Manitoba to review Workers Compensation Act

A committee has been formed to review workers' compensation legislation to ensure it continues to meet the needs of both workers and employers in Manitoba.
Representatives from business, labour, public interest and a chairperson will form the four-person committee.

Alignment of the act with its founding principles, as well as workplace illness and injury prevention initiatives will be discussed. The committee will also examine provisions in the act referencing mental health in the workplace and ensuring that Manitoba's workers compensation board is current with emerging trends in injury and illness and up to date with current safety knowledge and medical practices.

“It’s fitting that in this centennial year of the founding of Manitoba’s Workers Compensation Board, we look at how we can better prevent injuries, improve support to help workers heal and get back to work, and ensure the WCB continues to align with its founding principles,” said Labour and Immigration Minister Erna Braun.

The last major review of the act in 2005, generated 100 recommendations for improvements to the system.

Minister Braun also noted, a report on activities of the workplace safety and health branch of WCB by chief protection officer, Fennis Nikkel to be released on Sept. 1 will include analysis of serious workplace incidents. They include acute hazard fatalities, occupational disease, and disease-related fatalities, injury and illness data, and updates on the development of leading indicators for measuring the state of safety and health in Manitoba.