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If your rate changed in 2021, there a number of factors which may have influenced its movement in either direction.

Industry Classifications and Risk Category Ranges

All employers are assigned to an industry classification. Each industry classification is assigned a risk category based on how much we expect each classified employer group to cost the WCB system in future years. Each classification risk category is assigned a base rate that is the starting point to establish a rate range for the classification.

Risk category ranges provide flexibility for employers to move above or below their classification base rate based on the claims costs in their workplace and payroll size.

Choose the heading below that represents your size based on your annual payroll to see the rate ranges for each risk category. Your risk category, size designation and rate range based on your risk category are all detailed in your rate notification. If you don't have your rate notification, you can find out which risk category is assigned to your classification here.

Medium Employer

2021 Classification Rate Ranges for Medium Employers Based on WCB Base Rate of $0.95.

Classification Risk Category	Classification Risk Category Base Rate	Rate Range 20% Below to 60% Above Risk Category Base Rate
15%	$0.14	$0.11 - $0.22
25%	$0.24	$0.19 - $0.38
40%	$0.38	$0.30 - $0.61
60%	$0.57	$0.46 - $0.91
75%	$0.71	$0.57 - $1.14
100%	$0.95	$0.76 - $1.52
125%	$1.19	$0.95 - $1.90
200%	$1.90	$1.52 - $3.04
300%	$2.85	$2.28 - $4.56
500%	$4.75	$3.80 - $7.60
800%	$7.60	$6.08 - $12.16

The risk category base rates and the corresponding rate ranges identified above do not include balancing or safety program levies. The addition of these factors will increase the amounts shown.

Large Employer

2021 Classification Rate Ranges for Large Employers Based on WCB Base Rate of $0.95.

Classification Risk Category	Classification Risk Category Base Rate	Rate Range 40% Below to 120% Above Risk Category Base Rate
15%	$0.14	$0.08 - $0.31
25%	$0.24	$0.14 - $0.53
40%	$0.38	$0.23 - $0.84
60%	$0.57	$0.34 - $1.25
75%	$0.71	$0.43 - $1.56
100%	$0.95	$0.57 - $2.09
125%	$1.19	$0.71 - $2.62
200%	$1.90	$1.14 - $4.18
300%	$2.85	$1.71 - $6.27
500%	$4.75	$2.85 - $10.45
800%	$7.60	$4.56 - $16.72

The risk category base rates and the corresponding rate ranges identified above do not include balancing or safety program levies. The addition of these factors will increase the amounts shown.

A large employer can move away from their classification risk category and have a different range of rates than other employers in the same industry classification if they show consistently different experience from their classification group. This is the same as our previous model with the exception that now there are limits to the number of categories to which a large employer may move. Depending on their size, a large employer could move up or down from two to six risk categories, which will take effect for 2022 rates.

Claims Costs or no Claims Costs

If you’ve had claims with an incident date between 2017 and 2019 that incurred costs between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, this will impact your 2021 rate. If your costs are higher than average, your rate will likely increase. If your costs are lower, your rate may go down.

Rate Increase/Decrease Limits

There are limits built into the rate model to protect you from too much fluctuation in any given year. At this stage, your rate cannot move up or down more than 15 per cent from year to year. Also, your rate can't go below the lower or above the upper end of the category range. The next stage is the addition of the balancing factor. Finally, if you're part of a participating industry classification, you'll share in an industry based safety program cost.

Balancing Adjustment

Because there are many factors involved in determining each employer's rate, it can be difficult to ensure that the revenue raised matches the revenue we need to cover workplace injuries and illnesses. Once rates have been determined, we apply a balancing adjustment evenly to all employers to ensure we are able to break even.

For a more detailed explanation of any rate change you experienced in 2021, please contact Assessment Services.

Industry-Based Safety Programs

Manitoba has many industry-based safety programs that work in partnership with SAFE Work Manitoba to help keep workers safe on the job. Through these safety programs, employers can work to reduce their individual and classification-wide injuries and resulting costs.

These programs are funded in part by all employers within the corresponding levied classification codes. The WCB collects these program fees (called a safety levy) through employers’ premiums as a percentage of their rate.

There are industry-based safety programs for other industry classifications; however, these programs are not currently funded through a WCB levy.

Industry Classification	Safety Program	Contact Number
310-02, 310-03, 310-04, 310-08, 310-09, 310-10, 311-03, , 314-03, 314-04, 314-05, 314-07, 314-08, 315-10, 315-23, 316-07, 316-15, , 320-02 and 604-08	Made SAFE	204-949-1454
407-02, 407-05, 407- 06 to 407-09 and 408-02, 408-03, 408-06 to 408-09	Manitoba Heavy Construction Association	204-947-1379
All other industry codes starting with “4”	Construction Safety Association of Manitoba	204-775-3171
501-02, 501-09 and 501-11	RPM Trucking Industry Safety	204-632-6600
602-04, 604-02, 604-04, 640-04 and 605-03, 610-04	S2 Safety: Sales and Service Safety Association (Motor Vehicle Safety Association of Manitoba)	204-779-8296

Learn more about Industry-Based Safety Programs

Rate Calculation Examples

Medium Employer

PopsRUS has $5,000,000 in annual payroll and is in Classification 30209 - Manufacturing Soft Drinks. This classification is in the 75 per cent risk category as outlined in their rate letter. Due to their payroll size, they are considered a medium employer for the purposes of rate setting. This information is also contained in their rate notification.

PopsRUS generally has higher than average claim costs each year. Their classification is associated with an Industry-Based Safety Program; as such, a safety levy of 5 per cent is added to their rate notification.

PopsRUS had a 2020 WCB rate of $0.92.
PopsRUS is considered a medium sized employer based on their payroll size. This information is also included in their rate notification.
The range of rates they could potentially pay is based on their classification average rate of $0.71 (75 per cent of the WCB average rate of $0.95). Because they are considered a medium-sized employer, their rate range is 20 per cent below to 60 per cent above their classification average, or $0.57 to $1.14.
From the claims PopsRUS had in 2017, 2018 and a new claim they had in 2019, they had $30,000 in claim costs between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018.
PopsRUS's claim costs of $30,000 is higher than would be expected from an average employer of comparable size in the same risk category. This results in an experience rate of $1.64. Their classification average rate is $0.71 (75 per cent of the WCB average rate of $0.95). Based on PopsRUS's average annual payroll of $5,000,000, their experience factor is 32 per cent. This means their forecast rate for 2021 is based on 32 per cent of their own experience and 68 per cent of their classification average rate: (32 per cent x 1.64) + (68 per cent x 0.71) = $1.01 forecast rate.
Because PopsRUS's forecast rate is higher than its starting rate, they will receive a rate increase. PopsRUS will trend towards $1.01; however, because the rate model limits how much a rate can increase per year, they will get the maximum rate increase of 15 per cent, moving their rate to $1.01.

PopsRUS rate is $1.01 + 2.99 per cent balancing adjustment + 5 per cent safety levy for a rate of $1.09 in 2021.

Large Employer

Wesell is classified within 60105 - General Retail Sales which is in the 40 per cent risk category. They have $25,000,000 in annual payroll. Due to prevention and disability management strategies they've implemented over the last several years, they generally have consistent claim costs year over year.

Wesell had a 2020 WCB rate of $0.45.
Because Wesell's payroll is greater than $7.5 million each year, they are considered a large employer for rate setting purposes. Their status as a large employer is confirmed in their rate notification each year.
The range of rates Wesell could potentially pay is based on their classification average rate of $0.38 (40 per cent of the WCB average rate of $0.95). Because Wesell is a large employer, their range of rates is 40 per cent below ($0.23) to 120 per cent above ($0.84) their classification average rate.
From the claims Wesell had in 2017, 2018 and new claims they had in 2019, they had $40,000 in claim costs generated between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019.
Wesell's claim costs of $40,000 is lower than would be expected from an average employer of comparable size in the same risk category. This results in an experience rate of $0.35. Their risk category average rate is $0.38 (40 per cent of the WCB average rate of $0.95). Based on Wesell's average annual payroll of $25,000,000 their experience factor is 71 per cent. This means that their forecast rate is based on 71 per cent their own experience and 29 per cent of their risk category average rate: (71 per cent x 0.35) + (29 per cent x 0.38) = forecast rate of $0.35.
Because Wesell's forecast rate is lower than its starting rate , they are entitled to a rate decrease. Wesell will receive its forecast rate of $0.35 since it is within 15 per cent of its starting rate in Step 2.

Wesell's rate is $0.35 + 2.99 per cent balancing adjustment for a rate of $0.36 in 2021.