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COVID-19 claims data

The following tables show the cumulative number of claims submitted to WorkSafeBC related to a COVID-19 exposure since the beginning of the pandemic. The tables show a point-in–time status of claims as they make their way through the adjudicative process. Please note that WorkSafeBC claims data may differ from COVID-19 data published by the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). The numbers reported here represent claims submitted by workers for COVID-19 contracted through a work-related exposure, compared with the PHSA's COVID-19 data for the general population.

The data reflects claims registered to November 30, 2024, with claim eligibility decisions as of November 30. These numbers will fluctuate over time, as eligibility decisions and employer information continue to be updated.

Monthly COVID-19 claims registered — 12 months rolling 

Image of a graph showing data for Covid claims registered from December 2023 to November 2024

Monthly COVID-19 claims allowed — 12 months rolling

Image of a graph showing data for Covid claims allowed from December 2023 to November 2024

All COVID claims data by industry


Eligibility Decision


Allowed Disallowed No adjudication required Pending Rejected Suspended Total
Total 18,425 2,789 284 12 69 1,626 23,205
Service - Health Care and Social Services 11,178 1,058 98 4 14 648 13,000
Service - Education 2,698 319 19   6 133 3,175
Self-insured employers 809 152 15   5 121 1,102
Public Administration 804 99 8 1 2 39 953
Service – Other subsectors (including business, professional and other services) 564 176 31 1 9 139 920
Trade - Retail 436 223 34   4 109 806
Service - Tourism and Hospitality 348 100 10   2 105 565
Construction 325 97 12   4 82 520
Transportation and Related Services 284 135 11   3 66 499
Agriculture 337 37   6   9 389
Unknown employer or sector 8 240 19   16 57 340
Manufacturing - Food and Beverage Products 157 36 3     23 219
Manufacturing - Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 138 39 8     15 200
Manufacturing - Wood and Paper Products 60 31 4     19 114
Trade - Wholesale 55 11 8     30 104
Forestry 71 13 1     7 92
Oil & Gas or Mineral Resources 76 5 1   3 7 92
Manufacturing - Other Products (not elsewhere specified) 51 9 1     6 67
Manufacturing - Petroleum, Coal, Rubber, Plastic, and Chemical Products 24 6 1   1 10 42
Warehousing 1 3         4
Fishing 1         1 2

On July 26, 2024, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry rescinded all provincial orders related to COVID-19. As a result, WorkSafeBC is applying its claims policy to reflect the ending of the public health emergency for COVID-19. The end of the public health emergency means there is no longer a presumption that a COVID-19 infection is work-related. Claims submitted for COVID-19 contracted through a work-related exposure on or after July 26, 2024, will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis, which is consistent with other communicable diseases.

For exposures on or after July 26, 2024, WorkSafeBC will look at details such as whether the worker has a diagnosis of COVID-19, their symptoms, and their employment activities. As the Schedule 1 presumption no longer applies to COVID-19 claims, WorkSafeBC must determine whether the evidence in the specific case shows the disease is due to the nature of the worker’s employment. Our policy provides guidance on how work causation is determined for contagious diseases where there is no presumption.

From August 20, 2020, until July 26, 2024, Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act provided a presumption that communicable viral pathogens, such as COVID-19, were caused from work, unless proven otherwise. In order for the presumption to apply, the worker needed to be at a significantly higher risk of exposure than the public at large and the evidence would still have to show that the worker had contracted COVID-19, based on tests or symptom cluster.

When presumption coverage was in effect, claims were first considered under the Schedule 1 presumption and adjudicated on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific demands of the worker’s job duties. WorkSafeBC determines whether their job demands/duties would place the worker at a significantly greater risk of exposure to a source of COVID-19 than the public at large.

Up to the end of February 2022 we were reporting on an allow rate excluding exposure-only claims. In 2020 and 2021, most of the disallowed claims were “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.

On decisions to the end of February 2022, when the exposure-only claims are excluded from the disallowed claims, the allow rate is approximately 95%.

Fewer “exposure-only” claims are being reported, likely a result of increased awareness that WorkSafeBC cannot provide coverage where the evidence does not support a conclusion that 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.

Occupation coding may be updated when additional information is available on the claim file. 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.

Timeliness to eligibility decision on COVID-19 claims

On average, the number of days to a disallow decision is longer than for allow decisions. The reason for the additional time is that Board officers will generally 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.

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.

Industry classification unit
Industry subsector Claims registered
Long-Term Care Health Care and Social Services 6,244
Acute Care Health Care and Social Services 4,105
Public School District Education 3,118
Community Health Support Services Health Care and Social Services 958
Local Government and Related Operations Public Administration 823
Residential Social Service Facility Health Care and Social Services 682
Supermarket Retail 474
Retirement Home or Seniors' Home (accommodation only) Health Care and Social Services 291
Counselling or Social Services (not elsewhere specified) Health Care and Social Services 241
Commercial Cleaning or Janitorial Services Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 205
General Retail (not elsewhere specified) Retail 191
Restaurant or Other Dining Establishment Tourism and Hospitality 183
Daycare Centre, Preschool, or Playschool Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 152
Vegetable Greenhouse Agriculture 123
Poultry Processing Food and Beverage Products 122
Pre-hospital Emergency Health Care Health Care and Social Services 121
Law Enforcement Public Administration 116
White Mushroom Farming Agriculture 104
Commercial Marine Vessel Manufacture, Service, or Repair Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 103
Commercial Bus, Shuttle Operations, or Public Transit (not elsewhere specified) Transportation and Related Services 103
Earth and Rock Filled Structure Construction Road Construction or Maintenance 91
Overnight and Short-term Accommodation (not elsewhere specified) Tourism and Hospitality 87
Courier or Local Delivery Services (not elsewhere specified) Transportation and Related Services 85
Tree Planting or Cone Picking Forestry 80
Life and Job Skills Training Health Care and Social Services 65
Fruit or Vegetable Packing or Packaging Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 63
Industrial, Commercial, Institutional or Highrise Residential General Contracting or Construction General Construction 61
Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy Health Care and Social Services 57
Large Retail Store (not elsewhere specified) Retail 57
Physician Professional Services Health Care and Social Services 56
General Trucking (not elsewhere specified) Transportation and Related Services 55
Security or Patrol Services Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 54
Alcohol or Drug Treatment Centre Health Care and Social Services 52
Oil or Gas Pipeline Construction or Repair General Construction 51
Ferry Service Transportation and Related Services 49
Outdoor Sport Tour Tourism and Hospitality 47
Plumbing, Heating, Vent, Residential Air Conditioning, or Central Vacuum System Installation or Repair General Construction 43
Industrial Camp Operations Tourism and Hospitality 43
Motion Picture, Commercial, or Television Production Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 42
Coffee Shops, Ice Cream Parlours, or Other Food Concessions (not elsewhere specified) Tourism and Hospitality 41
Electric or Electronic Product or Component Manufacture (not elsewhere specified) Other Products (not elsewhere specified) 40
Open Pit Coal Mining Oil & Gas or Mineral Resources 39
Distribution Centre Transportation and Related Services 39
Ornamental Nursery or Floral Field Production Agriculture 38
Auto Dealership or Auto Sales Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 38
Auto Service or Repair Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 37
Meat Cutting, Packing, Processing, or Canning Food and Beverage Products 35
Fixed Wing Instrument Flight Rule Operation Transportation and Related Services 34
Oil or Gas Drilling Oil & Gas or Mineral Resources 33
Floral Greenhouse Agriculture 30
Poultry Farming and Related Services Agriculture 30
Building Management, Building Rental, or Mobile Home Parks and Strata Corporations Tourism and Hospitality 30
Advanced Education Education 29
Marine Container Terminal Transportation and Related Services 29
Financial Services (not elsewhere specified) Business Services 28
Catering Services (not elsewhere specified) Tourism and Hospitality 28
Heavy Equipment, Machinery, or Parts Manufacture or Installation (greater than 500 lb.) Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 27
Berry Farming Agriculture 26
Supplementary Health Care Health Care and Social Services 26
Hiring or Providing Companion Services or Domestic Childcare Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 26
House or Other Wood Frame General Contracting, Construction, or Renovation Work General Construction 25
Ski Hill Tourism and Hospitality 25
Food, Beverage, or Tobacco Product Wholesale Wholesale 25
Heavy Equipment, Machinery, or Parts Sales, Rental, Service, or Repair (greater than 500 lb) (not elsewhere specified) Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 24
Excavation, or Private Landfill or Transfer Station Operation General Construction 22
Dentistry or Ancillary Dental Services Health Care and Social Services 22
Pub, Bar, Night Club, or Lounge Tourism and Hospitality 22
Food Product Manufacture (not elsewhere specified) Food and Beverage Products 21
Specialized Public Transit Services Transportation and Related Services 21
Orchard Agriculture 20
Call Centre, Telemarketing, or Market Research Business Services 20
Independent or Private Primary or Secondary School Education 20
Electrical Work General Construction 20
Pulp and Paper Mill Wood and Paper Products 20
Sawmill Wood and Paper Products 20
Concrete Reinforcing General Construction 19
Structural Concrete Forming General Construction 19
Wholesale (not elsewhere specified) Wholesale 19
Construction Labour Supply or General Labour Supply (not elsewhere specified) General Construction 18
Aircraft Handling or Fueling Transportation and Related Services 18
Veneer or Plywood Manufacture Wood and Paper Products 18
Short-Term Care Health Care and Social Services 17
Convenience Store, Farm Market, or Specialty Food Store Retail 17
Helicopter Visual Flight Rule Operation Transportation and Related Services 17
Insurance, Actuarial or Bonding Services Business Services 16
Welding Services or Ornamental Metal Installation General Construction 15
Religious Organization Health Care and Social Services 15
Hair Cutting, Styling or Esthetic Services Tourism and Hospitality 15
Union Business Services 14
First Nations Operations Public Administration 14
Electronic Equipment or Light Equipment, Machinery, or Parts Wholesale (less than 500 lb.) Wholesale 14
Concrete Placing, Finishing, Surfacing, or Repair General Construction 13
Laboratory Services (not elsewhere specified) Health Care and Social Services 13
Mechanized Tunnel Boring Construction Heavy Construction 13
Open Pit Metal or Mineral Mining Oil & Gas or Mineral Resources 13
Computer Software Consulting, Programming, Design, or Production Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 13
Gas Bar or Service Station Retail 13
Electric Utilities Utilities 13
Baked Goods Manufacture Food and Beverage Products 12
Drug, Vitamin, or Pharmaceutical Manufacture Petroleum, Coal, Rubber, Plastic, and Chemical Products 12
Consulting Engineering, Geological, Geophysical, or Geochemical Consulting, or Construction Management Consulting Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 12
Cardboard or Paper Container Manufacture Wood and Paper Products 12
Scaffolding, Tent, Staging, or Display Booth Rental and Installation General Construction 11
Field Work Services Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 11
Veterinary Hospital or Veterinary Services Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 11
Home Improvement Centre Retail 11
Casino or Other Gaming Operations (not elsewhere specified) Tourism and Hospitality 11
Garbage, Debris, Industrial Waste, or Recyclable Material Removal Transportation and Related Services 11
Clothing, Linen, or Other Textile Wholesale Wholesale 11
Accounting Business Services 10
Elevator or Escalator Manufacture, Installation, Service, or Repair Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 10
Landscaping, Lawn or Garden Maintenance, or Weed Control Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 10
Barge, Tug, or Other Water Transport of Goods (not elsewhere specified) Transportation and Related Services 10
Electrical, Plumbing or Heating Supplies, or Packaged Building Supplies, Hardware, or Other Metal Product Wholesale Wholesale 10
Woodworking or Carpentry Shop Wood and Paper Products 10
Vegetable Farming Agriculture 9
Printing or Mailing, Addressing, or Document Copying Services Business Services 9
Fish Processing, Fish Reduction, or Fish Canning Food and Beverage Products 9
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Manufacture Food and Beverage Products 9
Alternative Health Care Health Care and Social Services 9
Ambulance or First Aid Services Health Care and Social Services 9
Manufacture, or Manufacture and Installation of Metal Products Fabricated from Structural Steel Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 9
Car or Truck Rental Retail 9
Retail Bakery or Delicatessen Retail 9
Retail Butcher Shop Retail 9
Multimedia Services Utilities 9
Drug, Vitamin, Pharmaceutical, or Beauty Aid Wholesale Wholesale 9
Power Pole, Powerline, or Transmission Line Installation, Service, or Repair General Construction 8
Machine Shop Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 8
Medical Supplies Wholesale or Film Distribution Wholesale 8
Fur Bearing Animal Farming Agriculture 7
Employment or Dating Agency and Related Testing Business Services 7
Drywalling or Acoustic Board Installation General Construction 7
Finishing Carpentry General Construction 7
Manufacture, or Manufacture and Installation of Vinyl Framed Windows Other Products (not elsewhere specified) 7
Commercial Laundry or Linen, Uniforms, or Diaper Supply Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 7
Custom Brokerage or Freight Forwarding (including handling of goods) Business Services 6
Law Office, Notary Public, Labour Relations, or Supplementary Legal Services Business Services 6
Forest Fire Fighting Forestry 6
Commercial Tank or Boiler Installation or Removal General Construction 6
Fire and Flood Restoration General Construction 6
Painting or Wallpapering General Construction 6
Structural Concrete Reservoir, Dam, Dyke, or Tunnel Construction or Repair (not elsewhere specified) Heavy Construction 6
Die Casting or Non-Ferrous Foundry Operations Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 6
Metal Product Manufacture (not elsewhere specified) Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 6
Truck Body or Trailer Manufacture Metal and Non-Metallic Mineral Products 6
Manufacture, or Manufacture and Installation of Modular or Prefabricated Buildings (not elsewhere specified) Other Products (not elsewhere specified) 6
Acid, Base, Salt, Chemical, or Dye Manufacture (not elsewhere specified) Petroleum, Coal, Rubber, Plastic, and Chemical Products 6
Highway Maintenance (routine maintenance of all aspects of a specific section of highway) Road Construction or Maintenance 6
Chartered Boat Tours Tourism and Hospitality 6
Bulk Terminal Transportation and Related Services 6
Paper Product Manufacture (not elsewhere specified) Wood and Paper Products 6
Wooden Furniture Manufacture Wood and Paper Products 6
Supplementary Education Education 5
Chiropractic Services, Chiropractic Care, or Chiropractic Practice Health Care and Social Services 5
Optometry Health Care and Social Services 5
Oil or Gas Field Servicing Oil & Gas or Mineral Resources 5
Domestic Cleaning Other Services (not elsewhere specified) 5
Auto Parts Supply Retail 5
Sports Instruction Tourism and Hospitality 5
Travel Agency or Accommodation Registry Tourism and Hospitality 5
Wooden Post or Pole Manufacture Wood and Paper Products 5

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.

Note that occupation information is lagged and may not be current.

Occupation COVID-19 claims Allowed COVID-19 claims Disallowed
Total – All Occupations 18,425 2,790
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 4,516 200
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 2,141 202
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 1,467 90
Licensed practical nurses 1,409 57
Social and community service workers 792 102
Firefighters 617 52
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 542 70
Secondary school teachers 433 68
Light duty cleaners 425 51
Correctional service officers 314 35
Other assisting occupations in support of health services 284 40
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations 233 51
Receptionists 142 24
Nursery and greenhouse workers 134 8
Pursers and flight attendants 129 31
Early childhood educators and assistants 124 16
Police officers (except commissioned) 114 19
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors 97 6
Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers 95 8
General farm workers 94 12
Cashiers 92 36
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents 89 41
Harvesting labourers 87 13
Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers 87 40
Cooks 86 28
Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers 80 16
Paramedical occupations 79 16
Retail salespersons 67 46
Material handlers 66 21
Other customer and information services representatives 66 18
Logging and forestry labourers 63 7
General office support workers 62 25
Administrative assistants 61 10
Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing 60 13
Construction trades helpers and labourers 58 29
Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants 58 20
Food and beverage servers 55 20
Heavy equipment operators (except crane) 55 14
Retail and wholesale trade managers 54 16
Electricians (except industrial and power system) 53 7
Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors 46 14
Managers in social, community and correctional services 46 8
Social workers 44 6
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators 41 18
Transport truck drivers 40 25
Security guards and related security service occupations 37 22
Managers in health care 35 5
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 33 5
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 33 8
Airline ticket and service agents 29 10
Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) 29 9
Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers 29 6
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 27 9
Personnel clerks 24 5
Shippers and receivers 24 14
Other labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities 22 7
Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers 21 9
Sheriffs and bailiffs 21 23
Restaurant and food service managers 20 7
Retail sales supervisors 20 23
Administrative officers 19 10
Medical radiation technologists 18 14
General practitioners and family physicians 17 9
Industrial electricians 17 5
Food service supervisors 16 5
Delivery and courier service drivers 15 25
Longshore workers 14 11
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters 13 6
Facility operation and maintenance managers 10 5
Financial auditors and accountants 10 5
Public works and maintenance labourers 9 5
Residential and commercial installers and servicers 8 6
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews 6 5
Specialized cleaners 5 7