What is wsib canada

Protection from Lawsuits WSIB benefits replace the worker's right to sue the employer for similar benefits. Workplace Insurance Benefits for Your Workers WSIB insurance replaces lost earnings, covers health care costs resulting from work-related injuries and illnesses, and supports return to work. Prevention and Training Programs Workplace illness and injury doesn't just hurt your workers: it can deprive you of essential staff and can seriously affect your company's productivity.

The WSIB and prevention partners provide numerous training and education programs that help you prevent injuries and illness before they cost you money. Office of the Worker Adviser - an independent agency of the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development that advises and represents non-unionized injured workers and their survivors in their workplace insurance cases.

Related Articles What are my rights as a worker in Ontario? Last updated: October 21, Before you register, ensure you have the necessary business information handy. You can register with the WSIB using the following methods:. Most businesses in Ontario that employ workers including family members and sub-contractors must register with the WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first full or part-time worker.

There are severe penalties and possible prosecution if you do not comply. Denial of benefits for this reason is rare, but it has happened. However, if you are a truck driver and you are in an accident while on the job, you are covered. I slipped on some ice just outside the store while I was leaving for the day. Am I covered? Call the WSIB after you seek medical attention. My doctor said I should take four weeks off with physiotherapy, but I feel well enough to go back to work after two weeks, and my manager is bugging me to return.

What should I do? If you feel you can return to work, ask your doctor. No one wins if you do that, least of all you. You must cooperate in any efforts to return you to work, even if it is not your regular job. The normal procedure is this:. That would be risky. Sometimes a seemingly small or very temporary injury turns out to be more serious. Back pains and other Repetitive Strain Injuries, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome do not get better without rest and treatment. And if you continue to aggravate them, they could become so disabling that you are simply unable to continue working.

The best advice is to seek medical attention first and call the WSIB. Contact the WSIB office in your region. Do not ask the Union for assistance at this stage. The WSIB will normally not talk to anyone other than the injured worker without written permission, so a call by the Union would only further delay things. Be patient, polite, and persistent. Keep notes of all your conversations with the WSIB. Visit www. A worker can refuse to work if he or she has reason to believe that one or more of the following is true:.

The worker must immediately tell the supervisor or employer that the work is being refused and explain why. The supervisor or employer must investigate the situation immediately, in the presence of the worker and one of the following persons:. What if the refusing worker is not satisfied with the result of the investigation? The worker can continue to refuse the work if he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that the work continues to be unsafe. The worker does not have to be correct in his or her knowledge or belief.

For example: the refusing worker may have been told by other workers who have used a lift truck that the brakes sometimes fail. What happens if a worker continues to refuse to work?

The worker, the employer, or someone acting on behalf of either the worker or employer must notify a Ministry of Labour inspector. The inspector may come to the workplace to investigate the refusal or conduct an investigation over the telephone by consulting with the worker and the employer or a representative of the employer. If no such work exists, the employer can give other directions to the worker. If the worker is covered by a collective agreement, any provision in it that covers this situation will apply.

The inspector must decide whether the work is likely to endanger the worker or another person. If the inspector finds that the work is not likely to endanger anyone, the refusing worker is expected to return to work. Can another worker be asked to do the work that was refused? While waiting for the inspector to investigate and give a decision on the refusal, the employer or supervisor can ask another worker to do the work that was refused.

The second worker must be told that the work was refused and why. This must be done in the presence of a committee member who represents workers, or a health and safety representative, or a worker representative chosen because of knowledge, experience, and training.

The Ontario Labour Relations Board OLRB has ruled that a refusing worker is considered to be at work during the first stage of a work refusal and is entitled to be paid at his or her appropriate rate.

A person acting as a worker representative during a work refusal is paid at either the regular or the premium rate, whichever is applicable. Can an employer discipline a worker for refusing to work?

A worker has the duty to work in accordance with the Act and the regulations and has the right to seek their enforcement. The employer is not allowed to penalize, dismiss, discipline, suspend, or threaten to do any of these things to a worker who has obeyed the law. This also applies if a worker has given evidence at an inquest or a prosecution under the Act or the regulations. However, this provision does not apply if the work refusal was made in bad faith, or if the worker continues to refuse after the Ministry of Labour inspector finds that the work is not likely to endanger the worker.

What can a worker do if disciplined? Beer Store workers should immediately contact their Union Representative if they are disciplined or threatened in any way for exercising their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The union will act immediately on complaints. Ontario Ministry of Labour. During the summer, the hot temperatures outside mean increased health risks for workers due to heat stress.

Here are some other useful links that can help you learn about the dangers of heat exposure and how to prevent it:. Working in Hot Environments — Control Measures. Working in Hot Environments — Health Effects.