This page provides updates on recent changes to operational policies at the WSIB, policy clarifications, and our policy agenda.
To sign up for email updates of new or revised policies or to request past policies, please email [email protected].
Do you have a policy question? Contact the Operational Policy Branch.
Policy agenda
The 2025 policy agenda outlines our policy priorities for the coming year and includes items that may involve stakeholder consultation.
Learn about policy development at the WSIB including the agenda-setting process and past policy agendas.
Policy updates/clarifications
Policy revisions to support the WSIB’s foreign agricultural worker strategy
*Effective May 1, 2025*
In 2024, the WSIB launched its foreign agricultural worker strategy. The strategy emphasizes recovery and return to work in Ontario for workers participating in the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). When a SAWP participant is unable to return to agricultural work in Ontario due to a work-related injury or illness, the WSIB will no longer use earnings from suitable and available work in the Ontario labour market to calculate their loss of earnings (LOE) benefit. Instead, the WSIB will use earnings from their home country labour market.
We’ve revised operational policy 12-04-08, Foreign Agricultural Workers to support the WSIB’s new interpretation of suitable and available work for SAWP participants.
As part of this change, more detailed guidelines about return-to-work, pre-injury average earnings determination and LOE entitlement also now appear in 12-04-08, Foreign Agricultural Workers. These guidelines account for the limited and temporary access these workers have to Ontario's labour market and the material wage differences that exist between the labour markets in Ontario and their home countries. The addition of these guidelines provides transparency about the WSIB’s decision-making in these claims and will contribute to predictable and consistent outcomes.
The WSIB has engaged closely with stakeholders about its foreign agricultural worker strategy over the past year and is now publishing the revised policy to ensure it is in effect for the 2025 agricultural season. The WSIB will review and assess the effectiveness of the revised policy in two years.
The revised policy is also available in Spanish on our Foreign Agricultural Worker Program webpage.
Policy in place and effective prior to May 1, 2025:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
2025 benefit rates
*Effective January 1, 2025*
Each year, benefit rates are reviewed and revised to ensure that people are fairly compensated in a financially responsible and accountable way.
For 2025, all benefit rates have increased:
- Bookkeeping Fee
- Clothing Allowance – Minor Damage
- Clothing Allowance – Major Damage
- Non-Professional Escort Fee
- Guide and Support Dog Allowance
- Independent Living Allowance
- Meal Allowance – Breakfast
- Meal Allowance – Lunch
- Meal Allowance - Dinner
- Personal Care Allowance – General Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Personal Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Skilled Attendant Rate
- Transportation Allowance
The benefit rates for 2025 are now outlined in 18-01-05, Table of Rates. These rates were posted in advance on December 12, 2024.
Below is the policy that was in place and effective prior to January 1, 2025:
Below is a comparison document of the new and prior versions:
2025 indexed values
*Effective January 1, 2025*
Every year, operational policies 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998 and 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998 are updated to include the current year’s indexed values. The indexing factor for 2025 is 2.6 per cent.
- 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998
- 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998
Prior versions
- 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts – Accidents from 1998 prior version
- 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts – Accidents before 1998 prior version
Introduction of a new classification for Temporary Employment Agencies
*Effective January 1, 2025*
We’ve introduced a new classification for the supply of administrative, clerical and knowledge-based labour following a two-part public consultation and review of the rate setting approach for temporary employment agencies (TEAs), which was completed in September 2023. This ensures TEAs’ rates for this type of labour reflect the low-risk nature of those business activities.
The new classification, 001281, Supply of administrative, clerical and knowledge-based labour, is effective January 1, 2025, and has been added to Class L, Professional, scientific and technical.
Corresponding housekeeping changes have been made to the existing 35 supply of labour classifications to reflect this change. They’re also effective January 1, 2025. You can review the Employer Classification Manual for more information on these classifications.
Four operational policies have also been revised to reflect the implementation details for the new classification and are effective January 1, 2025.
Starting in 2025, TEAs report all their supplied administrative, clerical and knowledge-based labour under the new classification. They continue to report all other types of labour they supply based on the classification of their client and report their internal office staff who aren’t supplied to clients under the temporary help services classification.
An amendment to Ontario Regulation 175/98 under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 came into effect on January 1, 2025, to enable the new classification.
Employer classification policies in place and effective prior to January 1, 2025:
Note: The housekeeping changes to the 35 revised classifications are the same for each classification. As a result, comparisons of the revised and prior versions are not being posted.
Operational policies that were revised effective January 1, 2025:
Update: Legislative amendments related to presumptive coverage for firefighters and fire Investigators
*Effective December 2, 2024*
The provincial government amended section 15.1 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to establish a rebuttable presumption for primary-site skin cancer in firefighters and fire investigators with at least 10 years of employment or service as a volunteer firefighter prior to diagnosis.
Also, Ontario Regulation 253/07 has been amended to include new rules for the calculation of time periods for certain wildland firefighters. These rules apply to:
- wildland firefighters employed by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for the primary purpose of providing fire protection services for a fixed term within a calendar year, and
- wildland firefighters assigned by their employer under a contract for services with MNR for the primary purpose of providing fire protection services for a period of time within a calendar year.
We are in the process of updating Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire Investigators to reflect these legislative changes. All decisions related to affected claims will be based on the new legislation until we update our policy.
New Operational Policy Manual online archive
*Effective December 5, 2024*
We are pleased to announce that we are starting to include archived operational policies online in a new Archive section of the Operational Policy Manual (OPM). Archived policies will be added in a phased approach, with the first phase consisting of policies being archived on December 5, 2024. The next phase is expected to be completed early next year and will include archived policies back to 2014.
Information about using the archive has been included in the OPM User Guide.
Minor policy revisions to include all overtime worked in the short-term average earnings determination
*Effective December 5, 2024*
We have revised Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 18-02-02, Determining Short-term Average Earnings to remove the policy distinction that existed between mandatory and voluntary overtime in the short-term average earnings determination. This change means all overtime worked in the four-week period or complete shift rotation before the injury will be included in the short-term average earnings determination. It also reduces the administrative burden for employers of clarifying the hours and earnings for different overtime types and is expected to contribute to timely first payments.
We also made other housekeeping changes to use gender-neutral terminology.
As a result of the revisions to OPM document 18-02-02, we’ve also made consequential revisions to 18-02-03 Determining Long-term Average Earnings: Workers in Permanent Employment.
Policies in place and effective prior to December 5, 2024:
- 18-02-02, Determining Short-term Average Earnings prior version
- 18-02-03, Determining Long-term Average Earnings: Workers in Permanent Employment prior version
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Housekeeping policy changes to make terminology more inclusive and update references, typographical errors and formatting
*Effective December 5, 2024*
We have made housekeeping changes to multiple policies in the Operational Policy Manual (OPM) to incorporate gender-neutral terminology. Additionally, housekeeping changes were made to update references, correct typographical errors, and reflect the current format of the OPM.
You can review details of the changes to each policy:
Housekeeping policy changes to update references, typographical errors and formatting
*Effective December 5, 2024*
We have made housekeeping changes to multiple policies in the Operational Policy Manual (OPM) to update references, correct typographical errors, and reflect the current format of the OPM.
You can review details of the changes to each policy:
Update: Legislative amendments to provide presumptive coverage for first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder
*Effective October 28, 2024*
The provincial government amended section 14 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to extend existing presumptive coverage for post-traumatic stress disorder to include wildland firefighters and wildland fire investigators.
We are in the process of updating Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 15-03-13 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in First Responders and Other Designated Workers, to reflect these legislative changes. All decisions related to affected claims will be based on the new legislation until we update our policy.
Policy revisions reflecting current scientific evidence on occupational asbestos exposure and gastrointestinal cancer
*Effective October 1, 2024*
We have updated Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 16-02-11 Gastrointestinal Cancer-Asbestos Exposure to reflect the current scientific evidence on the association between occupational exposure to asbestos and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer. In 2021, we commissioned an external team of experts to review and summarize the epidemiological evidence on this association. The team delivered their final report, titled Occupational Asbestos Exposure and Gastrointestinal Cancers: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis in 2023, which is the most comprehensive review of the evidence to date.
As part of the policy development process, we engaged with our Scientific Advisory Table on Occupational Disease. Over the course of 2023, the table helped us review and understand the final report’s findings and recommended further investigations including a review of the quantitative historical asbestos exposure data in manufacturing, construction, trades, and other occupations in Ontario. We completed this work in July 2024 and used it to contextualize the report’s key findings.
This information was used to develop policy guidance for specific industries, trades, occupations, and time periods in Ontario. The updated policy establishes clear guidelines for initial entitlement decisions in gastrointestinal cancer claims involving occupational exposure to asbestos. The policy aims to expedite claim allowances, where possible, ensuring people and their families receive timely benefits. This marks our first occupational disease policy review since the implementation of the Occupational Disease Strategy and Occupational Disease Policy Framework.
For more information on the development of the updated policy, please see our
.To read the scientific review and a list of all current occupational disease research grants in progress, please visit the WSIB Occupational Disease Policy page.
Policy in effect prior to October 1:
Policy changes related to cancers and heart injuries in firefighters and fire investigators
*Effective July 18, 2024*
In May 2024, the provincial government amended Ontario Regulation 253/07, under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA), to extend presumptive coverage for cancers and heart injuries to include both wildland firefighters and wildland fire investigators. The provincial government also amended section 15.1 of the WSIA to establish a presumption of work-relatedness for primary-site esophageal cancer in firefighters and fire investigators. This presumption applies to those firefighters and fire investigators with at least 15 years of employment, or service as a volunteer firefighter, prior to diagnosis. These legislative changes took effect on May 1, 2024.
We have updated OPM documents 23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire Investigators and 15-03-12, Heart Injuries in Firefighters and Fire Investigators to reflect these legislative changes. We have also made minor changes to these policies to improve readability, clarity, and ensure gender-neutral language.
Policies in place and effective prior to July 18, 2024:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor policy revisions to reflect discontinuation of administrative minute book
*Effective July 18, 2024*
We have discontinued use of the administrative minute book because we are now using more efficient electronic record-keeping systems. We are not recording approvals with an administrative minute, either physically or digitally.
To support this change, we’ve updated the definition of a policy for the purpose of section 126 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to eliminate the minuting requirement. As a result, Operational Policy Manual document 11-01-12, Legislative Authority has been revised to remove the reference to minuting.
Policies will still have the same level of review and approval before we publish them in the Operational Policy Manual or Employer Classification Manual. However, we’ll no longer assign an administrative minute or enter approvals in the administrative minute book.
Approvals are now recorded by date and level of approval and reflected in the “Approval” section of a policy document, which replaces the “Minute” section.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to July 18, 2024:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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Independent living policy consultation (Serious Injury Program value-for-money audit consultation)
Phase two of the consultation to seek stakeholder feedback on the proposed changes to our independent living policies started on April 18, 2024 and closed on June 12, 2024. Once finalized, we will post the updated independent living policies, stakeholder submissions, and a summary of the consultation on our website.
Minor revisions to traumatic and chronic mental stress policies
*Effective March 1, 2024*
We have made minor revisions to Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 15-03-02, Traumatic Mental Stress and OPM document 15-03-14, Chronic Mental Stress to clarify the role of witness evidence in the adjudication of claims for traumatic and chronic mental stress.
These revisions clarify that the presence or absence of corroborating witness evidence may be relevant. However, the decision-maker does not need corroborating witness evidence to determine that the events that caused the chronic or traumatic mental stress injury, as described by the injured person, actually took place.
Additionally, the revisions specify that, when corroborating witness evidence is unavailable, the decision-maker must still assess and weigh all other relevant and available evidence, including the injured person’s evidence, to determine the likelihood that the events occurred as described.
We also made other housekeeping changes to clarify terminology.
Policies in place and effective prior to March 1, 2024:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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2024 benefit rates
*Effective January 1, 2024*
Each year, benefit rates are reviewed and revised to make sure that people are fairly compensated in a financially responsible and accountable way.
For 2024, the WSIB has increased all benefit rates to keep up with recent cost-of-living increases. The benefits outlined in the policy are:
- Clothing Allowance – Minor Damage
- Clothing Allowance – Major Damage
- Non-Professional Escort Fee
- Guide and Support Dog Allowance
- Independent Living Allowance
- Meal Allowance – Breakfast
- Meal Allowance – Lunch
- Meal Allowance – Dinner
- Personal Care Allowance – General Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Personal Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Skilled Attendant Rate
- Bookkeeping Fee
- Transportation Allowance
The benefit rates for 2024 are now outlined in 18-01-05, Table of Rates. These rates were posted in advance on December 12, 2023.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to January 1, 2024:
Comparison document of the new and prior versions:
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2024 indexed values
*Effective January 1, 2024*
Every year, Operational Policy Manual (OPM) documents 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998 and 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998 are updated to include the current year’s indexed values. The indexing factor for 2024 is 4.4 per cent.
- 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998
- 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998
Prior versions:
Occupational disease update: Three new poisonings added to Schedule 3
*Effective December 13, 2023*
Effective December 13, 2023, poisonings due to work-related exposure to ammonia, chlorine, and hydrogen sulfide have been added as new occupational diseases to Schedule 3 of Ontario Regulation 175/98 under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, as amended by Ontario Regulation 387/23.
The three additions to Schedule 3 were approved by the WSIB’s Board of Directors based on consideration of the scientific evidence and other relevant information, including existing claims data, and the threshold for entry of an occupational disease into Schedule 3 set out in the WSIB’s Occupational disease policy framework. These changes were also endorsed by the WSIB’s Scientific Advisory Table on Occupational Disease.
Introduction of a new communicable illnesses policy
*Effective December 1, 2023*
The new Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document, 15-03-15 Communicable Illnesses builds on well-established entitlement principles and our current practice in adjudicating communicable illness claims. It responds to feedback we received from stakeholders during our public consultation. The policy will support consistent, timely, and high-quality initial entitlement decisions and will offer transparency about our decision-making process.
The policy will apply to communicable illness claims with an accident date on or after December 1, 2023.
To review our consultation summary report following our consultation earlier this year, along with the submissions, please visit the communicable illnesses policy consultation page.
Temporary Employment Agency (TEA) transition
*Effective December 1, 2023*
In September 2023 we completed our review of the rate setting approach for TEAs, which included a two-phase stakeholder consultation. You can review the consultation results, including the planned approach to create a new classification for the supply of clerical labour starting in 2025.
In 2024, TEA rates will be set using the same approach as all other businesses, as they were in 2022 and 2023. The TEA Transition to the Rate Framework policy has been updated to reflect that approach. TEAs eligible for a rate increase or decrease will move a maximum of three risk bands (approximately 15 per cent) from their prior year risk band towards their projected rate. Our premium and payment FAQs provide additional information about premium rate setting.
The following revised policy is effective December 1, 2023:
Policy that was in place and effective prior to December 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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Minor policy revisions to align with the accident reporting timelines in the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
*Effective September 29, 2023*
We have made minor revisions to Operational Policy Manual (OPM) documents 15-01-02, Employers’ Initial Accident-Reporting Obligations and 11-02-01, No Lost Time to align the policies with the legislated requirement for businesses to notify the WSIB of an accident within three business days after learning of their reporting obligation.
The policies previously indicated the WSIB must receive a business’s accident report within seven business days of them learning of their reporting obligation. When we introduced the policies, the majority of businesses relied on the postal system to submit accident reports. The seven business day time-period was in case of postal delays between when a business submitted the accident report and when we received it. Since the vast majority of businesses no longer submit accident reports by mail, the seven business day time-period is no longer needed.
Policies in place and effective prior to September 29, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor policy revisions related to the determination of average earnings for apprentices
*Effective September 29, 2023*
In March of 2023, the provincial government amended s.53 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) to include rules governing how the WSIB determines the average earnings of an apprentice. This amendment indicates that an apprentice’s average earnings are to be an amount equal to the average earnings of a journeyperson in the same trade as the apprentice. Subsequent legislative changes also included the removal of references to apprentices in s.16 of Ontario Regulation 175/98 under the WSIA since they were no longer relevant. The revised Operational Policy Manual document 18-02-08, Determining Average Earnings – Exceptional Cases reflects the current legislative requirements to determine average earnings for apprentices.
In addition to the above, minor revisions to documents 12-04-13, Apprentices and 18-04-10, Calculating FEL for Students, Learners and Apprentices, consist of housekeeping changes to update the legislation referenced in those policies.
Policies that were in place prior to the September 29, 2023 changes:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor policy revisions related to independent non-economic loss medical assessments
*Effective September 29, 2023*
We have made revisions to Operational Policy Manual (OPM) document 18-05-03, Determining the Degree of Permanent Impairment to state that we will provide businesses with an independent non-economic loss medical assessment report, once the person with an injury or illness is notified and given an opportunity to object to the assessment report being disclosed. Other minor revisions were made to reflect that we give people a choice from a list of physicians to conduct independent non-economic loss medical assessments. The chosen physician must also consider reports from other treating health care professionals.
As a result of the revisions to OPM document 18-05-03, a consequential revision is being made to OPM document 21-02-01, Disclosure of Claim File Information - General.
Policy in place and effective prior to September 29, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor policy revisions to use a person’s pay periods closest to the person’s injury/illness date to determine their short-term average earnings
*Effective September 29, 2023*
We have revised the Operational Policy Manual document 18-02-02, Determining Short-term Average Earnings to clarify that we will calculate a person’s short-term average earnings using the complete pay periods closest to the date of the person’s injury or illness that represent four consecutive weeks of earnings.
Other minor housekeeping changes have also been made to update terminology.
Policy in place and effective prior to September 29, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Housekeeping changes to remove outdated content regarding Stakeholder Compliance Services
*Effective September 29, 2023*
We have made housekeeping changes to Operational Policy Manual (OPM) documents 11-01-02, Decision-Making and 11-01-14, Reconsiderations of Decisions to remove outdated content related to a historical period when staff in Stakeholder Compliance Services (formerly Regulatory Services) made final decisions of the board.
Policies in place and effective prior to September 29, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Policy changes related to cancers in firefighters and fire investigators
*Effective July 20, 2023*
In June 2023, the provincial government amended Ontario Regulation 253/07 under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to add two new cancers: primary-site pancreatic cancer and primary-site thyroid cancer.
The additional coverage for pancreatic and thyroid cancers took effect on June 29, 2023, and we have updated OPM document 23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire Investigators to reflect the changes. For more information, please read our FAQs about firefighter presumptive care.
Minor changes have also been made to improve clarity about the criteria for the presumption and we have also made updates so that the policy meets accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
Policy in place and effective prior to July 20, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Housekeeping policy changes to meet provincial accessibility requirements, update outdated terminology, correct grammatical errors, and clarify the application of policies
*Effective July 20, 2023*
We have made housekeeping changes to multiple documents in the Operational Policy Manual (OPM) to ensure we meet accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
You can see details of the changes to each document:
In addition to housekeeping changes to meet accessibility standards, we revised OPM document 15-04-03, Chronic Pain Disability to clarify that claims for somatic symptom disorders where pain is not the primary somatic symptom are considered under 15-04-02, Psychotraumatic Disability
Policy that was in place and effective prior to July 20, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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We made housekeeping changes to the following operational policies to update outdated terminology and correct grammatical errors:
- 19-02-08, RTW Co-operation Obligations
- 21-02-03, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Employers (No Issue in Dispute)
Policies that were in place and effective prior to July 20, 2023:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor revisions to independent operator and insurable earnings policies
*Effective July 1, 2023*
The WSIB has made changes to its operational practices regarding forms used to determine independent operator status. These changes will reduce the administrative burden for independent operators and principals and have been reflected in policy. In addition, we have made changes to these policies to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
The following revised policies are effective July 1, 2023:
- 12-02-01, Workers and Independent Operators
- 14-02-08, Determining Insurable Earnings
- 14-02-09, Insurable Earnings – Drivers in the Transportation Industry
Policies that were in place and effective prior to July 1, 2023:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Policy changes related to Cancers in Firefighters and Fire Investigators
*Effective June 1, 2023*
Policy changes have been made to document 23-02-01, Cancers in Firefighters and Fire Investigators, to clarify the circumstances in which the presumption will be rebutted and to codify the WSIB’s existing approach to the rebuttal analysis in cancer claims in firefighters and fire investigators. These changes address the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal’s finding that the policy lacked provisions to establish a causal connection between workplace exposure and the prescribed cancers to support the application of the presumption. These changes, however, do not alter the definitions of “firefighter” and “fire investigator”, as established in Ontario Regulation 253/07 and mirrored in the policy, for the purposes of the presumption’s application.
Other minor revisions have been made for clarity related to case-by-case decision-making and time limits.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to June 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor Revisions to reflect changes to the Law Society’s paralegal licensure as it applies to worker or employer authorized representatives
*Effective June 1, 2023*
There have been amendments to the Law Society’s By-Law 4 Licensing that sets out a number of exemptions from the paralegal licensure. As a result, the revised Operational Policy Manual document 21-02-04, Disclosure of Claim File Information to Worker or Employer Representatives, reflects the current licensing requirements and exemptions for authorized representatives.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to June 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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Housekeeping policy changes to meet provincial accessibility requirements – June 1, 2023
*Effective June 1, 2023*
We have made housekeeping changes to multiple documents in the Operational Policy Manual to ensure we meet accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
You can see details of the changes to each document:
Housekeeping policy changes to support the WSIB’s transition to digital account statements
*Effective April 1, 2023*
Housekeeping changes have been made to documents 14-03-08, Pre-payment of Premium and 14-03-10, Statement of Account in the Operational Policy Manual to help facilitate the WSIB’s transition to digital account statements.
Policies that were in place and effective prior to April 1, 2023:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Revision to clarify the WSIB’s approach to employer premium adjustments following a status decision
*Effective April 1, 2023*
We have revised Operational Policy Manual document 14-02-06, Employer Premium Adjustments to clarify the WSIB’s approach to issuing a credit premium adjustment following a status decision.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to April 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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Communicable illnesses policy consultation
We launched a consultation seeking stakeholder feedback on our draft communicable illnesses policy. The consultation period started February 14, 2023 and closed on March 28, 2023. We are currently reviewing the submissions received. The stakeholder submissions and a summary of the results of the consultation will be posted on our website in the coming months.
2023 benefit rates
*Effective January 1, 2023*
Each year, benefit rates are reviewed and revised to ensure that people are fairly compensated in a financially responsible and accountable way.
For 2023, benefit rates that have increased are:
- Non-Professional Escort Fee
- Guide and Support Dog Allowance
- Independent Living Allowance
- Meal Allowance
- Personal Care Allowance – General Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Personal Attendant Rate
- Personal Care Allowance – Skilled Attendant Rate
- Transportation Allowance
The benefit rates for 2023 are now outlined in 18-01-05, Table of Rates. These rates were posted in advance on December 15, 2022.
The revised policy includes revisions to meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 standards for tables. The table in the policy now includes a header and cells have been reformatted to improve readability for people using assistive technologies.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to January 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the new and prior versions:
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2023 indexed values
*Effective January 1, 2023*
Every year, Operational Policy Manual (OPM) documents 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998 and 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998 are updated to include the current year’s indexed values. The indexing factor for 2023 is 6.5 per cent.
- 18-01-02, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents from 1998
- 18-01-03, Benefit Dollar Amounts - Accidents before 1998
Prior versions
Housekeeping changes to reflect repealed legislation - Drugless Practitioners Act, 1990
*Effective January 1, 2023*
On July 1, 2015, the Drugless Practitioners Act, 1990 was repealed and therefore no longer has effect. Operational Policy Manual document 17-01-02, Entitlement to Health Care and 18-01-12, Employer Contributions to Worker Benefits have been revised to remove references to the Drugless Practitioners Act, 1990.
Policies that were in place and effective prior to January 1, 2023:
Comparison documents of the revised and prior versions:
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Minor Revisions to Apprentices (coverage policy)
*Effective January 1, 2023*
On January 1, 2022, the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021, (BOSTA) was proclaimed. BOSTA enabled the creation of new skilled trades and apprenticeship systems. As a result, Operational Policy Manual document 12-04-13, Apprentices has been revised to better reflect the apprenticeship systems established under BOSTA and to align the terminology used in the policy with BOSTA.
Policy that was in place and effective prior to January 1, 2023:
Comparison document of the revised and prior version:
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In addition to the above, two other Operational Policy Manual documents have been revised to make housekeeping changes to use the gender-neutral term “journeyperson”.
| Policy | Prior version | Comparison document* |
|---|---|---|
| 18-02-08, Determining Average Earnings - Exceptional Cases | ||
| 18-04-10, Calculating FEL for Students, Learners, and Apprentices |
Housekeeping policy changes to meet provincial accessibility requirements – January 3, 2023
*Effective January 1, 2023*
Housekeeping changes have been made to multiple documents in the Operational Policy Manual to ensure accessibility standards for tables under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 are met. Details of the changes to each document can be found in the comparison documents below.
Policy clarifications
Pre-existing conditions and permanent impairments – issued December 15, 2017
A
was issued on December 15, 2017 outlining that NEL benefits will not be reduced for people with an asymptomatic pre-existing condition if it is non-measureable.* If you need an accessible version of this document, please contact [email protected]