CFIB Nation-wide Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Boards

TORONTO – New groundbreaking research, A Small Business Assessment of Workers’ Compensation, from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reveals that overall  all workers’ compensation boards in Canada are doing a poor job in meeting the needs of small businesses. This comprehensive assessment of workers’ compensation boards, through the lens of small business owners, focuses on all major areas: cost of premiums; claims management; experience rating; classification and assessment; coverage; long-term fiscal sustainability; and customer service.
On a scale of 0 to 10, not one single board received an overall score of seven or higher. PEI fares the best with an overall score of 6.9. The boards representing the largest share of employers in the country—Ontario and Quebec—both received the lowest scores at 4.0.
Overall Index Scores, Workers’ Compensations Boards (10 is best; 0 is worst)
PEI      6.9
NB      6.4
BC       6.3
NS       5.9
AB      5.7
SK       5.6
NL       5.2
MB     5.2
QC      4.0
ON      4.0
Workplace safety and having a good plan for covering workplace injuries is a priority for everyone so it is critical that boards are well run—this includes keeping paperwork manageable and costs reasonable for employers. “Businesses are solely responsible for funding workers’ compensation through mandatory employer premiums. Premiums are a tax on payroll that must be remitted, and the high cost of premiums can make it difficult for small firms to increase their employee wages, invest in their business and create jobs. It is crucial that boards take action based on findings in this report,” said Doug Bruce, CFIB’s vice-president, research.
 This is the first time workers’ compensation boards have been subject to this kind of scrutiny and comparison. “Quite frankly, the results are unacceptable and the boards have much work to do to meet the needs of their small business clients,” concluded Bruce.
To view the full report visit www.cfib.ca