Review of the Nova Scotia Workers’ Compensation System

Report to the Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration on Priorities for Improvement of the Workers’ Compensation System inNova Scotia JULY 202

A review committee was assigned to do a review of the workers compensation system in Nova Scotia in 2023 and completed their report in July 2024, 20+ years after the last review.

https://www.wcb.ns.ca/SystemReview2024

A copy of their report is found here.

https://news.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/2024-08/Workers%27%20Compensation%20Review%20Committee%20Report.pdf

Workers are Staying in the Workforce Longer But Workers Compensation Isn’t Keeping Up With the Times

Doug Ford’s claim to working for workers and seniors fails older workers. Instead, older workers face discriminatory age provisions for workers’ compensation benefits.

https://www.thespec.com/opinion/contributors/were-staying-the-workforce-longer-but-this-law-isnt-keeping-up-with-the-times/article_f00dbefe-da06-56ba-9647-d24845d03724.html

LAUNCH OF THE MONTREAL MANIFESTO ON PRECARIOUS WORK | LANCEMENT DU MANIFESTE DE MONTRÉAL SUR LE TRAVAIL PRÉCAIRE

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE 

LANCEMENT DU MANIFESTE DE MONTRÉAL SUR LE TRAVAIL PRÉCAIRE, LA DIVERSITÉ DE LA MAIN-D’OEUVRE, LES MIGRATIONS INTERNATIONALES ET LA VULNÉRABILITÉ EN SST 

Montréal, 13 juin 2024 – Une équipe de chercheurs provenant d’universités canadiennes et internationales vient de publier le Manifeste de Montréal sur le travail précaire, la diversité de la main-d’œuvre, les migrations internationales et la vulnérabilité en santé et en sécurité au travail. Ce manifeste, fruit d’une collaboration entre chercheurs, intervenants sociaux et conseillers en santé et en sécurité au travail, est le résultat d’un atelier de réflexion tenu dans le cadre du congrès international Immigration, diversité de la main-d’œuvre, précarité et situations de vulnérabilité en SST / Immigration, Diversity of the Workforce, Precarious Work, and Vulnerabilities in Occupational Safety and Health (IDIVOSH) qui s’est tenu à Montréal, les 13-14 juin 2023. 

Le document veut attirer l’attention sur les défis et les enjeux liés au travail précaire et à la diversité de la main-d’œuvre en matière de SST, incluant la réadaptation et le retour au travail des personnes victimes d’un accident de travail ou d’une maladie professionnelle. Il souligne l’importance cruciale de prendre en compte les besoins et les réalités des travailleurs et des travailleuses en situations de vulnérabilité dans la conception et la mise en œuvre des politiques et des programmes de prévention et de réadaptation en SST, notamment la réalité des personnes immigrantes ou migrantes et des personnes autochtones. 

Les spécialistes qui ont collaboré à la création du manifeste ont formulé des recommandations pour améliorer la protection des travailleurs et des travailleuses en situations de vulnérabilité. Leurs connaissances et leurs expériences ont été essentielles pour identifier les principaux enjeux et formuler des recommandations concrètes pour améliorer la protection de ces personnes. 

  • La nécessité d’adopter une approche inclusive et adaptée aux réalités diverses des travailleurs et des travailleuses en situation de précarité en portant une attention spéciale aux personnes immigrantes, aux personnes migrantes temporaires, et aux personnes autochtones.
  • L’importance de renforcer la sensibilisation et la formation en matière de SST dans les milieux de travail de plus en plus diversifiés, en mettant l’accent sur les besoins et la réalité spécifiques de ces travailleurs et de ces travailleuses. 
  • L’appel à une collaboration accrue entre les différents acteurs (les gouvernements, les autorités de santé publique, les services sociaux, les tiers payeurs, les employeurs, les syndicats, les milieux associatifs), pour élaborer et mettre en œuvre des politiques et des programmes de prévention et de réadaptation qui répondent réellement aux besoins des populations vulnérables. 

Le lancement officiel du manifeste de Montréal marque le début d’un dialogue essentiel sur ces questions cruciales. Les signataires du manifeste appellent à une action concertée pour protéger la santé et la sécurité de tous les travailleurs et de toutes les travailleuses, sans distinction. Le lancement de ce manifeste aura lieu à Montréal, le 13 juin 2024, à 17h00, au Centre de services communautaires du Monastère situé au 4450, rue St-Hubert (métro Mont-Royal). Un site web est actuellement en construction pour héberger en permanence le manifeste en plusieurs langues. Ce site web sera également présenté lors de l’événement. 

https://manifestemontrealsst.net/

LAUNCH OF THE MONTREAL MANIFESTO ON PRECARIOUS WORK | LANCEMENT DU MANIFESTE DE MONTRÉAL SUR LE TRAVAIL PRÉCAIRE

PRESS RELEASE 

LAUNCH OF THE MONTRÉAL MANIFESTO ON PRECARIOUS WORK, WORKFORCE DIVERSITY, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND VULNERABILITY IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 

Montréal, 13 June 2024 – A team of researchers from universities in Canada and internationally has just launched the Montréal Manifesto on precarious work, workforce diversity, international migration and vulnerability in occupational health and safety. 

This Manifesto, the result of an ongoing collaboration between researchers, social workers and occupational health and safety consultants, is the outcome of a workshop held as part of the Immigration, Workforce Diversity, Precarious Work, and Vulnerabilities in Occupational Safety and Health (IDIVOSH) International Conference in Montreal on 13-14 June 2022. 

The purpose of the Montreal Manifesto is to draw attention to the challenges and issues related to precarious work and workforce diversity from an occupational health and safety (OHS) perspective, including the rehabilitation and return to work of people who have suffered an occupational injury or illness. The Montreal Manifesto highlights the crucial importance of taking into account the needs and realities of workers in precarious situations when designing and implementing OSH prevention and rehabilitation policies and programmes, including the realities of immigrants or migrants and aboriginal people. 

The experts who contributed to the development of the Montreal Manifesto formulated a series of recommendations to improve the protection of workers in vulnerable situations. The knowledge and experience of these experts were essential in identifying the main issues and formulating concrete recommendations to improve the protection of workers. 

  • The need to adopt an inclusive approach adapted to the different realities of workers in precarious situations, with particular attention to immigrant workers, temporary migrant workers and indigenous workers 
  • The importance of increasing awareness and training on occupational safety and health in the workplace, focusing on the specific needs and realities of these workers 
  • The call for greater cooperation between the different actors and stakeholders (governments, public health authorities, social services, third-party payers, employers, trade unions and community organizations), to develop and implement more effective prevention and rehabilitation policies and programmes 

The Montreal Manifesto will be launched in Montreal on June 13 2024 at 5pm at the Centre de services communautaires du Monastère, 4450 rue St-Hubert (Mont-Royal metro station). A website is currently under construction to permanently host the manifesto in several languages and to provide additional resources for researchers, professionals, and decisionmakers. This website will also be presented at the event. https://manifestemontrealsst.net/

Top-ranked strategies to support young persons with disabilities in the future of work

With the rapid changing social, technological, economic, environmental, and political trends in the world of work, a 3-year study was carried out to see how persons with disabilities can find a place for themselves in the changing world of work

https://www.iwh.on.ca/plain-language-summaries/top-ranked-strategies-to-support-young-persons-with-disabilities-in-future-of-work?utm_source=IWH+subscribers&utm_campaign=a3f42397e7-IWH_NEWS_2024_06&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-a3f42397e7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

UNA continues call for nurses to be included in presumptive coverage for psychological injuries

Alberta nurses continue to have to prove they are suffering from traumatic psychological injuries that result from a workplace event in order to have their psychological injury claims for Workers Compensation approved.

https://www.una.ca/1534/una-continues-call-for-nurses-to-be-included-in-presumptive-coverage-for-psychological-injuries?link_id=15&can_id=bf0935486392d3533ff56b2cbef96cb2&source=email-afl-this-month-april-2024&email_referrer=email_2341392&email_subject=afl-this-month-may-2024

Hansard Transcript – Private Members’ Public Business

Injured Workers Day Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur la Journée des travailleurs blessés

Below is the link to the debate in Hansard around Bill 118, An Act to proclaim June 1st as Injured Workers Day in Ontario. It passed second reading on May 30th and has been referred to the Finance committee for review.

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/house-documents/parliament-43/session-1/2024-05-30/hansard-1#P78_3948

Union members and allies mark Injured Workers’ Day in locations across Ontario

June 1st, known as Injured Workers Day in Ontario, recognizes the valiant efforts from injured workers and allies for make positive changes in the compensation system in Ontario, at the same time promoting the importance of a health and safety system that is truly there for every worker in Ontario.

This year, CIWA has partnered with the Ontario Federation of Labour to bring awareness of June 1st to every province and territory in Canada, in an effort to improve the compensation benefits for all workers when they suffer injury or illness in their workplaces.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/06/01/2891827/0/en/Union-members-and-allies-mark-Injured-Workers-Day-in-locations-across-Ontario.html#:~:text=TORONTO%2C%20June%2001%2C%202024%20(,Workers’%20Day%20in%20the%20province