Document name
Disaster Reserve
Document number
PRO 12/2014
Effective date: December 1, 2014
Approved date: September 2, 2014
Application: Applies to all new injury claims on or after the effective date.
Policy subject: Employer accounts – Claims costs adjustments and cost relief
Purpose:
To establish guidelines for the Disaster Reserve.
BACKGROUND
- The Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) has approved POL 12/2014, Disaster Reserve.
- This procedure provides rules on how to apply POL 12/2014.
PROCEDURE
- An employer may incur high claim costs from a disaster. The WCB can charge a portion of the claim costs to the Disaster Reserve.
- The Disaster Reserve will be charged costs based on the net costs of a claim. In determining the net costs, Operations staff will consider all relevant:
- Recoveries (for example, third party recoveries), or
- Relief under the Second Injury and Re-employment Reserve or the Occupational Disease Reserve.
- For one claim:
The WCB claims computer system will transfer costs 10 times above the maximum wage rate at the time of injury to the Disaster Reserve.
- For an incident resulting in injury to two or more workers of the same employer:
Information Technology Services (ITS) and Operations staff will find and link claims caused by the same incident. The computer system will transfer costs 20 times above the maximum wage rate at the time of injury to the Disaster Reserve.
- The WCB will provide the maximum amount of cost relief to the employer. When the calculation under Point 4 does not benefit the employer, the WCB will consider cost relief for the individual claims.
- Operations staff will advise the employer, in writing, of all decisions regarding cost relief.
- When the WCB provides cost relief, an employer may request to have their previous years’ experience rating reviewed by a Quantitative Research Analyst (POL 27/2016, Experience Rating Program – Discounts or Surcharges).
Policy references
Section heading
Legislative Authority
Legislative Authority
The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013
Sections 20, 145
Section heading
Document History
Document History
(1) POL 10/1999, Disaster and Occupational Disease Reserve (effective February 1, 1999 to November 30, 2014).
(2) Board Order 74/80, Application of the Disaster Reserve Fund (effective January 1, 1979).
(3) Board Order 08/73, Disaster Reserve Fund (effective January 1, 1973).
(4) Board Order 43/70, Disaster Reserve (effective December 3, 1970).
Section heading
Complements
Complements