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Prepaid Personal Optional Protection

990413-02

THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

RESOLUTION OF THE PANEL OF ADMINISTRATORS

Re: Prepaid Personal Optional Protection

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WHEREAS:

Pursuant to Section 82 of the Workers Compensation Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 492 and amendments thereto (the "Act"), the Panel of Administrators (the "Panel") must approve and superintend the policies and direction of the Workers' Compensation Board (the "Board"), including policies respecting compensation, assessment, rehabilitation and occupational safety and health, and must review and approve the operating policies of the Board;

AND WHEREAS:

Section 2 of the Act provides that the Board may provide on terms specified in the Board's direction coverage to independent operators and employers;

AND WHEREAS:

The Board provides Section 2 coverage to independent operators and employers through its Personal Optional Protection program;

AND WHEREAS:

The Board has published policies setting out the terms on which it provides Personal Optional Protection in the Assessment Policy Manual;

AND WHEREAS:

Pursuant to Section 39 of the Act, assessments may be made in the manner and form and by the procedure the Board considers adequate and expedient and may be collected in half yearly, quarterly or monthly installments, or otherwise;

AND WHEREAS:

The Assessment Department has developed a proposal for prepaid Personal Optional Protection and the Policy and Regulation Development Bureau has consulted with employer and labour stakeholders as well as individual Personal Optional Protection registrants and reported to the Panel;

THE PANEL OF ADMINISTRATORS RESOLVES THAT:

1. A policy change that would require Personal Optional Protection registrants to prepay their assessments is approved in principle including as terms and conditions that:
   1. One month minimum coverage be provided;
   2. Refunds be given for unused coverage for all but the first month and partial months;
   3. Automatic cancellation of coverage at the end of the prepaid period with no grace period for late payment;
   4. Notice of the date of termination of coverage will be contained in the documents provided to the independent operator or employer granting the coverage;
   5. No additional notice of the date of termination will be provided to independent operators or employers granted coverage of less than three (3) months;
   6. Independent operators or employers granted coverage for three (3) months or longer will receive one notice of the date of termination in addition to the notice in the documents granting coverage.
2. The Assessment Department will develop and provide to the Panel a transition and implementation plan that includes detailed costing and an effective date.
3. The Assessment Department will work with the Policy and Regulation Development Bureau to bring forward any policy issues identified in the process of developing the transition and implementation plan.

Dated at Richmond, BC June 15, 1999.

	By the Workers' Compensation Board
	DON COTT, CHAIR, PANEL OF ADMINISTRATORS