Vocational Rehabilitation

Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to explain the goals and describe the terms and conditions of academic, vocational, and rehabilitative assistance available to a worker under subsection 27(20) of The Workers Compensation Act (the Act). For the purposes of this policy, this assistance is referred to as vocational rehabilitation.  Vocational rehabilitation is intended to help a worker achieve maximum physical, psychological, economic and social recovery from the effects of a work-related injury or illness.

While discretionary, vocational rehabilitation should be consistently applied to all eligible workers. This policy describes:

1. The goal of vocational rehabilitation;
2. Who is eligible for vocational rehabilitation;
3. The relationship between vocational rehabilitation services and wage loss benefits;
4. What services are available, what they are intended to accomplish, and when they will be provided; and
5. When vocational rehabilitation will be discontinued.

This is the central policy for the Workers Compensation Board's (WCB) vocational rehabilitation program. All policies in the 43.00 series should be applied in accordance with the general principles presented in this policy. These policies are listed in the References section of this policy.