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Employer rights and responsibilities

Employer responsibilities

Employers have various obligations under The Workers Compensation Act (the Act). Fulfilling these obligations is important to ensure the compensation system works smoothly and efficiently.  

Employers have the responsibility to: 

  • Register with the WCB if your business is in a mandatory industry. 
  • Submit accurate payroll information by the date requested for the WCB to determine premiums. 
  • Pay premiums by the due date and do not pass on the cost of coverage to workers. 
  • Report workplace injuries and illnesses within five business days of becoming aware. 
  • Pay injured workers for their entire shift on the date of the injury. 
  • Encourage workers to file an injury claim with the WCB if they are hurt at work, and do not take any action to discourage them from doing so. 
  • Do not take or threaten retaliatory actions (such as termination or demotion) against a worker for reporting an injury, making a WCB claim, and/or following medical advice related to their injury. 
  • Request WCB clearance letters to ensure that the contractors or subcontractors your business works with comply with WCB requirements. 
  • Re-employ workers you have employed for at least 12 continuous months before their injury or illness. This obligation applies only to employers with 25 or more full-time or regular part-time workers. 
  • Advise the WCB when injured workers return to work following an absence due to a workplace injury. 

Suspected fraud and non-compliance are investigated and penalties may be applied.

Learn more about investigations and penalties on this page.

Employer rights 

You have the right to know the decision on a claim and why it was made. If you don’t agree with the decision made on a claim, you have the right to request reconsideration. You have the right to ask the WCB for information about your worker’s abilities after an injury. 

Please note that we can give information about the worker’s abilities, but we cannot tell you a diagnosis or details about their medical treatments.

Employer resources

The WCB’s  Self-Evaluator tool allows employers to identify areas where they may not meet their obligations. Contact us if you need assistance.

The WCB offers free workshops throughout the year to help employers understand the workers compensation system. The WCB Basics workshops provides a general overview of working with the WCB while the Return to Work Basics workshop helps employers understand the benefits and provides examples of best practices when developing or enhancing a return to work program.

View the WCB Basics and Return to Work Basics upcoming workshops.

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