Suspension of benefits

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The WCB has the right to review compensation payments from time to time. If the review shows a need, your benefits may be increased, decreased, held or ended. If you don’t attend treatment because you’re not co-operating, benefits may be suspended. Read about other situations where benefits can be suspended.

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The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) has the right to review compensation payments from time to time. If the review shows a need, your benefits can be increased, decreased, held or ended.

Benefits can be suspended if you do not go to medical appointments and/or treatments or fail to co-operate with return to work plan, whether regular or modified duties. They can also be suspended if you do not take part in a vocational rehabilitation program, should you need one. You must tell the WCB immediately if you are not able to go to an appointment, treatment or rehabilitation program. If you do not tell the WCB that you were not able to go, all payments after that date may be considered as overpaid and will be taken off future payments.

During incarceration, benefits may be redirected to a dependant as per WCB policy. In these cases, any overpayment of your benefits will not be recovered from these payments.

Your benefits will be suspended immediately if, as a result of a non-acceptable circumstance, you:

  • Refuse to go to an appointment.
  • Miss an appointment.
  • Fail to take part in medical treatment or a rehabilitation program.
  • Fail to take part in vocational rehabilitation planning.
  • Fail to take part in a return-to-work plan.

In these cases, your benefits will be suspended immediately until you go to the appointment, return to medical treatment or start taking part in vocational rehabilitation.

If there was an acceptable circumstance for not attending or participating in your program, your benefits may not be suspended for up to one calendar day per month. If your absence is expected to be long-term, payment may be provided for up to four weeks, depending on the reason. This gives the WCB the chance to let you know what is expected of you and the results of not attending your treatments. This also gives you time to find other options for income support. (This payment of benefits is not charged to your employer’s cost record.)

What does the WCB consider an acceptable circumstance?

An acceptable circumstance is a situation, cause or matter generally beyond your control. Reasons would be similar to those accepted by an employer as a valid excuse for not going to work, such as illness, a death in the family or severe weather limiting travel. Personal choice is not considered a good reason.

For more information, contact your case manager.

Contact

Contact information

Contact a WCB representative to find help.

Operations division