WORKERS' COMPENSATION Marking the 110th anniversary of workers' compensation laws in Ontario October 31, 2023 marked the 110th anniversary of Chief Justice Meredith's report to the Ontario legislature. The Meredith Report, known as the Meredith Principles, contained the very foundation on which provincial and federal workers' compensations were to be built. In 1914, Ontario would adopt those recommendations.
The Meredith Principles 1. No Fault Compensation: Workers' injuries are compensated no
matter how the injury happened. Providing compensation is the focus and fault is irrelevant. Both the worker and employer waive the right to sue.
2. Security of Benefits: A fund is established to guarantee compensation funds exist and will be available to all workers.
3. Collective Liability: The cost of the compensation system is fund-
ed by employers which contribute to a common fund. The financial liability of workers' injuries is the collective responsibility of all participating employers.
The underlying concept of workers' compensation is that employers fund the system and share liability for injured workers. In return, injured workers receive benefits while they recover and cannot sue their employers.
4. Indepedent Administration: The boards that administer workers'
compensation benefits are financially independent and separate from the government.
5. Exclusive Jurisdiction: The compensation boards administer all compensation claims direclty. The boards are the final decision-makers and are not bound by legal precedent.
While the Meredith Principles were the basis of our current system, the province and Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) have failed — and continue to fail — injured and ill workers in many ways. Also on October 31, the Ontario government announced that WSIB premium rates for employers will remain steady next year so that "businesses can focus on creating good-paying jobs." But as the cost of living soars, leaving many people struggling to make ends meet, the burden on injured and ill workers continues to grow. When the government allows the WSIB to not only limit (and sometimes reduce) employer premiums, while also allowing the WSIB to return a so-called $1.2 billion surplus back to employers... who is this compensation system really serving?
Want to learn more about workers' compensation? Visit us online at ufcw175.com/workers-compensation, or search for the Ontario Network of Injured Workers' Groups (ONIWG) on Facebook and Twitter (X) to find a community of injured workers' advocates. Page 21
