A workers’ compensation researcher and consultant in British Columbia says an aging Canadian workforce will place increasing demands on workplace health and safety programs. Read more
Louise Chénier, manager of workplace health and wellness research at the Conference Board, says 78 per cent of the short-term and 67 per cent of the long-term disability claims in the country are tied to mental health issues. On average, 500,000 Canadians will miss work every week due to mental illness. The greatest challenge in measuring mental health in the workplace is that the surrounding stigma discourages many from seeking help. This is especially true in traditionally male-dominated industries like construction. Read more
A Dodge Data & Analytics SmartMarket report, Managing Risk in the Construction Industry, has determined that collaboration between building owners, general contractors and subcontractors can aid in keeping construction project costs under control, result in a timely delivery and enhance the safety environment. Read more
A green light for all of the proposed highway twinning projects in Nova Scotia could double the size the road-building industry here and create upwards of 1,000 jobs per year. Read more.
In September 2016, the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) issued a working paper and Draft Policy titled “Pre-Existing Conditions – Entitlement” for public consultation. Click HERE to review. The Office of the Employer Advisor (OEA) facilitated a working group to review and consider the WCB’s documents, meeting throughout the fall of 2016. In December, OEA collected comments, feedback and advice on the first draft of the Employer’s Submission to fully represent the employer’s issues on this subject.
Please find attached OEA’s Employer Submission. Please review the submission and consider the impact of the proposed WCB policy regarding the compensability/entitlement of pre-existing conditions.
CANS is in agreement and endorses OEA’s positions and recommendations following their consultations with industry and working group. On behalf of CANS Board of Directors and Members, we have submitted our Letter of Endorsement of OEA’s Employer Submission to WCB.
OEA has asked employers to do one of two things, or do both: return a signed/dated Letter of Endorsement to OEA or, copy the entire submission onto your own letterhead and submit to the WCB as your submission. The final submission of employer comments was originally due on Monday, January 9, but the WCB has notified stakeholders and extended it to Tuesday, January 31, 2017.
Click HERE for the OEA’s Letter of Endorsement template.
Click HERE for OEA’s Employer Submission document.
To submit your Letter of Endorsement to OEA, please contact:
Mary Morris
Executive Director of OEA
Phone: (902) 442-9366
Email: mary.morris@oeans.ca
Fax: (902) 252-3466
To submit your feedback directly to WCB, please forward it to:
Caroline Read
Policy Analyst, WCB of Nova Scotia
PO Box 1150
Halifax NS B3J 2Y2
E-mail: caroline.read@wcb.gov.ns.ca
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Canadore College has a new program that is opening doors for aboriginal women in the trades. Read more
Working with the new federal government, the federal infrastructure program, prompt payment and quality of design documents appeared near the top of CCA’s priority list in 2016. Read more
The Gold Seal Certification program is expanding for 2017, adding the construction foreman designation amidst an overall modernization of the program. The addition of the foreman designation, effective this spring, will broaden the program’s application, with more job site supervisors at smaller firms and subcontractors becoming eligible, explained Gold Seal committee chair Kees Cusveller. Read more
The P.E.I. government has announced major changes to the way it provides employment services through non-governmental groups. Read more.