2021 rates maintained at 2020 rate levels
This year, the average provisional assessment rate will hold steady at $2.40 per $100 assessable payroll.
While the average rate remains unchanged, most employers will see their rates rise or fall, based on their industry claims experience.
In setting Assessment Rates, the WSCC considers what is sustainable for claim costs, reflective of industry experience, responsive to claims experience trends, and fair to employers.
The WSCC is working to support employers to create and maintain strong safety programs and improve return to work outcomes. Injury prevention and improvements in return-to-work outcomes to reduce claims costs is what will ultimately make the biggest difference in the rates employers pay.
Employers can access their individual subclass or group rates for all industries for the upcoming year through WSCC Connect. You can view current and historical rates by Class & Subclass and by Specific Industry.
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working safely through the pandemic
As the number of cases across Canada and around the world rises, employers in Nunavut and Northwest Territories continue to proactively reach out to the WSCC for guidance and to show their commitment to keeping staff, customers, and clients safe while they navigate the unprecedented challenges the pandemic poses.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WSCC has remained committed to working collaboratively with the offices of the Chief Public Health Officers and supporting employers as they put together and review their exposure control plans regularly.
On our website, you'll find lots of information for your workplace, including safety guidance, sample plans, and risk assessment templates to help with COVID-19 safety planning. Use the Workplace Safety Planning Checklist to help put necessary controls into practice. Download posters if you need signage. Together, we can continue to work through this safely.
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Safety spotlight
Prevent Slips, trips, and falls during the holidays
Workplace clutter and icy conditions are leading causes of slips, trips, and falls. Here are a few ways to prevent them:
Decorate safely this December
Holiday decorations can add a cheery lift to your workplace but it is important to remember that decorating must be done safely, both on the job and at home.
- Extension cords and strings of lights can pose a tripping hazard in your office. Run them along walls, away from high traffic areas, and always secure them in place.
- Avoid clutter on the floors. Try to keep all decorations on the walls or away from direct lines of traffic. Trees, large ornaments, and holiday trimmings can lead to a higher risk of tripping, because workers are less familiar with the new additions to a familiar floorplan.
Remember: Holiday decorations can pose a risk outside of slips, trips, and falls. Ensure all your decorations are fire safe, placed away from heat sources, and avoid storing them from year to year in damp places that promote mould growth. Immediately replace any decorations that are not in good condition.
Understand the risk of working from heights
Planning on hanging lights in your workplace? Ensure workers are trained to work from heights.
- A step stool or ladder may be needed to string lights around your workplace's interior. In that case, make sure workers have the right ladder/step stool for the job, set up ladders away from doors, take the time to do the job safely, and ensure help is at hand. To learn more, review our safety bulletin on Ladder Safety.
- If lights are being hung from the roof, employees must be using fall protection, and must be trained to work from heights. A fall from a roof top could not only ruin the holidays, but it could have serious impacts on the rest of a worker's life. Check out this safety bulletin on Fall Protection to learn more.
Always use great caution when working from any height, and ensure workers have the correct training, equipment, and support to take on that task.
be conscious of icy conditions
Not only is December an icy time of year, but it is also a busy time for many people, and the temptation to rush from place to place is always present. Encourage workers to:
- Slow down.
- Pay attention to where they're stepping.
- Avoid being distracted by cellphones.
- Wear proper footwear.
- Have sand available for workers to put down on icy surfaces when necessary.
Make sure everyone is pitching in to keep the worksite free of icy conditions. If there is a place where water pools, make a point of regularly checking the area for ice.
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Start submitting as early as Jauary 1st, 2021
By now, employers should have received information on submitting the Annual Payroll Report through WSCC Connect. The deadline for submitting is February 28, 2021, but you can submit as early as January 1, 2021. Remember, you must submit an APR even if you are reporting zero (0) payroll. The penalty for late submission is 15% of your previous year's employer payroll assessment.
helpful tips:
- Research your OHS answers before you begin: WSCC Connect users should consult with the person who manages occupational health and safety (OHS) in their company (or the company they are filing for) to provide answers to the OHS questions. This year, the questions have been updated from yes/no questions to a scale.
- Use our step-by-step guide: The complete set of OHS questions with updated explanations of what to look for is in Section 4 of the Guide to Completing Annual Payroll Reporting.
- Let us help: our OHS team can guide you through the questions if you are still unsure. Call us at 1-800-661-0792 and ask to speak with our OHS team.
If you need technical support with WSCC Connect, see the WSCC Connect Help page or contact the Help Desk toll-free at 1-844-238-5008.
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Deadline: PERSONAL OPTIONAL COVERAGE
Due on DECEMBER 31, 2020
If you are a business owner, partner, registered director, or self-employed, you do not automatically receive WSCC coverage through your employment. To receive WSCC coverage, you need to sign up for Personal Optional Coverage, which provides you with the same benefits as other workers in case of workplace disease and injury.
You can apply for coverage for as little as one month and up to one full year. If you have annual coverage, you need to renew your coverage each year. To ensure there is no break in coverage, please have your 2021 Personal Optional Coverage submitted to the WSCC by December 31, 2020.
To view and fill out the Personal Optional Coverage form, please click here. Send it to either office at:
Northwest Territories
Email: employer@wscc.nt.ca
Fax: 867-873-4596
Toll-Free Fax: 1-866-277-3677
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WSCC Offices are closed on Wednesday, December 23rd, and will reopen on Monday, January 4th at 8:30 AM.
To report a serious workplace injury or incident, call 1-800-661-0792.
To report unsafe work, use our Report Unsafe Work service on WSCC Connect.
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wscc.nt.ca / 1.800.661.0792 * wscc.nu.ca / 1.877.404.4407
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