WorksafeBC
WorkSafeBC approves 3 new OHS workplace bullying and harassment policies to be effective November 1, 2013
WorkSafeBC has recently added the following announcement to its website:
At its March 2013 meeting, WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors approved three new OHS workplace bullying and harassment policies:
- Employer Duties - Workplace Bullying and Harassment - D3-115-2
- Worker Duties - Workplace Bullying and Harassment - D3-116-1
- Supervisor Duties - Workplace Bullying and Harassment - D3-117-2
The Board of Directors' resolution is available for reference.
Sections 115, 116 and 117 of the Workers Compensation Act set out the general duties of employers, workers, and supervisors respectively. The new policies have been developed to clarify the obligations of employers, workers, and supervisors regarding preventing, where possible, or otherwise minimizing workplace bullying and harassment. read more »
BC's WCB Act to be amended to broaden coverage for mental stress conditions arising in workplace
The British Columbia Government has introduced amendments to the Workers Compensation Act that, among other features, broaden compensation coverage for mental stress conditions arising in the workplace.
The amendments were introduced in the legislature on November 3, 2011. In the government's news release, Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government Margaret MacDiarmid states:
Our government recognizes that we need to treat job-related mental stress the same way we treat physical illness and injuries. We know mental stress has a significant impact on workers, their families and their workplace.
The Ministry's Backgrounder that accompanied the news release states:
What are the effects of mental stress?
Since mental stress most often results in physical and psychological symptoms, it has a significant effect on workers and their families. read more »
Highest penalty imposed by WorkSafeBC on employer in 2010 was $145,000, according to enforcement report
WorkSafeBC released its "enforcement report" for 2010 today. Key stats from the report are: read more »
"Anti-Bullying Legislation"
Robyn Durling of the BC Human Rights Coalition prepared a paper on, "Anti-Bullying Legislation", for the Human Rights Conference (Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia) in November 2010.
Off-duty transit officer entitled to workers' comp benefits for injuries sustained confronting intoxicated driver
The Vancouver Sun published a story today ("Off-duty transit officer wins precedential injury compensation") about a recent BC Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal decision in which a transit police officer was awarded workers compensation benefits for injuries he sustained, on a day-off, confronting an intoxicated driver.
The Sun's story was spurred by a news release issued yesterday by the transit police officers' union, the Canadian Office and Professional Employees' Union, Local 378 (COPE 378).
The WCAT decision (WCAT-2010-01816) was issued on June 30, 2010. As noted in the decision, the issue before the panel was "whether or not the worker's multiple soft tissue injuries arose out of and in the course of his employment entitling the worker to compensation under section 5(1) of the Act.". read more »
"Employer Rights and Obligations in Connection with Employee Personal Medical Information"
Vancouver labour and employment lawyers Carmen Overholt, Q.C. and Matthew Curtis have written a paper on, "Employer Rights and Obligations in Connection with Employee Personal Medical Information".
The paper was written for the Meeting of the Council of Industrial Relations Executives on June 8 and 9, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia with the assistance of David R. Phillips, articled student.
