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New Pension System Proposal
The WSCC is seeking feedback on proposed legislative changes to the Workers Compensation Acts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut related to the pension system for permanent workplace injuries or illnesses. These changes are being proposed to bring the Northwest Territories and Nunavut workers' compensation system in line with other systems across Canada, while continuing to meet the needs of Nunavut and Northwest Territory workers and their families.
Key Elements of the proposed new system:
- Non-Economic Loss Payment (NELP): A one-time lump sum based on the Permanent Medical Impairment (PMI), which could be reassessed if the impairment gets worse.
- Long-Term Earning Loss Benefits (ELB): A long time earning calculated based on the difference between what the worker made before and after the injury. ELB would continue until the claimant's earning is the same or more as it was previous to the injury, or until the claimant is eligible for a Government of Canada Old Age Security (OAS) pension (currently 65). Workers would also be entitled to a retirement benefit to help with loss of retirement income when their ELB ends.
- Determination of Estimated Capable Earnings: After all reasonable rehabilitation and re-employment options have been exhausted, if the worker is still not able to work or is not able to regain their earning capacity, the WSCC would be able to make an estimate based on regional or national employment factors as a wage scale.
- Young, new, and re-entering workers: The WSCC would like to recognize the unique situation for people just entering or re-entering the workforce. The proposed change would make an allowance for the potential future earning of the worker, and not just the salary at the time of the injury. Eg. Students permanently injured while working at a summer job will have their future potential earnings considered in their pension compensation.
- Dependent Benefits: While the definition of spouse and dependent will not change, the proposed change relates to the allocation of benefits, and making sure there is a fair allocation of ELB and NELP payments to the dependents of the worker.
Get involved
The WSCC is inviting any interested people and organisations to read either one or both of the New Pension System Proposal Discussion Paper and the Discussion Paper in Brief. Once you have reviewed the information on our proposed changes, we would like to hear what you think. There are two ways to get involved:
- Complete an online survey of multiple choice and open answer questions. The survey is available in English, French, and Inuktitut, and should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. You are able to save your progress, and return later without losing progress.
- The WSCC will be hosting online town hall style meetings in September. These meetings will be an opportunity for you to speak with us directly about the proposed changes. The public meeting dates are:
Consultation is available to all members of the public, and will continue throughout the month of September. After the consultation period, the WSCC's Governance Council will carefully consider the feedback before making a decision about whether or not to recommend legislative amendments.
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Request for Expressions of Interest
Representative - WSCC Governance Council (Part-time Position)
The Ministers responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the Honourable Shane Thompson and the Honourable George Hickes, seek expressions of interest from qualified candidates for the Governance Council of the WSCC as Employer, Worker, and Public Interest Representatives.
The WSCC promotes workplace health and safety while providing no fault insurance to employers and care for injured workers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The Governance Council serve as the stewards of the WSCC; sharing the vision and responsibility to eliminate workplace diseases and injuries and overseeing business management, accountability, and the long term sustainability of the Workers' Protection Fund.
The Governance Council of the WSCC is comprised of a part-time Chairperson, two part-time Committee Chairpersons, and four additional part-time members. The Committee Chairpersons and remaining part-time members equally represent workers, employers, and public interest. The President and Chief Executive Officer also sits on the Governance Council as a non-voting member.
Ideal candidates should have a strong knowledge of corporate governance, financial investment management, and an awareness and understanding of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut workers' safety and compensation system. Action-oriented with high ethical standards, the Representative is a member of a diverse team chosen to represent the interests of the stakeholders we serve and contribute to collective decision making.
As a Governance Council Member, you will be required to attend in-person meetings on a quarterly basis as well as special meetings that may occur once or twice per year. The quarterly in-person meetings alternate between Yellowknife, NT and Iqaluit, NU. Please include the following in your application: Cover letter (one page) outlining your interest, your resume, and the names of two references.
Qualified individuals can forward their resumes by September 30 2020 to:
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The Honourable Shane Thompson
Northwest Territories Minister Responsible
Workers' Safety & Compensation Commission
Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
PO Box 1320
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or
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The Honourable George Hickes
Nunavut Minister Responsible
Workers' Safety & Compensation Commission
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut Territories
PO Box 2410
Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
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Tools, and Safety Information for Your Workplace
The WSCC has created a resource map to help easily reference the tools we have developed to support you to work safely during COVID-19.
What you can find:
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Essentials - All blue resources are essential for your workplace. These are the Workplace Risk Assessment and Worker Hazard Assessment, which are both important parts of your workplace's Exposure Control Plan.
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Useful Support - Anything in green is a tool that will help you complete your essential tools. They contain extra information, ideas for hazard controls, and example forms that you can use in your workplace.
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Resources - All of the orange resources are a great reference for your supervisors and employees: Posters to remind them to maintain your workplace's COVID-19 protocol, information on how and when to wear PPE, etc.
- Definitions - You can also find definitions for the safety lingo that is commonly used when we describe COVID-19 safety planning.
Remember that your employees should take part in exposure control planning for your workplace, so show them what resources are available. It is important that your employees are involved and aware.
If you have any questions about exposure control planning, contact the WSCC today. In Nunavut, contact Covid-19@wscc.nu.ca, and for the Northwest Territories, contact Covid-19@wscc.nt.ca, or you can call 1 (800) 661-0792 to speak with a Safety Inspector.
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Working around Heavy Equipment
Training, planning, and safe work practices
Operating heavy equipment requires training and special licencing. However, it is equally as important that those workers working around heavy equipment receive safety training as well.
Employer Duties
Ensure that safety is a regular part of your workday with tailgate meetings. Regularly review and update your safe work procedure for working around heavy equipment with the help of your employees. Make sure safety matters are openly discussed. Strong safety programs are built with workers as a central part of the process.
For specific regulations surrounding different pieces of equipment and scenarios around working with large equipment, see the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
As an employer, you must:
- Have your safe work practice written down and in a place that is easily accessible to workers. Your safety procedure should identify everything that workers must know.
- Ensure your employees are trained on your safe work practices: Do they understand where the blind spots are for the pieces of machinery on your worksite? Do they know all hand signals needed for the work that you do? Do they know what PPE is required for them to wear?
- Keep all equipment in safe working order, including all alarms that indicate equipment issues.
- Ensure all of your employees are fit to work. Are they fatigued? Are they suffering from seasonal allergies? There are many reasons why an employee may be unfit to work.
Worker Duties
Inform workers of the essential safety tips for working around heavy equipment. Ensure that you review all site specific information included in your safe work procedure.
Remind your employers that they must:
- Memorize all hand signals relevant to your workplace. Signals are an essential tool for communication.
- Understand and respect the hazardous zone around equipment. Never walk within the danger zone while the equipment is being operated. Don't stand within the blind spot of any equipment while it is being operated. When possible, walk on the driver side of the equipment, as it has a smaller blind spot.
- Wear all PPE and high visibility clothing required for the task. Make sure all PPE is in good condition.
- Never work under a suspended or overhead load.
- Most importantly, always stay alert and maintain attention on the task that is being done.
WSCC does not offer advice on specific brands and models of equipment, that information is available through the companies that manufacture heavy equipment, machinery, and products. However, the WSCC is able to help provide you with advice on building a strong safety program. A Safety Inspector can support you in making sure that your safety program is meeting all of the needs of the NWT and NU safety legislation. If you want to speak to a safety inspector, contact us today.
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WSCC Offices are closed for Labour Day on Monday, September 7th, and will reopen on Tuesday, September 8th 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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