Document name

Employer Accounts – Clearances

Document number

PRO 39/2025

POL 39/2025, Employer Accounts – Clearances, establishes the guidelines for requesting and issuing clearances and letters of good standing.

1. How can clearances be requested?
   1. A clearance may be requested by a principal or contractor online (www.wcbsask.com), or by contacting Employer Services by telephone, or email (employerservices@wcbsask.com).
2. Can an employer check the status of a contractor before engaging their services?
   1. Before hiring an individual or company, an employer can request a clearance to ensure they have a WCB account in good standing. However, this is not a requirement.
3. When is a clearance required?
   1. Before making payment to a contractor for work completed a principal is required to obtain a clearance. The clearance letter provides the principal with one of the following statuses:
      1. Cleared – the principal is authorized to pay the contractor for the work completed,
      2. Deemed – the contractor is not registered with the WCB and is considered a worker of the principal, or
      3. Hold – the contractor’s account is not in good standing.
4. What happens when a clearance letter with a “hold” status is issued?
   1. When a clearance letter with a hold status is issued, employer services staff will notify the contractor that they must bring their account into good standing.
   2. The principal will be notified of any updates on the status of the contractor’s account and will be directed not to issue payment until WCB advises the status is cleared.
   3. If the contractor fails to pay their outstanding premiums, the WCB may request that the principal issue payment directly to the WCB from the funds owed to the contractor.
5. What happens if a clearance is not obtained prior to making payment to a contractor?
   1. The principal will be responsible for paying premiums to the WCB for the labour portion of the contract up to the amount outstanding on the contractor’s account,
   2. The premium charged to the principal’s account will be calculated based on the contractor’s experience rate, and
   3. The premium charged will remain on the principal’s account and interest will accrue until the payment is made.