Operational Policy Manual

The Operational Policy Manual (OPM) is the source of operational policy for the WSIB. It contains policies that the WSIB uses to make decisions about rights and obligations, such as:

  • coverage and injury/illness reporting
  • health care, return to work and recovery
  • occupational diseases
  • benefits and services
  • employer premiums
  • compliance, and
  • other related workplace safety and insurance matters

Operational Policy Manual User Guide

 

Email notification service

To sign up for email updates of new or revised policies, please send an email to polpub@wsib.on.ca.

Past policies

For copies of past policies, please email polpub@wsib.on.ca.

Questions

Do you have a policy question? Contact the Operational Policy Branch.

Revised policy: to reflect the current scientific evidence on the association between occupational exposure to asbestos and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer
DocumentPublishedComments
16-02-11, Gastrointestinal Cancer-Asbestos ExposureOctober 1, 2024Revised document
Revised policies: to reflect legislative amendments to presumptive coverage for firefighters and fire investigators
DocumentPublishedComments
15-03-12, Heart Injuries in Firefighters and Fire InvestigatorsJuly 18, 2024Revised document
23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire InvestigatorsJuly 18, 2024Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect discontinuation of administrative minute book
DocumentPublishedComments
11-01-12, Legislative AuthorityJuly 18, 2024Revised document
Revised policies: minor revisions to traumatic and chronic mental stress policies
DocumentPublishedComments
15-03-02, Traumatic Mental StressFebruary 29, 2024Revised document
15-03-14, Chronic Mental StressFebruary 29, 2024Revised document
Revised policies: 2024 benefit rates
DocumentPublishedComments
18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998January 2, 2024Revised document
18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998January 2, 2024Revised document
18-01-05, Table of RatesJanuary 2, 2024Revised document
New policy: communicable illnesses
DocumentPublishedComments
15-03-15, Communicable IllnessesDecember 1, 2023New document
Revised policy: to add the rate setting approach for temporary employment agencies in 2024
DocumentPublishedComments
14-01-10, Temporary Employment Agencies Transition to the Rate FrameworkDecember 1, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: to align the policies with the accident reporting timelines in the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
DocumentPublishedComments
15-01-02, Employers’ Initial Accident-Reporting ObligationsSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
11-02-01, No Lost TimeSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: to reflect legislative amendments regarding the determination of average earnings for apprentices
DocumentPublishedComments
12-04-13, ApprenticesSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
18-02-08, Determining Average Earnings - Exceptional CasesSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
18-04-10, Calculating FEL for Students Learners ApprenticesSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: to clarify disclosure of non-economic loss medical assessment reports
DocumentPublishedComments
18-05-03, Determining the Degree of Permanent ImpairmentSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
21-02-01, Disclosure of Claim File Information - GeneralSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to clarify the use of a person’s pay periods to determine their short-term average earnings
DocumentPublishedComments
18-02-02, Determining Short-term Average EarningsSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping changes to remove outdated content regarding Stakeholder Compliance Services
DocumentPublishedComments
11-01-02, Decision-MakingSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
11-01-14, Reconsiderations of DecisionsSeptember 29, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect regulatory changes that expanded cancer coverage for firefighters and fire investigators
DocumentPublishedComments
23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire InvestigatorsJuly 20, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: various housekeeping changes to meet provincial accessibility standards and for accuracy; and to clarify which policies apply in claims for somatic symptom disorders
DocumentPublishedComments
15-03-13, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders and Other Designated WorkersJuly 20, 2023Revised document
15-04-03, Chronic Pain DisabilityJuly 20, 2023Revised document
16-01-01, Determining Permanent Impairment Due to AsthmaJuly 20, 2023Revised document
16-01-03, Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, before January 2, 1990July 20, 2023Revised document
16-01-04, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, On/After January 2, 1990July 20, 2023Revised document
16-02-07, Lung Cancer - Gold MinersJuly 20, 2023Revised document
19-02-08, RTW Co-operation ObligationsJuly 20, 2023Revised document
21-02-03, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Employers (No Issue in Dispute)July 20, 2023Revised document
23-01-01, Post-exposure Prophylaxis for Occupational Exposure to HIVJuly 20, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: to reflect changes regarding forms used to determine independent operator status
DocumentPublishedComments
12-02-01, Workers and Independent OperatorsJuly 4, 2023Revised document
14-02-08, Determining Insurable EarningsJuly 4, 2023Revised document
14-02-09, Insurable Earnings – Drivers in the Transportation IndustryJuly 4, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect changes to the Law Society’s paralegal licensure as it applies to worker or employer authorized representatives
DocumentPublishedComments
21-02-04, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Worker or Employer RepresentativesJune 1, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to clarify the circumstances in which the presumption will be rebutted in cancer claims in firefighters and fire investigators
DocumentPublishedComments
23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire InvestigatorsJune 1, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping changes to meet provincial accessibility standards – June 1, 2023
DocumentPublishedComments
14-02-12, Insurable Earnings – Interjurisdictional AgreementJune 1, 2023Revised document
15-04-06, Impotence and SterilityJune 1, 2023Revised document
16-01-09, Determining Permanent Impairment due to Hand Arm Vibration SyndromeJune 1, 2023Revised document
17-01-04, Health Care Outside OntarioJune 1, 2023Revised document
17-07-01, Prescription EyewearJune 1, 2023Revised document
18-02-01, OverviewJune 1, 2023Revised document
18-07-01, Determining the Degree of DisabilityJune 1, 2023Revised document
18-07-02, The Ontario Rating ScheduleJune 1, 2023Revised document
19-05-01, OverviewJune 1, 2023Revised document
21-02-03, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Employers (No Issue in Dispute)June 1, 2023Revised document
21-02-05, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Government AgenciesJune 1, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping changes to support the WSIB’s transition to digital account statements
DocumentPublishedComments
14-03-08, Pre-payment of PremiumApril 4, 2023Revised document
14-03-10, Statement of AcountApril 4, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to clarify the WSIB’s approach to employer premium adjustments following a status decision
DocumentPublishedComments
14-02-06, Employer Premium AdjustmentsApril 4, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: 2023 benefit rates
DocumentPublishedComments
18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998January 3, 2023Revised document
18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998January 3, 2023Revised document
18-01-05, Table of RatesJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping changes to reflect repealed legislation - Drugless Practitioners Act, 1990
DocumentPublishedComments
17-01-02, Entitlement to Health CareJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-01-12, Employer Contributions to Worker BenefitsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect the apprenticeship systems established under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021
DocumentPublishedComments
12-04-13, ApprenticesJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping change to use the gender-neutral term “journeyperson”
DocumentPublishedComments
18-02-08, Determining Average Earnings - Exceptional CasesJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-04-10, Calculating FEL for Students, Learners, and ApprenticesJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
Revised policies: housekeeping changes to meet provincial accessibility standards – January 3, 2023
DocumentPublishedComments
14-01-01, The Classification StructureJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
14-02-01, Employer Level Premium Rate SettingJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
14-02-10, Insurable Earnings - LoggingJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
14-05-03, Second Injury and Enhancement Fund (SIEF)January 3, 2023Revised document
15-06-02, Entitlement Following Temporary Work DisruptionsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
15-06-03, Entitlement Following Permanent Work DisruptionsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
16-02-01, Nasal Cancer in the Nickel Producing IndustryJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
16-02-10, Laryngeal Cancer-Asbestos/Nickel ExposureJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-01-13, Calculating CPP/QPP Offsets from FEL/LOE BenefitsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-01-14, Annual IndexingJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-02-02, Determining Short-term Average EarningsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-05-04, Calculating NEL BenefitsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-05-09, NEL RedeterminationsJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
18-05-10, Wage Loss for NEL AssessmentJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
22-01-05, Offences and Penalties - GeneralJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
22-01-08, Offences and Penalties - EmployerJanuary 3, 2023Revised document
Revised policy: to add the rate setting approach for temporary employment agencies in 2023
DocumentPublishedComments
14-01-10, Temporary Employment Agencies Transition to the Rate FrameworkNovember 17, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to meet provincial accessibility standards – June 28, 2022
DocumentPublishedComments
14-02-08, Determining Insurable EarningsJune 28, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect updated procurement contracts with hearing device suppliers
DocumentPublishedComments
17-07-04, Hearing DevicesMay 2, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect housekeeping changes as part of a cyclical policy review
DocumentPublishedComments
14-04-01, Schedule 2 Security RequirementMarch 2, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect 2021 Policy Agenda scheduled review related to medical cannabis
DocumentPublishedComments
17-01-10, Cannabis for Medical PurposesFebruary 8, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to reflect 2021 Policy Agenda scheduled review related to average earnings for survivors
DocumentPublishedComments
18-02-09, Determining Average Earnings- Periodic Payments for SurvivorsFebruary 8, 2022Revised document
Revised policy: to clarify the out of province coverage guidance for pupils in work education placements
DocumentPublishedComments
12-04-07, Pupils in Work Education ProgramsFebruary 8, 2022Revised document
Revised policies: 2022 benefit rates
DocumentPublishedComments
18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998January 4, 2022Revised document
18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998January 4, 2022Revised document
18-01-05, Table of RatesJanuary 4, 2022Revised document

Resources

Policy overview

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA)

WSIA Regulations