b'COVID-19 EMPLOYER REPORTING OBLIGATIONSONTARIOS WORKPLACEit should still be reported to the SAFETY AND INSURANCEWSIB. This suggestion is consistent ACT (WSIA)with the WSIA Tribunals liberal The WSIA imposes obligationsinterpretation of accident in s. to report to the Workplace Safety21(1) of the WSIA, and the intent and Insurance Board (WSIB) onof the subsection to encourage the both the employer and employeereporting of all work-related acci-to manage COVID-19 workersdents whether they are obviously,INTEGRATEDcompensation claims in Ontario.or more tenuously, work-related. Section 21(1) of the WSIA provides:It is the Board and the Tribunal,FRAME&based on the parties reporting of the accident, which then determine An employer shall notify the Board withinwhether the illness is work-relatedCOVER or not. three days after learning of an accident to a worker employed by him, her or itThe employer is responsible forSYSTEMif the accident necessitates health care orreporting an injury or illness results in the worker not being able to earnof anyone they employ in their full wages. business including family, seasonal or temporary employees, certain COVID-19 infection is character- domestic employees, people doing construction work, students, ized in Ontario as an accident,apprentices, and training partici-which is defined under s. 2(1) ofpants. Worker is defined under the WSIA as:s. 2(1) of the WSIA as a person who has entered into or is employed under a (a) a wilful and intentional act, not beingcontract of service or apprenticeship . the act of the worker,WSIB policy #12-02-01 and Decision No. 2311/09 of the WSIA Tribunal (b) a chance event occasioned by a physicalprovide guidance for the deter-or natural cause, andmination of whether a person is a worker or an independent operator. A person must be characterized as (c) disablement arising out of and in thea worker to be entitled to claim course of employment.benefits under the WSIA. The WSIB policy #15-02-01The fact that an employee is defines a chance event in (b) asinfected with COVID-19 would an identifiable unintended eventtrigger the employers obligation which causes an injury. It definesto report the illness to the WSIB disablement in (c) as including awithin three days of learning about condition that emerges graduallythe infection. With regards to the over time, or an unexpected resultworker requiring treatment fromIFC MAINTENANCE HOLE SYSTEMof working duties. The definitionsa health care professional, it is notA SOLID, ROBUST, IMPENETRABLE MH under both (b) and (c) capturerequired that the employer agreeSYSTEM THAT LASTS MUCH LONGER the contraction of illnesses suchthat the health care sought by theTHAN CONVENTIONAL INSTALLATIONSas COVID-19.worker is needed or appropriate. This interpretation is supported byEven if the employee does notELIMINATES INFLOW & INFILTRATIONWSIB policy #15-01-02, which statesrequire treatment from a healthMINIMIZES ROAD DETERIORATION, that if a worker is claiming to haveprofessional, they will be subject toLONGER LIFE CYCLEdeveloped a disease as a result ofthe provinces public health policy workplace exposure, the employerwhich imposes self-isolation forDIMINISHES MAINTENANCE COSTSis required to report to the WSIB.14 days. This means that they will Thus, if an employee contractseither be absent from work or thereDUCTILE IRON FRAME (220% COVID-19 in the workplace, it willwill be modified work while theySTRONGER THAN CAST IRON)be considered an accident and therecover from the illness, which willNO MORE WEAK GRADE RINGSemployer will be subject to s. 21(1)last for more than seven days. reporting obligations.QUICK & EFFICIENT ADJUSTMENTSAny claims received by the WSIBAPPROVED, SPECIFIED, LICENSED The illness must have occurred inwill be adjudicated on a case-by- ACROSS ONTARIOthe course of employment by waycase basis, taking into consider-of place, time, and activity. If theation the facts and circumstances, employer is unsure whether thein accordance with their Adjudicative injury or illness is work-related,approach document for COVID-19H 2 OSWCAFall 202021'