Document name

Second Injury and Re-employment Reserve

Document number

PRO 11/2017

POL 11/2017, Second Injury and Re-Employment Reserve – Cost Relief establishes guidelines for providing employers with cost relief and charging costs to the Secondary and Re-Employment Reserve (the “reserve”).

1. Operations staff will review claims for cost relief throughout the life of a claim. This includes reviewing claims for cost relief as decisions are made (e.g., referral from Claims Entitlement Services to Case Management, when a claim is placed on long-term earnings loss benefits and at claim closure).
2. Operations staff will identify:
   1. Claims which qualify for cost relief, and
   2. The portion of claims costs (i.e., full or partial) that will be charged to the reserve.
3. Operations staff will determine what amount of claim costs to charge to the reserve by using:
   1. A percentage of costs charged to expense codes (e.g., wage loss, medical, etc.),
   2. Costs before and/or specific dates, or
   3. A combination of (a) and (b) above.
4. Operations staff will charge claim costs to the reserve. Team Leaders will approve charges that total more than $100,000.
5. If the employer qualifies for cost relief, Operations staff will notify the employer in writing. The letter will note:
   1. The reason why the employer is receiving cost relief, and
   2. How much cost relief the employer will receive.
6. If an employer requests a review for cost relief, Operations will provide the employer the results of the review in writing.
7. If an employer receives cost relief, a credit is applied to the employer’s account (POL 27/2016, Experience Rating Program – Discounts or Surcharges will apply).
8. If an employer appeals the WCB’s decision regarding cost relief, the WCB may provide copies of claim documents relevant to the cost relief decision to the employer or their representative (POL 05/2017, Privacy of Information).