November and December were busy days for the Grinches over at the WCB. Maybe their shoes were too tight, maybe their head wasn’t screwed on just right, maybe their hearts were three sizes too small. But the grinches they worked hard to stop Christmas from coming to injured workers in Whoville (and Alberta) this year.

WCB Donates $100,000 to Sporting Event

In November the media revealed that the WCB Board of Directors voted to donate $100,000 to the 2001 World Track and Field Games to be held in Edmonton next summer. WCB officials indicate this money is to cover WCB premiums for the thousands of volunteers who will be working for the Games.

WCB Board Chair Rick Lelacheur is also Chair of the Track and Field Games Steering Committee.

"The WCB should not be donating $100,000 to a sports event," says AFL President Audrey Cormack. "That money is rightfully money that should have gone to compensating workers who are injured on the job. It could have paid benefits for hundreds of workers."

"I am not opposed to the Games," Cormack adds. "I just don’t understand what WCB has to do with track and field."

Cormack highlights that the donation is a prime example of how the WCB thinks they answer to no one but themselves. "They are accountable to Albertans, and should have asked permission before wandering away from their mandate in this fashion."

The Track and Field Games are being funded in large part by corporate donations. "The WCB is not a private corporation. They should be leaving the business of sports donations to ATCO, Suncor and other large corporations."

Two Review Committees Slam WCB Practices; WCB Brushes Off Concerns

In November, two separate committees struck to review WCB policy and practice released their final reports. Both reports were highly critical of the WCB, calling it "unaccountable" and unresponsive to injured workers.

AFL President Audrey Cormack voiced general support for both reports. "While we disagree with some of the recommendations, on the whole we feel the committees clearly identified many of the problems at WCB and have crafted workable solutions to fixing them."

The first committee was made up of backbench Tory MLAs, who reviewed service delivery at theWCB. The final report painted a picture of an organization that does not work in the interests of injured workers. "Too often, it seems that injured workers, rather than being helped and assisted during a difficult and traumatic time, are marginalized by the WCB. … [Injured workers] are frustrated by a system that seems unfair and unaccountable."

The report makes 27 recommendations aimed at making the WCB more responsive. Some recommendations include limits on the role of WCB Medical Advisors, replacement of the Claims Services Review Commission (CSRC) with an Alternative Disputes Resolution mechanism, and a one-time tribunal to review longstanding disputed claims. Many of the recommendations attempt to place timelines, accountability and criteria to case manager decisions and WCB practice.

The second committee reviewed the WCB appeals system. Its 32 recommendations also attempt to make the system more fair for injured workers. It agrees the CSRC should be eliminated and also suggests that a Client’s Bill of Rights be enshrined in legislation. The committee also recommends that WCB start providing payment for a worker to hire an advocate to represent them at appeal.

The WCB’s initial response to the reports was cool. The initial response was to criticize the methodology used by the committee. Some recommendations, such as a one time tribunal to review past cases, were rejected immediately. Others will be "studied" over the next couple months. WCB President Mary Cameron hinted at their approach to responding to the recommendations. "We want to ensure that the changes we make … do not overvalue the views of one group over any other."

The reports are now in the hands of the Minister of Human Resources and Employment. He will respond by the end of January.

WCB President to Get Another Pay Raise

At its October meeting, WCB Board of Directors voted to give President Mary Cameron another raise on top of her current salary of $355,699. No figures were disclosed but a WCB source indicates the amount is "not insignificant". In 1999, Cameron received a raise of about $99,000.

AFL President Audrey Cormack questioned the appropriateness of the raise. "What message does it send to Albertans when the President gets a series of hefty pay raises at a time when the WCB is under serious fire for failing to provide just compensation to injured workers?"

WCB officials defend the salary as necessary. "To ensure the success of an organization such as the WCB, it is imperative that a competitive compensation package be available to attract and retain highly qualified and successful leadership," says WCB Chair Rick LeLacheur.

Premier Ralph Klein makes $121,596. The average Deputy Minister earns about $170,000.

"The WCB has forgotten it is not a private corporation. It should not be paying its President as though they were the CEO of a chartered bank. We need to remind them that they are a public institution with a very specific mandate to assist injured workers."