For Immediate Release Date: June 19, 2017
WCB Delivers Its 100th Annual Report
Strong Financial and Return to Work Results Contribute to Successful Year
(WINNIPEG) – The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba's (WCB) 2016 Annual Report was tabled in the provincial legislature on May 24. The highlights include 100 years of success in building a workers compensation system that benefits Manitobans, continued enhancements to the rate model and customer service initiatives and rewarding employers who have embraced prevention and return to work initiatives by lowering the average assessment rate. The Five Year Plan was also tabled.
"We were pleased to celebrate 100 years of serving Manitoban employers and workers," said Winston Maharaj, President and CEO of the WCB. "Employers' efforts and successes in injury prevention and return to work are paying off. That progress, combined with strong investment income, allow us to lower the rates employers pay while at the same time maintaining the benefits injured workers rely on."
The average assessment rate decreased by $0.05 in 2016 to $1.25 and the downward trend continues with the recent 2017 rate announcement of $1.10. Since 2014, the WCB's two consecutive years of rate decreases returned $85 million to employers.
"We are encouraged by the great strides employers have made with injury prevention which saw the time loss injury rate dip below 3.0 for the first time," said Maharaj. "This, coupled with more employers embracing return to work efforts which minimizes a worker's absence from work are paying off for both employers and workers."
The WCB also continued to implement the assessment rate model and focused on lessening the impact of transitional changes to small and medium-sized employers. Work on prevention initiatives continued with the time loss injury rate dipping below 3.0 for the first time.
The WCB is committed to reducing the risk and lessen the impact of workplace injuries and illness as well as ensuring the system is fair and efficient, with customers who get seamless service and with partners who feel their views count.
About the WCB of Manitoba
The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba is a mutual workplace injury and disability insurance agency funded by employer premiums. We are here to insure and support safe and healthy work and workplaces. We put workers and employers at the centre of all we do. We provide them with valued services for injury prevention, compensation and return to health and work while maintaining system integrity.
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