The WCB is also interested in working with our partners to reduce the risk of injuries and disease at the workplace. In Canada, the workers compensation system was formed as part of an historic compromise that benefited both workers and employers. In return, employers agreed to totally fund the system and received immunity from the effects of lawsuit by the worker. And of course, there was the possibility the worker might not win a court case against an employer, yet still have to pay legal fees. An employer also ran the risk of financial ruin as the result of one or more successful lawsuits, and large legal bills even if they were considered not at fault.
Workers compensation in the U.S. spends a large portion of their costs settling litigation.
This article will appear in the next issue of Employer Update, due at covered employers' offices in mid-October.