The Issue
In July 2010, Hugh MacDonald, Official Liberal Opposition Labour Critic, wrote a letter to the Premier asking him about the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) policy which gives bonuses to employees that reduce the number of Alberta workers receiving benefits, and for increasing the number of companies registered in a flawed provincial safety program.
Why It's Important
WCB documents provided to the Official Opposition show that the bonus program has been in effect for at least a decade. Each year, WCB employees receive a letter from the President outlining the bonus they’ll get for the last year’s work; a typical bonus can be as high as $5000.
“This bonus policy completely distorts the objectivity of the WCB,” MacDonald says. “They have a financial interest in reducing benefits to injured workers. How can they be objective about whether or not an injured worker needs benefits when the WCB is offering them bonuses worth thousands of dollars if they reduce the number of Albertans claiming compensation?”
MacDonald notes that the WCB’s board of directors voted to remove references to the bonus scheme from their 2009 corporate objectives and performance measures.
“The decision to hide this tells me that the WCB feels a degree of shame about this program, as they should,” MacDonald says. “This bonus program shows that the government is not interested in treating injured workers fairly. The Minister must do the right thing and halt the bonus scheme immediately.”
What Should Be Done
The Alberta Liberal Official Opposition demands that the Minister of Employment and Immigration, who is responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Act:- Immediately stop the million-dollar bonus scheme;
- Identify claim files of injured workers cut off from benefits as a result of this bonus scheme and review their files;
- Pay premium rebates only to employers who comply with all safety laws.
Read Hugh's letter to the Premier here:
Read the Minister of Employment and Immigration's response here:
