August 20, 2020

UPDATE – August 20, 2020

Dear Stakeholders:

As you know, on July 22, 2020, the Board of Directors approved amendments to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act, to add a presumption for infections caused by communicable viral pathogens, which are the subject of a BC-specific emergency declaration or notice. The Schedule 1 amendments were scheduled to come into effect on October 26, 2020.

On August 14, 2020, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2020 (Bill 23), received Royal Assent, eliminating the mandated 90-day waiting period before the Schedule 1 amendments approved by the Board of Directors came into effect.

As a result of Bill 23, on August 19, 2020 the Board of Directors approved amending the effective date of the Schedule 1 amendments to August 20, 2020.

The consequential amendments to Item C4-28.00, Contagious Diseases, and Appendix 2 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II will also come into effect on August 20, 2020.

Please click here to view the Resolution.

Policy, Regulation and Research Division


July 23, 2020

Dear Stakeholders:

The Policy, Regulation and Research Division would like to thank you all for your submissions on the proposal to add Infections Caused by Communicable Viral Pathogens, Including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act (Act). The stakeholder feedback received by the Board of Directors informed its decision-making on the policy changes. Please click here for a summary of stakeholder comments.

On July 22, 2020, the Board of Directors approved amendments to Schedule 1 of the Act to add a presumption for infections caused by communicable viral pathogens, which are the subject of a BC-specific emergency declaration or notice.

Consequential amendments are also made to Item C4-28.00, Contagious Diseases, and Appendix 2 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II to reflect the Schedule 1 amendment.

These amendments will come into effect on October 26, 2020.

On July 14, 2020, the Minister of Labour tabled Bill 23, which proposes to eliminate the mandated 90-day waiting period in the Act before a WorkSafeBC regulatory amendment comes into effect, in relation to an occupational disease that is an infection caused by a communicable viral pathogen. If Bill 23 is passed prior to October 26, 2020, the effective date of the Schedule 1 amendment and consequential amendments will be adjusted accordingly.

Please click here to view the Resolution.

Policy, Regulation and Research Division

WorkSafeBC