Your business must have workers compensation coverage if you:

  • employ workers who are doing work in Manitoba, and
  • work in an industry that is required to have workers compensation coverage (a mandatory industry).

If you employ workers in Manitoba, you will be grouped together with other businesses that do similar kinds of work. These groups are called Industry Classifications and are used for the purposes of Rate Setting.

If you do not employ workers in Manitoba, you are not required to have WCB coverage. For these situations, business owners and self-employed individuals can choose to purchase Personal Coverage.

Industry classifications are based on the type of work you do, not who is doing the work.  If you are unsure about which industry your business activities fall under and whether your business requires WCB coverage, we recommend looking at our Classification Manual.

Mandatory industries include:

If you are in a mandatory industry, everyone who works for your business is considered a worker and is entitled to WCB coverage regardless of:

  • the number of hours they work
  • the structure of their pay
  • the nature of their work in relation to your primary business operation
  • the location.

This includes:

Note: If you hire one domestic worker who works more than 24 hours per week and another domestic worker for less than 24 hours a week, you must provide coverage for all of your domestic service workers.

If you are not in a mandatory industry, you still have the option to purchase Personal Coverage for your workers along with Personal Coverage for yourself.

Learn more in the Workers Compensation Coverage FAQ.

Yes. Coverage is available for volunteers of non-profit or charitable organizations provided they meet the WCB’s criteria as laid out in policy 35.10.70 Coverage for Volunteers. A volunteer is defined as a person who does community service work and does not receive any pay or compensation.

In these cases, the non-profit or charitable organization must agree to purchase coverage for all of their volunteers (you cannot selectively cover some individuals and not others).

WCB coverage provides immunity from lawsuit for covered workers and employers. While these volunteers are not paid, many will have earnings from other paid employment that may be interrupted if they are injured. These earnings would be protected if the individual is injured while volunteering for an organization with WCB coverage.

If you would like further information on coverage for volunteers please contact the contact our Assessment Services Department.

Phone

In Winnipeg: 204-954-4505

Toll-free: 1-855-954-4321, ext. 4505

 

Yes. Municipalities are required to provide coverage to volunteer firefighters and emergency ambulance workers.

Individuals called to duty under the Wildfires Act are provided WCB coverage for the period of time they assist with fire protection services and are considered workers of the Government of Manitoba.

 

Yes, in most cases workers compensation coverage is provided by the Province of Manitoba. Students in a work experience program with the following institutions have WCB coverage designated through the Province:

  • Universities of Manitoba, Winnipeg and Brandon
  • University College of the North
  • College Universitaire de Saint-Boniface
  • Assiniboine Community College
  • Red River College
  • High school

Other institutions may also apply for workers compensation coverage for their students in work experience programs. If your institution is not listed above, contact our Assessment Services Department.

Phone

In Winnipeg: 204-954-4505

Toll-free: 1-855-954-4321, ext. 4505

 

The Online Employer Registration Tool, a secure Internet app, is a quick and easy way for you to register your business with the WCB. It takes five to 10 minutes to complete and you only need to provide the information once. You can complete the registration whenever you want - it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Before you begin, be sure to have the following information available to complete the registration:

  • legal name of business entity (i.e. ownership)
  • nine-digit Business Number (GST number, if known)
  • WCB Account Number (if known)
  • Business Contact information
  • date workers were/will be hired
  • estimated annual gross payroll for current year
  • information pertaining to sale if the business was purchased.

Register My Business with the WCB.

 

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