January 17, 2019
Revised WCB Policies
To reflect amendments to the Workers Compensation Act, a number of WCB policies have been revised:Return to Work (POL-93) has been updated to reflect the legislative change to exclude the employer of a volunteer firefighter from re-employment obligations. Survivor Benefits (POL-12) has been updated to reflect the change in the lump sum payment for the death of a worker.Occupational Disease (POL-65) has been updated to reflect presumptive legislation for claims filed by firefighters and fire inspectors with specific types of cancer. Impairment (POL-89), has been revised to reflect the amended definition for impairment. In addition to physical impairment, the new definition recognizes impairment resulting from psychological conditions and ongoing symptoms, such as chronic pain. The changes are noted in the History section at the end of each policy. The WCB thanks all stakeholders for their feedback in the legislative consultation process.
December 31, 2018
Presumptive Coverage for Firefighters & Fire Inspectors
As of January 1, Prince Edward Island firefighters and fire inspectors will have presumptive coverage for specific types of cancer and heart injuries as a result of amendments to the Workers Compensation Act. “This coverage will offer much needed care to many firefighters who may encounter serious health problems resulting from the valuable work they did to protect their communities,” said Stuart Affleck, Chair of the Workers Compensation Board. “The legislative and regulatory changes ensure that if a firefighter or fire inspector develops specific diseases or heart injury, it will be presumed that it is work related." Eligible firefighters include fire inspectors, and full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters who are members of a fire department or brigade. “Our hope is that no firefighter suffers from cancer, especially one that is related to their service,” says Gerard McMahon, President of the PEI Firefighters Association. “However, thanks to the PEI Government, this new legislation gives us peace of mind that if a firefighter is diagnosed with a prescribed cancer and meets service criteria, they will be eligible for WCB benefits.” The presumptive coverage is based on the following principles:Specified injuries or diseases are presumed to be work-relatedPresumption would apply to firefighters who experience a heart injury (i.e., heart attack, cardiac arrest or arrhythmia) within 24 hours of responding to an emergencyPresumption would apply to specific types of cancers, provided the firefighter had been exposed to the hazards of a fire over the minimum cumulative period of employment, as indicated below For primary site lung cancer, the presumption applies only if the firefighter has been a non-smoker for 10 consecutive years prior to the initial diagnosis. The Amendments to the Workers Compensation Act will come into effect January 1, 2019. Type of CancerMinimum PeriodType of CancerMinimum PeriodPrimary site brain cancer10 yrsPrimary non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma20 yrsPrimary site bladder cancer15 yrsPrimary site testicular cancer10 yrsPrimary site colorectal cancer15 yrsPrimary site ureter cancer15 yrsPrimary site esophageal cancer25 yrsPrimary site breast cancer10 yrsPrimary leukemia5 yrsMultiple myeloma15 yrsPrimary site lung cancer15 yrsPrimary site prostate cancer15 yrsPrimary site kidney cancer20 yrsPrimary site skin cancer15 yrs
