WSIB Considers its Policy Options for Chronic Mental Stress

The WSIB has just completed an open consultation on policy to implement entitlement for Chronic Mental Stress. The addition of stress will greatly expand compensibility and will add considerable costs. The WSIB has estimated that the draft policy will add about $200 million in compensation costs, which will require premium rate increases averaging eight to eleven cents, that is if they are successful in their plan for early intervention and return to work.

OGCA is concerned that under this program, it will be very difficult to provide timely support and return to employment. We are concerned that the WSIB proposal is not a workable template to distinguish work-related chronic stress from non-work-related chronic stress. We propose that Ontario follow the lead of other provinces and use the predominant cause test.

We have worked with other construction employer associations through the Construction Employers Coalition (CEC) to conduct extensive study and develop a comprehensive submission authored by Les Liversidge.

The CEC provides an outstanding analysis of the issues and proposes a very reasonable policy application. The submission can be read in its entirety by clicking here.