The first of six core certification courses offered within Prevention Link’s disability prevention curriculum. This introductory course begins by exploring the history of Ontario’s compensation system and the development of legislation and the general principles of the system.
Participants learn the basics of a disability prevention framework, including:
- Types of workplace injuries and occupational illnesses;
- The legal tests applied by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) when considering entitlement;
- The method to report an injury;
- The steps to initiate a claim;
- Reporting strategies, including time limits and potential penalties.
Worker and employer obligations are covered as well as roles and responsibilities regarding return to work (RTW). The WSIB return to work policies are discussed with a focus on the Duty to Accommodate.
The role and responsibilities of workplace parties in the return to work process with the primary goal of returning workers to their pre-injury job with the injury employer are examined.
Disability Prevention best practices and shared responsibilities are discussed and ways in which unions should participate in return to work are explored. Leading research shows that a collaborative and cooperative approach to return to work following the hierarchy of jobs, leads to better outcomes for both workers and employers. Protections under other legislation are also discussed should a return to work plan not provide sufficient protection to a worker.