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Difference between revisions of "Introduction to Workers' Compensation (7:I)"
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Introduction to Workers' Compensation (7:I) (view source)
Revision as of 21:39, 17 August 2021
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The WCA is a provincial statute creating a regulatory body called the Workers’ Compensation Board (Act, s. 318 [Former Act, s. 81]). Since 2003, Workers’ Compensation Board does business under the name of “WorkSafeBC” and is referred to as “the Board” or WCB in this section. The Board has exclusive jurisdiction over compensation to injured workers for workplace injuries, amongst other duties. | The WCA is a provincial statute creating a regulatory body called the Workers’ Compensation Board (Act, s. 318 [Former Act, s. 81]). Since 2003, Workers’ Compensation Board does business under the name of “WorkSafeBC” and is referred to as “the Board” or WCB in this section. The Board has exclusive jurisdiction over compensation to injured workers for workplace injuries, amongst other duties. | ||
Some of the earliest forms of workers' compensation started with pirates in the pre-Revolutionary Americas. A pirate who lost an eye was entitled to 100 pieces of eight, roughly one year's pay. With the industrial revolution, more evolved workers' compensation schemes followed in Europe and eventually spread back to North America where they are now mandatory across Canada and the United States. | Some of the earliest forms of workers' compensation started with pirates in the pre-Revolutionary Americas. A pirate who lost an eye was entitled to 100 pieces of eight, roughly one year's pay.<ref>[http://www.insurancejournal.com/blogs/academy-journal/], Christopher J Boggs, “Workers’ Compensation History: The Great Tradeoff!”, online: (2015) Academy of Insurance.</ref> With the industrial revolution, more evolved workers' compensation schemes followed in Europe and eventually spread back to North America where they are now mandatory across Canada and the United States. | ||
Today’s workers’ compensation schemes, including BC’s, are based on the historic trade-off: employers fund a no-fault insurance scheme for injured workers, to compensate them and assist in their medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation (retraining), and pension for a disability. In return, workers give up their right to legal action against their employer for work-related injuries and occupational diseases (WCA s 127; [Former Act, s. 10(1)] 10(1)). Ideally, this approach offers several benefits. It takes workplace injury claims out of the courts, reducing clutter for them and cost and delay for the workers. It gives greater certainty of coverage to workers and streamlines the compensation process. Finally, like any insurance scheme, it spreads losses amongst employers and eliminates the concern about ruinous claims. It also provides coverage regardless of fault. | Today’s workers’ compensation schemes, including BC’s, are based on the historic trade-off: employers fund a no-fault insurance scheme for injured workers, to compensate them and assist in their medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation (retraining), and pension for a disability. In return, workers give up their right to legal action against their employer for work-related injuries and occupational diseases (WCA s 127; [Former Act, s. 10(1)] 10(1)). Ideally, this approach offers several benefits. It takes workplace injury claims out of the courts, reducing clutter for them and cost and delay for the workers. It gives greater certainty of coverage to workers and streamlines the compensation process. Finally, like any insurance scheme, it spreads losses amongst employers and eliminates the concern about ruinous claims. It also provides coverage regardless of fault. | ||