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Policy decisions finalized August 2002

The following resolutions were finalized by the WCB Panel of Administrators in August 2002. For information about the function and mandate of the Panel, please see Governing Structure.

Criteria for Commutation

The Panel of Administrators has approved amendments to the Board's policies on commutation. The main policies affected are policy items #45.10 and 45.20 in both volumes of the Rehabilitation Services and Claims Manual.

The amended policies raise the threshold for automatic commutation from $100 per month to $200 per month. The requirement that the capitalized value of the award not exceed $40,000 is retired. In addition, policy that allowed a worker to choose a lump sum award or periodic payments where the disability award was between $100 and $125 per month and the commuted value was between $40,000 and $60,000 is also retired.

Finally, policy was amended to remove the prohibition on granting a commutation of a permanent disability award above a specified threshold amount where the award is calculated under section 23(3) of the Act.

The amendments come into effect on October 1, 2002.

For further information on this issue, please contact James Watson at 604 231-8650 or toll free at 1 888 967 5377, local 8650.

You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 58kb).

Appendices A & B (PDF 145kb)

Policy Issues Arising from the Online Payments and Reporting Project

The Board is developing a system by which employers can report payroll and pay assessments to the Board over the Internet. For the purpose of this project, the Panel of Administrators approved changes to policies relating to reporting and payments. These changes:

  • Increase from $500 to $1500 the threshold that determines whether an employer reports to the Board annually or quarterly,
  • Permit the use of non-paper forms of communication for the purpose of reporting,
  • Permit the acceptance of any form of recognized payment medium for paying assessments,
  • With respect to the initial penalty imposed for a failure to report or make payment on time, allow penalties in amounts less than the standard 8% of the amount due or unpaid, and
  • In cases where the standard initial penalty is not imposed, allow the monthly charge for continuing defaults to start from the time of the initial failure.

These changes will be effective January 1, 2003.

For further information on this issue, please contact Nick Attewell at 604 244-6376 or toll free within B.C. at 1 888 922 2768, local 6376.

You may also examine the complete resolution (PDF 70kb).

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