Document name

Second Injury and Re-employment Reserve

Document number

PRO 03/2021

POL 03/2021, Second Injury and Re-Employment Reserve establishes guidelines for providing employers with cost relief under the Second Injury and Re-Employment Reserve (the “reserve”).

1. When do Operations staff determine if cost relief should be provided to an employer?
   1. Operations staff will review claims for cost relief throughout the life of a claim.
   2. This includes reviewing claims for cost relief as decisions are made (e.g., referral from Claims Entitlement Services to Case Management, when a claimant is placed on long-term earnings loss benefits and at claim closure).
2. What type of costs can be charged to the reserve?
   1. Compensation.
   2. Medical.
   3. Pension/long-term earnings loss benefits.
   4. Rehabilitation, or
   5. All of the above.
3. What amount of partial claim costs can be charged to the reserve?
   1. A percentage of costs charged to expense codes (e.g., wage loss, medical, etc.),
   2. Costs before and/or after specific dates, or
   3. A combination of (a) and (b) above.
4. Are employers notified if they qualify for cost relief?
   1. Operations staff will notify employers in writing if a claim qualifies for cost relief. The letter will note:
      1. The reason why they are receiving cost relief, and
      2. How much cost relief they will receive.
   2. If an employer requests a review for cost relief, Operations staff will provide the employer the results of the review in writing.
5. What happens when an employer disagrees with a decision regarding cost relief?
   1. An employer may submit a request of appeal regarding the cost relief decision (POL 21/2013, Appeals – Claims).
   2. Upon request, the WCB may provide copies of claim documents relevant to the cost relief decision to the employer or their representative (POL 22/2024, Privacy of Information).
6. In situations where cost relief has been granted, employers may request to have their previous years’ discount/surcharge calculation reviewed (POL 27/2016, Experience Rating Program – Discounts or Surcharges).