Your Guide: services and responsibilities – business edition

We understand the impact a workplace injury or illness can have on a business and its employees and we’re here to help. Making sure people have the support, care and expertise they need to recover and return to work is what we do.

This guide will help you understand the services we offers as well as your responsibilities as an Ontario business. This guide does not list every service we offer or every responsibility you may have – it is meant to provide you with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions we know many people have about the WSIB. All of our decisions are based on the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) and our policies.

• Services
• Responsibilities
• Additional resources

Services: what do we offer?

Workplace insurance

With WSIB coverage you:

• get affordable workplace coverage you can rely on to protect you and your employees
• are guaranteed no-fault workplace insurance that protects you from costly court  settlements for your employees’ workplace injuries and illnesses
• receive important services and support when you need it

Health and safety services

By participating in our voluntary programs, eligible businesses can improve workplace health and safety, which can lead to a reduction in premiums.

Health and Safety Excellence program

Our Health and Safety Excellence program helps you make your workplace safer, while earning rebates on your WSIB premiums.

• The program is tailored to your individual business needs and sector, and you can join at any time.
• To join the program, you select one of our WSIB-approved providers who will help you develop a health and safety action plan based on different focus areas, known as program topics, such as controlling hazards and emergency preparation. You can also reach out to one of our program consultants, who can answer any questions you have and help you join the program as quickly as possible.
• The program has 36 topics spread across three levels – foundation, intermediate and advanced. Whether you're just getting started or want to build on safety practices you already have in place, one of our WSIB-approved program providers will help you every step of the way.  
• The program can also help you achieve best practice standards, including the Chief Prevention Officer’s accreditation program, Supporting Ontario’s Safe Employers (SOSE). 
• Through the program, you can earn rebates on your WSIB premiums and recognition badges that you can use on your website and other marketing materials to show your commitment to workplace health and safety. 

Responsibilities: what is expected of your business

Health and safety

First aid

As a business covered by the WSIB, you are required to have first aid equipment (including a first aid station that is easily accessible) and trained people in all workplaces. Visit our first aid program webpage for further information.

Health and safety training

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), every employee and supervisor is required to complete health and safety awareness training. You can access training free of charge through the Ministry of Labour or through one of the WSIB’s various programs.

There are other health and safety resources available to businesses through the Ministry of Labour and Ontario’s four Health and Safety Associations (HSAs).

It is your responsibility to provide hazard information and post the WSIB 1-2-3-4 In Case of Injury at Work poster in a visible location.

For more information on a range of health and safety topics, see health and safety.

Workplace injury or illness

Reporting an injury or illness

Businesses must report a work-related accident to the WSIB if you learn that an employee requires health care and/or:

• is absent from regular work
• earns less than regular pay for regular work (e.g. part-time hours)
• requires modified work at less than regular pay
• requires modified work at regular pay for more than seven calendar days following the date of accident (in this case, the reporting obligation begins on the eighth day of modified work)

Businesses are not required to report a work-related accident if the employee:

• receives only first aid
• receives first aid and requires modified work at regular pay for seven calendar days or less, following the date of accident
• does not receive first aid, but requires modified work at regular pay for seven calendar days or less, following the date of accident

You must report the injury or illness to the WSIB by submitting a Form 7 within three days of learning of your employee’s injury or illness. You can submit the form online through our online service for injury or illness reporting, or via mail or fax. Please see injury or illness reporting at WSIB for details.

Please see the COVID-19 FAQs for updates about time limits related to the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 Declaration of Emergency.

• It is against the law to discourage your employee from reporting a workplace injury or illness to the WSIB, or to influence them to withdraw or abandon their claim. To make sure you know and are complying with your responsibilities, check out the injury or illness reporting self-evaluator (PDF).

On the day of injury, you must:

• pay your employee their full wages and employment benefits as if the injury had not occurred.
• pay for, or provide directly, transportation to send your injured employee to the proper medical facility to receive treatment, if necessary.

Employer requested health examinations

You may ask that your employee be examined by a health professional that you choose and pay for. The examination must only relate to the injuries, diseases or conditions for which the individual is claiming benefits. The selected health professional must provide a copy of the health examination to the WSIB. See more on health examinations.

Return to work

Supporting recovery and return to work

As a business, it’s your responsibility to stay connected with your employee and to help ensure they return to suitable and available work. This includes:

• contacting your employee as soon as possible after the injury or illness
• maintaining appropriate, and regular, communication with your employee throughout their recovery and return to work
• providing suitable work that is available and within your employee’s functional abilities, and restores as much of their pre-injury earnings as possible

You may ask your employee's treating health care provider to complete a functional abilities form. This is an optional form designed to support return to work by helping you and your employee identify suitable jobs that they are able to perform.

See additional details about your responsibilities as your employee returns to work.

Re-employment obligations

Legally, you must re-employ your employee if they are able to perform the essential duties of their pre-injury job or another suitable job in your workplace as long as it is safe to do so. This obligation exists under the following circumstances:

• the employee, as a result of their work-related injury or illness, is absent from work, or works less than regular hours, and/or requires accommodated work that pays, or normally pays, less than their regular pay
• the employee has been continuously employed by you for at least one year before the date of injury; and
• you regularly employ 20 or more employees

See more information on your responsibilities in the return-to-work process, and our approach to job accommodations (PDF).

If you are a business in the construction industry, other re-employment responsibilities apply. Please see our policy on re-employment in the construction industry for more information.

Managing your account

Reporting and paying your premiums

Your WSIB premiums are used to pay benefits for people who are injured or become ill in the workplace. Learn more about your premium and payment obligations, how and when to report and pay or check out our FAQs for additional detail.