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Policy decisions finalized October 2002

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

Vocational Rehabilitation

The Panel of Administrators has approved amendments to the Board's policies on vocational rehabilitation contained in Chapter 11 of Volume II of the Rehabilitation Services and Claims Manual.

The amended policies address the principles and goals of vocational rehabilitation, eligibility criteria and the nature and extent of programs and services provided.

The amendments are effective November 1, 2002 and apply to decisions made on or after November 1, 2002 on claims adjudicated under the Act, as amended by the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2002.

For further information on this issue, please contact Jim McCaskill at 604 214-5493 or toll free at 1 888 967 5377, local 5493.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 368kb)

Employability Assessments

The employability assessment process involves a determination of the earnings that the Board estimates a worker is capable of earning in a suitable occupation after the injury.

The Panel of Administrators has approved amendments to the Board's policies on the employability assessment process contained in Chapters 5, 6 and 11 of Volume II of the Rehabilitation Services and Claims Manual.

The policies on the employability assessment process address the following:

  • Employability versus employment;
  • Definition of suitable occupation in relation to temporary partial disability under section 30(1) and permanent partial disability under section 23(3);
  • Guidelines on non-compensable factors; and
  • Guidelines on relocation.

The amendments are effective November 1, 2002 and apply to decisions made on or after November 1, 2002 on claims adjudicated under the Act, as amended by the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2002.

For further information on this issue, please contact Jim McCaskill at 604 214-5493 or toll-free within B.C. at 1 888 621-7233 local 5493.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 189kb)

Recurrence of Disability

The Panel of Administrators has approved amendments to the Board's policies on the adjudication of a claim involving a recurrence of a disability, as provided in policy items #1.00, #70.10, and #70.20 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II.

Policy item #1.00 was amended to remove the distinction between a deterioration of a permanent disability and a recurrence of a disability, and to clarify that application of section 35.1(8) of the Workers Compensation Act.

Policy item #70.10 was amended to clarify that where a worker's wage rate was set before June 30, 2002, and a recurrence of disability occurs within three years, the worker's wage rate must be reset from a rate based on 75% of gross average earnings to a rate based on 90% of net average earnings.

Policy item #70.20 was amended to clarify that where a worker's wage rate was set before June 30, 2002, and a recurrence of disability occurs after three years, the worker's wage rate at the time of injury must be reset, for comparison purposes, from a rate based on 75% of gross average earnings to a rate based on 90% of net average earnings.

The amendments are effective as of October 16, 2002.

For further information on these issues, please contact Joe Pinto at 604 276-3118, or toll free at 1 888 967 5377, local 3118.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 80kb)

Amendments to Occupational First Aid policies to reflect changes to Part 33 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

The Panel of Administrators has approved amendments to various Board policies on occupational first aid to comply with recent changes to Part 33 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation ("OHSR"). The changes to the OHSR, which enable comprehensive examination and certification of Occupational First Aid Attendants by organizations external to the Board, came into effect on October 28, 2002.

The effective date for the amended policies is October 28, 2002. On that date, the Prevention Manual policies set out in Appendix "A" to the attached resolution became "published policy". In addition, certain policies in the Policy and Procedure Manual and the Prevention Manual, as listed in Appendix "B" to the resolution, ceased to be policy.

For further information on this issue, please contact Nick Attewell at 604 273-2266, local 2618 or toll-free within B.C. at 1 888 621-7233, local 2618.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 157kb)

Release to Public Hearing of Proposed Amendments to Part 33 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to Establish More Performance-Based Regulations for Occupational First Aid

The Panel of Administrators has approved the release to public hearing of proposed amendments to the Occupational First Aid provisions of Part 33 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation ("OSHR"). The proposed amendments would establish more performance-based regulations for Occupational First Aid. The proposed amendments include repealing Part 33 of the OHSR, enacting new provisions for Occupational First Aid in Part 3 of the OHSR and enacting consequential amendments to other parts of the OHSR.

The Board assessed the level of risk in each case before proposing movement to a performance-based regulation. Where the risk was deemed too high, the prescriptive-based regulation remains.

Section 226(1) of the Workers Compensation Act requires the Board to hold at least one public hearing on the proposed regulations. The Board anticipates holding a public hearing on the proposed amendments in Spring 2003.

For further information on this issue, please contact David Young at 604 276-5160 or toll free within B.C. at 1 888 621-7233 local 5160.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 468kb)

2003 Base Assessment Rates

The Panel of Administrators has approved the schedule of Employer Classification Units and 2003 Base Assessment Rates. The Schedule has been incorporated into the 2003 Classification and Rate List. (PDF 501kb)

The rates are effective January 1, 2003.

For further information on this issue, please contact Gerry Paquette 604 244-6321 or toll free at 1 888 922-2768, local 6321.

You may also examine the complete resolution. (PDF 155kb)

2003 Forestry Classification Units

The Panel of Administrators has approved the rate group structure and associated rates for forestry industry classifications. In order to ensure that assessment rates are not an economic factor in the forest industry, most forestry industry classification units are now assigned to rate group DR. Each classification within rate group DR is being transitioned into a common rate for the whole rate group, which is scheduled to be completed by the 2006 rate year.

In addition, CU 703008 (formerly Integrated Logging) is renamed "Integrated Forest Management", and the parameters that define participation in this classification unit are redefined to cover firms responsible for a substantial range of forest harvesting activities. The Board will reclassify employers who no longer fall within the new description into other appropriate forestry classification units.

The forestry rates and classifications are effective January 1, 2003.

For further information on this issue, please contact Gerry Paquette 604 244-6321 or toll free at 1 888 922-2768, local 6321.

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

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