The following tables show the number of claims submitted to WorkSafeBC related to a COVID-19 exposure. The tables show a point-in–time status of claims as they make their way through the adjudicative process.

The data reflects the eligibility decision on the claim file as of the report date. These numbers will fluctuate over time, as eligibility decisions and employer information continue to be updated. This information will be updated weekly (the following data is current to: January 15, 2021).

COVID claims data by industry

Claims submitted for COVID-19 contracted through a work-related exposure are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis. WorkSafeBC will look at details such as whether the worker has a diagnosis of COVID-19, their symptoms, and their exposure history. Workers are entitled to compensation if certain conditions are met.

Claims are allowed when there is sufficient evidence to establish that the worker has COVID-19 and the risk in the workplace was significantly higher than the ordinary exposure risk.

Claims are typically disallowed when there is insufficient evidence to establish that the worker has COVID-19 (based on tests or symptom cluster), and/or the worker went off work strictly as preventative measure. Not all disallowed claims have sufficient information on the claim to code the occupation of the worker; particularly when there is a negative test result and occupational information is not required to make the eligibility decision.

Most of the disallowed claims are “exposure only” – that is, the worker was potentially exposed, tested, and/or required to self-isolate, but didn’t actually develop the illness, as confirmed with a negative test result or absence of symptoms.

Early in the pandemic, WorkSafeBC determined it would issue a decision, wherever possible, on all COVID-19 claims registered. This included providing a disallow decision on exposure-only claims, which in non-pandemic circumstances might have been recorded only but not adjudicated. This decision was made to allow workers to access alternative employment or government income/benefits that might be contingent on a decision from WorkSafeBC.

Of the total number of COVID-19 claims that have proceeded to an allow/disallow decision to date, 63% have been allowed. If exposure-only claims are excluded from the disallowed claims, then the allow rate is approximately 93%. This better represents the allow rate on claims where the worker developed COVID-19.

Not all claims registered receive an allow or disallow decision. Some claims are suspended when insufficient information is available, or a worker decides not to proceed with the requirements of the claims process. Suspended claims may proceed at a future point and be allowed or disallowed.

A smaller number of claims are classified as no adjudication required, or rejected. No adjudication required claims may have been filed in error or there was nothing to consider as the worker did not seek medical attention and did not miss any time from work. Rejected claims are those that do not fall within the scope of the Act: either claims from workers employed in industries not covered under the Act or claims from self-employed workers without optional protection.

Pending claims do not yet have sufficient information to make an eligibility decision. These claims could be waiting for test results or other evidence required to make a decision.

Unknown employer or sector means that the employer has not yet been identified or the employer and/or the specific claim have not yet been assigned to an industry classification unit and sector.

Timeliness to eligibility decision on COVID-19 claims

For the COVID-19 illness claims that have been allowed to date, the average number of days from the date of claim registration to the date of the allow decision was 21 days.

For the COVID-19 illness claims that have been disallowed to date, the average number of days from the date of claim registration to the date of the disallow decision was 24 days.

On average, the number of days to a disallow decision is longer than for allow decisions. The reason for the additional time is to wait at least 14 days from the last potential exposure before disallowing a claim, in the event symptoms present themselves later in the incubation period. This extra time is necessary to confirm the worker did not contract the disease.

Classification units with 5 or more claims registered for COVID-19

Subsectors are further broken down into classification units. The data table above is presented at the industry sector or subsector level and the table below provides additional information for COVID-19 claims registered by classification unit.

Occupations with 5 or more claims that have been registered for COVID-19 and have proceeded to an allow or disallow decision

Of the COVID-19 claims registered, a subset have proceeded to an allow or disallow decision. Claims are allowed when the evidence is sufficient to establish the worker has COVID-19 and the risk in the workplace was significantly higher than the ordinary exposure risk. Claims are typically disallowed because the evidence is insufficient to establish that the worker has COVID-19 disease (based on tests or symptom cluster), and/or the worker went off work strictly as preventative measure.

In order to protect privacy, only occupations with a total claims allowed plus disallowed greater than 5 are listed.

*Occupation information not submitted or obtained, as not required to make eligibility decision on these claims.

Breakdown of allow and disallow decisions for occupations with both 5 or more allowed claims and 5 or more disallowed claims

Claims are allowed when the evidence is sufficient to establish the worker has COVID-19 and the risk in the workplace was significantly higher than the ordinary exposure risk. Claims are typically disallowed because the evidence is insufficient to establish that the worker has COVID-19 disease (based on tests or symptom cluster), and/or the worker went off work strictly as preventative measure.

In order to protect privacy, only occupations with both 5 or more allowed claims and 5 or more disallowed claims are listed.