The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of PEI is pleased to share that it will be broadening compensation coverage to include psychological injuries that result from work-related harassment. This change will take effect January 1, 2025.
“The WCB has covered psychological injuries following traumatic incidents for some time already and with this change, we will now include incidents of work-related harassment,” said Jim MacPhee, Chair of the WCB. “This enhanced coverage also aligns our compensation practices with our occupational health and safety (OHS) practices which changed in 2020 when Workplace Harassment Regulations were included in the OHS Act.”
“We want to make sure Island employers and workers are aware that this change in compensation is coming and will be in effect on January 1, 2025,” said Dan Campbell, CEO of the WCB. “We thank all those who took the time to provide feedback as part of our stakeholder consultations on this topic in February of this year. Physical and psychological health are equally as important when it comes to making sure workplaces are healthy and safe.”
The WCB will be communicating with workplaces over the coming months to make them aware of their rights and responsibilities related to this change in compensation coverage. To support injured workers, the WCB recently put in place a Psychological Care Process for the timely diagnosis and treatment of work-related psychological injuries which includes access to a psychologist and a network of counsellors. In 2023, one per cent of the claims accepted by the WCB were for psychological injuries.
As part of its new strategic plan, the WCB recognizes that the needs of workers and employers are evolving and becoming more complex. Enhancing compensation for psychological injuries is one way to address those needs and to make our coverage more inclusive. Work-related harassment prevention efforts will continue in parallel as prevention is equally important.
WCB Resources
Psychological Injuries – https://wcb.pe.ca/Workers/PsychologicalInjuries
Workplace Harassment – https://wcb.pe.ca/WH
