REVOKE REBATES OFL CALLS ON WSIB

"The announcement today that the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) has called for a review of the flawed 'Experience Rating Programs' is good news, but it doesn't change the fact that tens of millions of dollars have been drained out of the WSIB's accident fund each year by employers who have learned how to play the game of 'experience rating'," said Wayne Samuelson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour. . . ."Experience rating reduces claims - not injuries," Samuelson said."

OFL CALLS FOR WSIB TO REVOKE REBATES IN IT'S REVIEW OF 'EXPERIENCE RATING PROGRAMS'

Attention: Assignment Editor, Health/Medical Editor, Media Editor, News Editor, Government/Political Affairs Editor

TORONTO--(Marketwire - March 10, 2008) - "The announcement today that the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) has called for a review of the flawed 'Experience Rating Programs' is good news, but it doesn't change the fact that tens of millions of dollars have been drained out of the WSIB's accident fund each year by employers who have learned how to play the game of 'experience rating'," said Wayne Samuelson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

"Experience rating reduces claims - not injuries," Samuelson said.

On October 5, 2007 the OFL released a report "The Perils of Experience Rating: Exposed!" In theory the experience rating programs are supposed to provide an incentive for safety and injury prevention. Also in theory employers receive rebates on their premiums for good claims records and are penalized for poor claims records. The Report showed that the reality of this practice is just the opposite.

"The practice of experience rating actually encourages employers to mis-report or under-report accidents, force injured workers back to work before they are medically ready and pay workers sick pay rather than have them receive compensation benefits," Samuelson said. "Anything goes in order to keep the employers claims history in good standing."

The Perils of Experience Rating: Exposed! showed that employers actually receive rebates after they have been penalized for workplace accidents and deaths. The rebates often exceed the cost of the original fine. "In fact, according to the WSIB's own figures, rebates have exceeded penalties by more that half a billion dollars in the last four years alone."

The OFL is calling for the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board to revoke rebates when workers are killed or injured on the job.

Copies of the Report www.ofl.ca click Library click Workers Compensation

cope343
/For further information: Wayne Samuelson
OFL President
416.571.7408 (cellular)/


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