Document name

Employer Premium Payments

Document number

PRO 09/2021

1. POL 09/2021, Employer Premium Payments, outline employer premium payment requirements for all employers.

1. How are employers notified of their premium payments and due dates?
   1. A statement of account (SOA) is generated upon assessment of the Employer’s Payroll Statement, an adjustment to the payroll amounts, when interest has been applied to the employer account, and monthly when there is an outstanding balance.
   2. SOA will be generated for an outstanding balance under $5, if the balance is due to an assessment. However, for balances below $5:
      1. Payment will not be required and credits will not be refunded on closed accounts, or
      2. The outstanding amount will be added to the next payment on active accounts.
   3. The SOA includes, but is not limited to:
      1. Adjustments to previous years’ estimate to actual payroll and/or contract labour amounts.
      2. Assessments for current year’s payroll and/or contract labour estimate.
      3. Assessments for optional personal coverage.
      4. Overdue premiums.
      5. Penalties, credits, and interest.
2. When are employer premiums due?
   1. Employers are required to make payments on balances of $5 or more.
   2. Generally, payments are due 30 days from the statement date and/or semi-annually on April 1 and September 1 (see Appendix for details). Payment due dates may vary depending on, but not limited to:
      1. The date of the assessment.
      2. The employer’s premium amount.
      3. Payroll revisions.
      4. Alternate payment arrangements made with Employer Services.
3. What payment methods are accepted by the WCB?
   1. Employers can pay premiums with any of the following methods:
      1. Cash in-person at WCB offices (during office hours).
      2. Cheque mailed or dropped off at WCB offices.
      3. Most financial institutions in-person, online or through telephone banking (It is recommended that employers confirm processing times with the financial institution to ensure payment is received by the WCB on time to avoid interest and penalties).
      4. Debit Card (Interac) at WCB offices.>
      5. Credit Card (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, etc.) for payments of $10,000 or less at the WCB's offices, by telephone or online at www.wcbsask.com.

Alternate Payment Schedules

4. Can employers request for alternate payment schedules?
   1. For seasonal and out-of-province employers working in Saskatchewan for a short period within the calendar year, Employer Services staff may change the payment schedule from two semi-annual payments to one annual payment, at their discretion or upon the employer’s request. Depending on the date the employer account has been assessed, the payment due date will be 30 days from the statement of account date, April 1, or September 1 (see Appendix for details).
      1. Employers who have difficulty paying premiums on time may contact the Collections team to request alternate payment arrangements.

Default in Assessment Payments

5. What if an employer fails to make premium payments on time?
   1. Interest will accrue on outstanding balances after the scheduled payment date. The date the WCB receives payment will be the date used to determine whether interest will apply.
   2. Default in premium payments may result in cancellation of personal and/or voluntary coverage.
      1. If an employer account with an overdue balance has optional personal coverage (OPC) in place, Employer Services staff will cancel coverage. Premiums will be calculated for a minimum of three months per calendar year or up to the date of expiration/cancellation, whichever is later.
      2. If an employer in an excluded industry that has voluntary WCB coverage in place defaults in premium payments, Employer Services staff will cancel voluntary coverage. Premiums will be calculated up to the date of cancellation.
   3. The Collections team may initiate appropriate collection practices for employer accounts with a history of defaulting on WCB premiums (i.e., two or more times an account is assigned to a Collections staff for non-payment).

Premium Credits or Refunds

6. What if an employer account has a credit balance due to an overpayment or account adjustment?
   1. When an active employer account has a credit balance, the credit balance will remain on the account and will be applied toward future charges or the employer may request a refund of the credit balance.
   2. For closed employer accounts with a credit balance of $5 or more, refund will be processed accordingly.
   3. The WCB may perform an audit to verify the payroll reported prior to processing the refund.