What to expect if you're injured at work

If you are injured at work, get medical attention immediately if you need it. Make sure your employer knows about your injury. You, your employer and your health-care provider file separate injury reports. Ask your employer for a form or file online or call the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Boards (WCB). The injury reports arrive at the WCB online or by phone, fax or mail.

What to do if you’re injured at work

There are three ways to file a Worker’s Initial Report of Injury (W1) form:

  • Onlinethe fastest and easiest way to file
  • By phone: Call the WCB at 1.800.787.9288 and a WCB representative will take your information and complete the form for you.
  • By mail: The W1 form is available online for download. Once you’ve filled it out in pen, keep a copy for your records. Mail the signed copy of the W1 form to the WCB at:

Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board
200-1881 Scarth St.
Regina, SK S4P 4L1

Workers, employers, health-care providers and the WCB all have a role to play in the recovery and return-to-work process following a work injury. Learn about your responsibilities in the return-to-work process.

The chart below provides a general outline of the claims process. Timelines and benefits will vary with individual circumstances.

Claims with no time off work (no time loss)

No earnings loss benefits are paid.

Even if you don’t take time off work because of your injury, you need to tell your employer about your injury. If you needed medical attention:

  • You must fill out and send us a Worker’s Initial Report of Injury (W1) as soon as possible.
  • Your employer must also send the WCB an Employer’s Initial Report of Injury (E1) within five days of being told about your injury.
  • The WCB sends letters to you and your employer advising you whether your claim is accepted or denied.
  • Your care provider will bill the WCB for their services.
  • If you pay for any medical items, prescriptions or travel expenses because of your injury, keep your receipts. If your claim is accepted, list these receipts in a letter (or on a Worker’s Expense Statement (W6)), attach a copy of your receipts and mail the documents to the WCB. The WCB will issue you a cheque for the expenses covered. Keep your original receipts for 12 months.
  • The WCB generally receives the receipts and issues payment to you within three days. Sign up for direct deposit to avoid delays and receive your benefits sooner.

Claims with time off work (time loss)

Earnings loss benefits are paid.

  • If you’re off work after the day you were injured, the WCB needs these forms:
  • The WCB gathers information from you, your employer and your care provider to validate your claim and make sure:
    • You’re a worker of the company.
    • You were injured at work.
    • You can’t work because of your injury.
      The WCB will also verify how much you were earning before your injury.
  • Using this information and the rules set out in The Workers’ Compensation Act, 2013 (the Act) and WCB policies, the WCB assesses whether or not to accept your claim in a process called adjudication.
  • The WCB sends letters to you and your employer advising you whether your claim is accepted or denied. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask to have it reviewed.
  • If the WCB accepts your claim and if you lose time from work because of a work injury, the WCB looks at replacing lost earnings based on medical reports.
  • You receive your first earnings loss payment, as well as letters to you and your employer explaining action on your claim. If you sign up for direct deposit when you submit your W1 form, or if you have a claim history and your direct deposit information is on file, your first payment will be through direct deposit. The first payment on a straightforward claim is generally made within 14 days if the necessary information is received promptly.
  • Medical and travel expenses can also be paid. You mail receipts to the WCB for medical items, prescriptions and travel expenses that are a result of your injury.
  • The WCB issues payment to you for allowable medical and travel expenses.
  • The WCB pays your care provider for their services. Payment will go to either you or your employer, depending on whether your employer prefers to continue paying you.
    You continue to send your receipts for medical items, prescriptions and travel expenses to the WCB.
    The WCB issues payment to you for allowable medical and travel expenses.
  • The WCB continues to pay your earnings loss benefits usually every two weeks until you are back at work.
  • The WCB continues to pay your care provider for their services.
    All parties are responsible for maintaining communication throughout the claims process.
    The WCB reviews your medical treatment and fitness for employment.
  • You, your employer, your health-care provider and the WCB plan your return to work. Most time loss claims are short term, with workers returning to work soon after the injury.
  • The WCB continually reviews claims to determine ongoing responsibility. Once you recover from your accepted injury, your benefits will end. If your recovery is delayed, your claim is reassessed as long term and your claim is assigned to a customer care facilitator team.
  • You maintain contact with your employer, your care provider and your WCB case manager.
    The WCB keeps you, your employer and your care provider informed by letter about the status of your claim.
    All parties are responsible for maintaining communication throughout the claims process.

Please note: Conversations with the WCB are summarized and recorded in your file.

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Frequently asked questions

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A: Get medical attention immediately if you need it. Ask your care provider to report your injury to the WCB. Your care provider will bill the WCB.

When your claim is approved by the WCB, if you are entitled to benefits, you are also entitled to:

  1. Any medical aid that may be necessary because of your work-related injury.
  2. Any other treatment by a care provider.
  3. Any orthotic appliance or apparatus that may be necessary as a result of your injury.
  4. Any travel and/or sustenance costs associated with receiving medical treatment as a result of your injury.

Learn more about WCB benefits and assistance that may be available to you.

A: Workers, employers, care providers and the WCB must work together to get you back to work as soon as it is medically safe. Working together, the partners address your medical needs, arrange for meaningful work during recovery and provide benefits. 

You are responsible for keeping in regular contact with your customer care facilitator team about your recovery, treatment and return-to-work plan. If you are injured at work, there are three things you must do immediately: Seek medical attention, tell your employer about your injury and report your injury to the WCB. You are then responsible for following the treatment program set out for you and co-operating with return-to-work plans.

Learn more about the return-to-work process and your responsibilities, as well as the responsibilities of your employer, your care provider and the WCB.

To receive your earnings loss benefits, you are required to attend medical appointments and treatments, update your employer and contact your customer care facilitator immediately when you return to work on modified duties or when you return to your pre-injury duties. Learn more about earnings loss benefits.

A: You must report your injury to the WCB using the Worker’s Initial Report of Injury (W1) form as soon as possible. You must do this even if you didn’t take time off work because of your injury.

All worker forms can be accessed on the worker forms and fact sheets page.

Some other forms you may need include:

Worker’s Expense Statement (W6)
If you pay for any medical items or prescriptions, keep your receipts. If your claim is accepted, list these receipts on a Worker’s Expense Statement (W6), attach the original receipts and mail them to the WCB. The WCB will issue you a cheque for the expenses covered.

Attendant time loss (ATL)
If you are required to attend an appointment for your WCB claim, such as a medical examination, a permanent functional impairment (PFI) assessment or an appeal hearing, and if that appointment requires you to miss work, the WCB can reimburse you or your personal attendant for the time lost from work. Learn more about attendant information.

Direct Deposit Application
Avoid delays in your WCB benefits. Sign up for direct deposit today.

Job Information Worksheet (JIW)
You and your immediate supervisor should fill out this form to identify the normal requirements of your job before your work injury occurred. This is used in developing your return-to-work plan.

Worker’s Election Form (WEF)
You must complete this election form and return it to the WCB if:

  1. Your work injury occurred outside of Saskatchewan and you are a Saskatchewan resident or your usual place of employment is in Saskatchewan.
  2. Your work injury occurred in Saskatchewan and you are not a resident of Saskatchewan. 

Learn more about out-of-province claims.

A: All employer and injured worker information is confidential. Under the Act you, your authorized representatives or, in the case of a death, your dependant(s) can get a copy of the claim record by making a request. The Act says that these records can only be given to your employer if it is for the purposes of an appeal.

The Act also gives your employer the right to request a review or an appeal of a decision we have made on your claim, and the right to receive information about our decision from your claim file for the purposes of an appeal.

To receive a copy of your file, fully complete and return the Request for Copy of File form (WROI) to the WCB. According to the provisions of subsection 173(3), the information contained in your file cannot be used publicly or for any other purpose than pursuing your claim with the WCB. Sensitive medical information may be sent to your physician rather than directly to you. You will be notified if this occurs.

You may be able to get information that is held by the WCB and is of a general nature (not claim file information) through The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. However, each application is considered on its own.

Learn more about access to information and privacy concerns.

Learn more about your employer’s rights to your medical information.

Learn more about what your employer should do if you’re injured.

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Learn what happens after you’ve filed a WCB claim for a work injury

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For questions on your claim, contact the WCB at:

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