Mandate
File an Inquiry
Review Process
Case Summaries
Statistics
FAQs
Mandate
Fair Practices Office (FPO) is similar to an internal ombudsman for the WCB. It compliments, but can not override the policies, processes and
legislation governing WCB operations. The Office can only investigate whether or not those policies, processes and legislative provision are
applied fairly. The Office can make recommendations for improvement but these recommendations are not binding.
The FPO is funded by the WCB to help injured workers, employers and the public understand how the workers' compensation system works and to ensure
that WCB legislation, policies and procedures are fairly applied. To assist with this, the Office has complete access to all claim and employer
files held by the WCB and can contact any WCB staff member directly.
The Office uses this information to:
- Conduct neutral and impartial reviews of claims and issues as requested by injured workers and employers
- Determine if WCB practice, policy and procedures have been followed in a fair, consistent and reasonable way
- Make recommendations to correct any problems it finds and prevent those problems from recurring in the future.
Neutral and Impartial
Fairness
Issues the FPO can deal with
Issues the FPO can't deal with
Neutral and Impartial
The FPO is neutral and impartial. It is independent of the departments responsible for the decisions it reviews because it
reports directly to the Board Members through the Chair.
Fairness
The FPO must ensure that the review process is fair to all concerned. To be fair, the review process requires that:
- The worker or employer is aware that an issue is under review
- The worker or employer is aware that information from their file will be requested and reviewed to make the decision
- The individual affected by the decision is given a chance to provide additional information or to challenge existing information
- All relevant information is considered when making a decision;
- The decision maker is unbiased
- The individual affected by the decision is notified of the decision and given reasons for the decision.
Issues the FPO can deal with
- Delays in decision-making, communication, payment, etc.
- Written and verbal communication
- Staff conduct
- Implementation of Appeal and Board decisions
- Payments of wage loss, medical or travel expenses, independence allowance, permanent functional impairment awards, etc.
- Vocational rehabilitation services
- Employer classification, assessments, experience rating, etc.
- Application of policy and procedure.
Issues the FPO can't deal with
- Conduct or decision of the Board Members. A request for such an investigation must be directed to the Ombudsman Saskatchewan.
- Decisions currently before the Appeals Committee or issues involving the right to appeal at any level. The FPO can only outline the information on which a decision was based or the policy or procedure that was applied.
- A decision or action made on a claim more than a year ago that the worker or employer has not pursued. The Office deals with issues that currently affect injured workers or employers. Although there is no time limit in which to request a review, timely action is important.
- Changes to The Workers' Compensation Act, 1979 or its Regulations. Only the Saskatchewan legislature can change this provincial law. Every four years any interested person or group may meet with the Committee of Review to suggest changes to the Act.
File an Inquiry
The FPO will accept inquiries from:
- Injured workers or employers may inquire about a specific claim issue.
- A representative appointed to act on behalf of an injured worker or employer
- Any member of the public can request general information about workers' compensation.
All contact with the FPO is confidential. You can contact the office by toll-free phone or fax, postal mail,
e-mail
or in person at the Regina WCB office. Please note that the office will only provide general information by e-mail because of concerns about confidentiality.
Review Process
- Talk to the WCB staff member who made the decision in question. The compensation system is complex, and good communication is needed to
clarify why and how decisions are made. Before bringing issues to the Fair Practices Office, try to resolve your issue over the phone or in a meeting
with the WCB staff member who made the decision in question. Here are a few good communication tips.
- If you still have questions or think you have been treated unfairly, you can contact the FPO by phone, mail, fax or e-mail. See contact
information on the right.
- Upon receiving your inquiry or complaint, the Intake and Inquiry Officer in the FPO reviews the file information and answers questions
regarding the issue. This may include contacting the WCB staff member who has authority to deal directly with the issue. Often, the question can be
answered the same day. Approximately 75% of all inquiries are resolved at this level.
- If the inquiry or complaint is more complex and requires a detailed investigation, the inquiry is referred to the Fair Practices Officer. The
current Fair Practices Officer is Murray Knoll. He has twenty-three years experience with Ombudsman Saskatchewan Office listening to inquiries and
complaints, investigating the circumstances that led to those complaints and seeking solutions to those complaints.
The Fair Practices Officer will review all available claim or employer files and research policy and procedure. This may take considerable time
depending on the complexity of the issues in question. The Officer may then make recommendations to the appropriate WCB department manager for
corrective actions. If these recommendations are declined at the management level and the Officer is not satisfied with the reasons given, the
matter may be presented to the CEO and ultimately the Board Chairman for review with the Board Members. The recommendations of the Officer are not binding.
Even if all of these steps have been followed, there may still be disagreement about a decision that has been made. At any time during the process
you can exercise other options:
- Workers can contact the Office of the Worker's Advocate.
- Employers and workers can file formal appeals to be dealt with by the WCB Appeals Committee or the Board Members.
- For issues involving the conduct or decision of the Board Members, employers and workers can contact Ombudsman Saskatchewan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a cost to make an inquiry with the Fair Practices Office?
There is no cost to use our services. You can contact the Fair Practices Office by toll-free phone or fax or e-mail.
How long does an inquiry take?
About 70% of all inquiries are completed within a day or two. If your inquiry is complex, it will require additional time to complete.
Who can make an inquiry?
Most complaints or inquiries to the Fair Practices office are made by injured workers or employers about a specific claim issue. Inquiries can also be
made by an authorized worker or employer representative. However, any member of the public can contact our office for general information about
Workers' Compensation.
Is my inquiry confidential?
Your inquiry is kept confidential within our office unless we have to contact your WCB representative for information about your issue. No memo or
report of your inquiry is added to your WCB file. Our toll-free phone and fax numbers and e-mail come directly to our office.
How is the Fair Practices Office funded?
The Fair Practices Office is funded by the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board and reports directly to the WCB Board Members through the Chairman.
Case Summaries
See the
Report to Stakeholders.
Statistics
See the
Report to Stakeholders.
Fair Practices Office