WSIB’s new Chronic Mental Stress Policy in effect
Construction industry stakeholders are saying they’re going to have to wait and see how the new Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Chronic Mental Stress Policy plays out now that it’s officially in effect and could impact the jobsite.
“It will be interesting to see over the next few years what happens in the construction industry in terms of chronic mental stress claims,” said Ian Cunningham, president of the Council of Ontario Construction Associations, adding the province is not the first to provide this benefit. “My sense is in pricing it into the 2018 rates, it wasn’t thought to be an enormous factor and I guess they can look at the data in other provinces. Once the benefit becomes entrenched, it will be interesting to see how claims turn out going forward.”
Bill 127, introduced during the 2017 Ontario budget process in the spring, proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act that, for the first time, allow for entitlement to claims for chronic mental stress.