COVID-19
The Government of Saskatchewan announced various measures to support provincial businesses and workers during the COVID-19 crisis. The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) is introducing relief measures for employers who are unable to pay their WCB premium payments. To provide further relief for Saskatchewan employers, the WCB is:
- Waiving penalties and interest charges for late premium payments from April 1 until June 30, 2020. This three month deferral period is similar to other Boards’ relief measures.
- Forgiving interest and penalties for late payments applied in the month of March.
- Prioritizing employer payroll revisions to help employers reduce their premiums.
- Suspending payroll audits until further notice except in situations where an employer may be eligible for a refund.
Employers that are able to make premium payments are encouraged to do so. Employers who have concerns about paying their 2020 premiums should contact the WCB to discuss their options.
Update on employer relief measures – June 17, 2020
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board has provided an extension to employer relief measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relief measures have been extended until July 31, 2020 and will be monitored monthly. The extensions and additions to the pandemic relief measures are:
- Penalties applied in 2020 will be removed. This includes late filing, under estimate and late registration penalties. This will be automatically applied and employers do not need to call to initiate this process.
- Waiving of interest has been extended until July 31, 2020. If no additional extensions occur, interest will be applied on August 08, 2020.
- Clearance letters will continue to be available to employers that meet certain criteria, even in cases where the contractor’s WCB account has not been paid. Employers will not be liable for any outstanding WCB premiums the contractor owes.
- The WCB will prioritize payroll revisions to assist employers in reducing their premiums based on the impact of work slowdowns.
- Payroll audits have been suspended, except in situations where an employer may be eligible for a refund.
Employers are encouraged to continue to make payments as they become due. However, we do recognize that some may not be able to make current or future payments in full at this time. To provide support to those customers, our collections team is available to design a payment option to meet those needs.
The WCB would also like to extend thanks to all employers who have continued to work with the WCB through the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 24 update: Employer cost relief measures extension to end July 31, 2020
The WCB’s employer relief measures relieving late payment penalties (interest, held clearances) will expire on July 31, 2020.
While the WCB will no longer be providing a blanket waiving of interest beyond July 31, 2020, the WCB remains committed to assisting employers who may be unable to submit payments as they become due. The WCB recognizes that COVID-19 has affected employers differently. There are options available where requested for employers to set up regular payment plans as another mechanism to avoid interest.
Frequently asked questions for workers on COVID-19
For more information, read the frequently asked questions on COVID-19 employer relief measures.