Act Now - The Report of the WCB Legislative Review Panel to the
Act Now - The Report of the WCB Legislative Review Panel to the
Act Now - The Report of the WCB Legislative Review Panel to the
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As stated in Section 3.1.1, <strong>The</strong> Purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Act</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> sees vocationalrehabilitation as a core belief in <strong>the</strong> NWT/Nunavut system <strong>of</strong> workers’ compensation. Itis key <strong>to</strong> returning injured workers back <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> work force.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> agrees with <strong>the</strong> approach taken in o<strong>the</strong>r jurisdictions, that is <strong>to</strong> enable vocationrehabilitation programs in legislation and leave it <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> spellout <strong>the</strong> details in policy.Having said that, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> urges <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> look at innovativeprograms that involve <strong>the</strong> injured workers and employers. <strong>The</strong> <strong>WCB</strong> must avoidsituations similar <strong>to</strong> one described <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Panel</strong>. An assessment was made <strong>of</strong> an injuredworker’s vocational abilities and capabilities. A conclusion was reached about a newcareer path. After <strong>the</strong> injured worker was <strong>to</strong>ld about <strong>the</strong> assessment, <strong>the</strong>y were also <strong>to</strong>ldthat <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong>’s vocational rehabilitation programs could not support <strong>the</strong> worker inpursuing this new career.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> urges <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> look at programs that may require <strong>to</strong>p-uppayments in <strong>the</strong> short term but will result in returning an injured worker <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> workplace,and in <strong>the</strong> long run, make <strong>the</strong>m self-sufficient again.Recommendation: 3.6.11 Vocational Rehabilitation1. <strong>The</strong> legislation should be changed <strong>to</strong> require <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> providevocational rehabilitation programs <strong>to</strong> injured workers <strong>to</strong> assist <strong>the</strong>m in returning <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>workplace.3.6.12 Harvesters<strong>The</strong> <strong>Act</strong>s contain a program <strong>of</strong> compensation for harvesters. This program isadministered by <strong>the</strong> <strong>WCB</strong>. <strong>The</strong> terri<strong>to</strong>rial governments pay for <strong>the</strong> program and itsadministration.<strong>WCB</strong> <strong>Legislative</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> <strong>Report</strong> Page 63 <strong>of</strong> 128December, 2001