After a workplace injury, a significant number of workers suffer from a permanent disability. These employees might not able to return to work at the same level of pay as they earned prior to their injuries, and WCB pays to make up this earnings loss.
Those earnings loss benefits provided to permanently injured workers have been increasing in Alberta over the past five years; today, they make up almost one-third of all claims costs.
Your role in keeping claims costs down
How can you help limit these costs in your industry? By providing long-term modified work for permanently injured employees.
WCB Alberta has set up a Training on the Job (TOJ) program that you can use either as part of your Return to Work program or when hiring new employees! Here are the key points:
- Training Plan: WCB will assist you in identifying the training skills needed and in developing a suitable plan. There will be in-person support available from the WCB service providers, including coordination of ergonomic assessments.
- Prescreening: WCB can save you time by prescreening potential employees.
- Assistance with training costs/wages during the training period: WCB Alberta will reimburse a percentage of the salary you pay an employee under this program. The amount of the reimbursement varies and is negotiated with the case manager or service provider.
- Duration of TOJ program: This will vary according to the skills and abilities that are required for the position. Generally, the program can last for up to six months.
- Protection from the costs of any injury or re-injury during the training period: The claim costs associated with any such injury are applied to the industry, not your WCB account.
For further information, you can contact WCB Alberta at 1-866-922-9221. You can also discuss the TOJ program with your case manager.