evaluation Schedule
Policy item #39.13, Devaluation, has been revised to delete the devaluation formula and add a statement that multiple disabilities involving one limb cannot exceed the amputation value of that limb.
As well, the Board of Directors approved consequential amendments to policy item
#39.21, Amputation of Digits of the Hand, and policy item #39.32, Thumb Restrictions, of the RS&CM.
The amendments come into effect on January 1, 2011 and apply to all decisions made on or after that date.
For further information on this issue, please contact Valerie Vojnic at 604 231-8839
You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 56kb).
Cost Relief for Subsequent Non-Compensable Incidents
At the July 20, 2010 Board of Directors Meeting, the Board of Directors approved:
- the addition of policy item #115.33, Claims Relating to Subsequent Non-Compensable Incidents, to Chapter 17 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II (“RS&CM”);
- changes to policy item # 34.55, Subsequent Non-Compensable Incidents, of the RS&CM; and
- consequential amendments to policy item #115.30, Experience Rating Cost Exclusions, of the RS&CM.
Under the new policy item #115.33, employers would receive cost relief where a worker continues to receive temporary wage-loss benefits when a subsequent non-compensable incident delays the worker’s recovery from a compensable disability. The claims costs associated with the delay in recovery beyond the estimated date for terminating temporary wage-loss benefits would be excluded for experience rating purposes and spread across all rate groups.
The changes apply to all decisions made on or after August 1, 2010.
For further information on this issue, please contact Louise Kim at 604 231-8876.
You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 51kb).
Policy decision finalized at the September 2009 WorkSafeBC Board of Directors meeting but taking effect July 1, 2010
Chapter 3 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual,
Volume II
In October 2007 the Board of Directors approved changes to policy in Chapter 3 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II. These policies provide direction on the determination of whether a worker?s personal injury or death arises out of and in the course of employment. WorkSafeBC consulted extensively on draft policies, and the Board of Directors considered all the responses received from stakeholders before reaching a decision.
The result is the replacement of policy items #12.00 through #24.00 inclusively, with Items C3-12.00 through C3-23.30 and policy item #34.55. The new policies are consistent in content, formatting, and style, and remove misleading and outdated examples. They provide clearer direction on how to determine if a claim for personal injury or death will be accepted, and emphasize the importance of new Item C3-14.00, Arising Out of and In the Course of the Employment, in making this decision.
The changes were originally scheduled to come into effect January 1, 2009. You may examine the complete resolution (PDF 982kb).
The Board of Directors revised the effective date for the Chapter 3 policy changes to January 1, 2010. You may examine the complete resolution on these revised effective dates here (PDF 131kb).
At the September 2009 meeting, the effective date was further postponed to July 1, 2010 to ensure that there would be sufficient resources available to successfully implement the changes.
You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 173kb) for these revised effective dates.
For further information on this issue, please contact Susan Hynes at 604-276-5160.