Health and Safety

Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island

COVID-19 Health and Safety Information for Workers

The following provides workplace health and safety information for Island workers during COVID-19. Please check here frequently for updated information.

The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) urges all workers to follow the recommendations of the PEI Chief Public Health Office during the COVID-19 crisis.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

People with COVID-19 may have little to no symptoms, and may not realize they have been infected, as the symptoms resemble those from a cold or flu. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19 and may include:

Fever
Cough
Difficulty Breathing

What should I do if I develop symptoms?

Employers and workers experiencing symptoms (cough, fever, or difficulty breathing), should call 8-1-1 to be screened and, if necessary, directed for testing. Do not go to the workplace. Visit the Chief Public Health Office website for up to date information.

PEI Public Health – Self Assessment
PEI Public Health – When Should I Call 811?

As a worker, what can I do to protect myself from getting COVID-19 if I have to go to work?

As a worker, you have responsibilities to protect yourself as well as others. Workers should:

Monitor and follow the recommendations of the Chief Public Health Office.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer if hand washing is not possible.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Adopt physical distancing techniques.
Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Workers providing essential services, including health care, must use the appropriate personal protective equipment and protocols and take steps to minimize exposure to COVID-19 while away from work.

Cough or sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands.
Know when to stay home. Workers should follow the Chief Public Health Office recommendations for self- isolation.
Comply with the employer’s instructions around minimizing exposure to COVID-19.

As a worker, can I refuse work due to a COVID-19 concern?

When addressing a work refusal related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to recognize that every refusal is assessed based on circumstances specific to the worker and their workplace. A worker can refuse work if a reasonable assessment of the risk suggests there is an immediate or imminent threat to their safety. A pandemic alone is not enough reason to refuse work. Further information on Refusal to Work can be found here.

October 23, 2020

Workers Compensation Board of PEI holds assessment rates into 2021

The Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island has announced that 2021 employer assessment rates will be maintained at the 2020 rate levels. “We are pleased that we are able to maintain rates for Island employers and provide some level of certainty in these uncertain times,” said Cheryl Paynter, Chief Executive Officer of the Workers Compensation Board. The cost associated with maintaining 2020 rates for 2021 will be funded from the Workers Compensation Board’s Fund Balance. This announcement comes following a decade of declining assessment rates, strong investment returns, a focus on injury prevention and return to work efforts and generally, an overall strong funded position and a funding policy that focuses on sustainability and minimizing volatility all the while offering service and supports to injured workers. The outbreak of COVID-19 and related responses have impacted economies on a local to global scale. Disruption of normal business operations, contraction of major industries and the volatility experienced in global equity markets have contributed to an uncertain global economic outlook. While it is not yet possible to reliably estimate the long term financial impact of COVID-19, we anticipate that assessment revenues, investment returns, claims costs and benefit liability valuations may all be impacted by COVID-19 well into the future. “The WCB’s funding and rate setting polices are performing in protecting Island workers and employers from extreme fluctuations while ensuring that the current and future costs of workplace accidents are fully funded,” said Jim MacPhee, Chair of the Workers Compensation Board.All Island employers will be advised of their individual assessment rates in December 2020, which are based on the costs of claims and the risks of workplace injury in their industries. For more information on the assessment rate groups, please visit wcb.pe.ca/2021rates.

October 06, 2020

Feedback requested on draft amendments to the OHS Act: confidentiality and limited disclosure

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Advisory Council is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to section 39 of the OHS Act regarding confidentiality and limited disclosure. A consultation summary is posted on the Legislative Feedback page of the WCB website, www.wcb.pe.ca/Information/LegislativeReview under the heading, "Occupational Health and Safety Act Amendments Confidentiality and Limited Disclosure." The Council encourages stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposed changes by October 30, 2020, using the online feedback form.

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