Injured workers in British Columbia can look forward to improved support in their journey back to work, thanks to new requirements introduced under the Workers Compensation Act.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, both employers and injured workers will be mandated to cooperate with each other and WorkSafeBC to facilitate the worker’s return to their pre-injury job or find them suitable employment if necessary.
The newly implemented duty-to-cooperate provisions aim to streamline the return-to-work process and set clear expectations for employers and workers alike. By working together, they can ensure the injured worker’s safe and timely reintegration into the workforce, as stated by WorkSafeBC.
Additionally, employers are now obligated to make necessary changes to the work or workplace, up to the point of undue hardship, to accommodate injured workers. These new requirements aim to establish a more effective and equitable workers’ compensation system across the province.
To enforce compliance, WorkSafeBC has been granted the authority to impose administrative penalties on employers who fail to fulfill their return-to-work obligations.
The changes were brought forth through Bill 41, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (No. 2), 2022, which received royal assent on November 24, 2022. An order-in-council was subsequently enacted to enforce the amendments. It’s important to note that these requirements apply to businesses employing 20 or more individuals.
In order to support the implementation of the new return-to-work requirements, WorkSafeBC is actively developing policies and plans to seek public input through broad consultation during July and August of this year.
