Document name
Allowance – Personal Care
Document number
POL 10/2014
Effective date: August 1, 2014
Last updated: June 25, 2014
Application: All claims on and after the effective date.
Policy subject: Allowance and expenses
Purpose:
To establish personal care allowances (PCA).
DEFINITION
Personal care means the care a worker needs in relation to:
- Hygiene.
- Dressing.
- Mobility.
- Feeding, and
- Supervision.
BACKGROUND
- The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013 allows the WCB to provide personal care allowances (PCA) to injured workers (Section 79).
- The WCB can take any measures necessary to (Section 111):
- Help workers return-to-work.
- Lessen work-related disabilities.
- Help dependent spouses become self-sufficient.
- The WCB may pay for any medical aid or treatment that the worker needs because of an injury (Section 115).
POLICY
- The WCB provides PCAs to workers that have temporary or permanent physical or cognitive needs because of a work injury.
- All decisions concerning PCA will be confirmed in writing.
- If the worker’s personal care requirements are serious or unique enough, additional special care costs may be considered. If a family member of the injured worker is qualified to provide the needed care and the health care provider has no objection to this, the WCB will acknowledge them as able.
- The WCB will annually adjust PCAs by yearly changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). POL 07/2013, CPI – Annual Indexing and PRO 15/2020, CPI – Annual Increase will apply.
- If the worker is in the hospital, the WCB will suspend PCA if the worker stays for more than 30 consecutive days.
Policy references
Section heading
Act Sec #
Act Sec #
Section heading
Supersedes
Supersedes
Section heading
Complements
Complements
PRO 10/2014 Allowance – Personal Care
PRO 15/2020 Consumer Price Index (CPI) – Annual Increase
POL 07/2013 Consumer Price Index (CPI) – Annual Indexing
POL 39/2010 Expenses – Travel and Sustenance – General
PRO 39/2010 Expenses – Travel and Sustenance – General
POL 31/2016 Allowance – Independence
POL 15/2008 Allowance – Temporary Additional Expense
PRO 01/2019 Travel Expense Rates