Warmest Wishes this Holiday Season!
And so it is Christmas… a festive time for presents and parties, for connecting and catching up, for good food with good friends and family; it is also a time for giving and sharing, a time for thinking of others and of those less fortunate, a time to be grateful for all that we have and a time to reflect on all we have done throughout the year. BCL Consulting is pleased to continue to provide support to our community through service, volunteer and participation initiatives at Christmas and throughout the year. We are proud to continue our service work in the community this time of year by participating in the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign in Calgary, and sponsoring families through the Christmas Bureau Hamper in Edmonton. Beyond Christmas, our staff is involved with Meals on Wheels in Calgary and Sherwood Park on weekly basis, helping deliver meals to […]
How can the PIR Program Reduce WCB Premiums for my Company ?
As 2015 winds down and the start of a new year looms ever closer, it is never too late to review your WCB premiums and explore ways in which they can be lowered. One of the most effective ways to reduce the WCB premiums your company pays is through participation in the Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) program that operates through the combined efforts of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta (WCB), the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour (JSTL), industry partners, safety associations, employers and labour groups. The goal of the PIR program is to reduce claims and claims costs through injury prevention in conjunction with the development and implementation of workplace health, safety and disability management systems. The incentive for employers to participate is recognition by the WCB Alberta, which results in premium refunds based on claim cost performance. Employers’ performance is measured in three ways: […]
Benefits of a Modified Duties Program
It has been well established that the sooner a worker can safely return to work after an injury or illness, the better it is for all parties concerned especially the injured worker. The shorter the recovery, the faster a worker can return to normal, the less of an impact the injury has on a worker financially, physically and emotionally and the less of a disruption it has on the organization. It may seem like a simple equation but the finding the right balance returning to an injured worker back to work can be difficult and challenging. Bringing them back too soon runs the risk of relapse, recurrence or new injury, resulting in higher claims costs. Missing the window to safely reintegrate a worker back into the workforce can delay claim management and also increase costs. An established Modified Duties Program is a proactive approach that can prevent unnecessary time loss […]
Independent Contractors and WCB Premiums Explained
As an independent contractor in Alberta, it is not always safe to assume that you have WCB coverage through the general contractor that hired you. For most industries, worker’s compensation coverage is required by law however there are some industries that are exempt from mandatory coverage. There are also separate responsibilities and guidelines for employers when hiring contractors or subcontractors that may impact coverage. Therefore, it is important to determine what industry you are working in, whether coverage is mandatory for that industry, how your independent contracting business is operated and ultimately who is responsible for paying the WCB premiums for your coverage. In this blog we explain the relationship and responsibilities between independent contractors and WCB premiums. An employer is responsible for contractors and subcontractors worker’s compensation insurance unless the contractor or subcontractor: Have their own valid WCB-Alberta account Is operating as a corporation Is performing the work as: […]
The WCB Appeals Process
The WCB has just made a decision on a claim and as a worker or as an employer, you are not in agreement with the decision that was made – what can you do? The WCB has a number of different levels of appeal and use a collaborative review process as a way to resolve issues in a timely manner, here is a look into the WCB appeals process: Contact the Decision Maker The first step is to contact the WCB and discuss your concerns with the person who made the decision. They will be able to explain the rationale and considerations that went into making the decision. If you have any additional or new information that may have an impact on the decision, this is the time to provide it. Complete a Request for Review Form Following that discussion, if you still have concerns, you can request a formal […]