WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD
Payment Relief Options
How the WCB is helping employers during COVID-19
Submitted by The Workers Compensation Board
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of
emergency declared by the Province of Manitoba in
March, businesses have experienced dramatic changes
as they continue to apply physical distancing strategies
in the workplace. In some circumstances, businesses have extended
continuance pay or issued temporary lay-offs.
While the easing of restrictions on certain non-essential businesses
was lifted on May 4, allowing some businesses to reopen,
many remain challenged with cash flow and require temporary
relief from their WCB payment obligations. In an effort to help support
financial recovery efforts throughout the province, the WCB
has provided the following payment relief options to employers:
• For employers who are unable to make regular payments on
their WCB account, penalties for non-payment will be waived
until the end of October, coverage will remain active and clearances
will remain in good standing.
• A surplus distribution credit was issued on May 2, to eligible
employers who fulfilled their 2019/20 payroll reporting
responsibilities and paid a premium in 2019. Eligible employers
received a credit to their account based on 20 per cent of their
2019 premium.
Change payment arrangements
The WCB understands that making a premium payment could still
be a challenge given the uncertainty of the length of the pandemic.
If a business requires additional time to make a payment, the WCB
will work with them to discuss alternate payment options.
Change payroll estimate
Businesses that are expecting to see a dramatic change in their 2020
payroll compared to what they initially reported to the WCB earlier
this year can submit a revised payroll estimate to the WCB and
their 2020 premium will be adjusted accordingly. The easiest way to
submit revised payroll is to send an email with the account number
to assessmentservices@wcb.mb.ca.
Clearance system is still available
The WCB’s clearance system is still available and general contractors
can still readily access this information. The clearance system
can be found at www.wcb.mb.ca/clearances.
If not already registered, companies can become a regular user
of online clearances. The WCB’s clearance system is available 24/7
and allows users to compile and store lists of the contractors they
use most often and receive email updates on their clearance status.
Account registration and assessments continue
The WCB offices remain temporarily closed to the public with the
majority of employees working remotely, allowing core functions
to be maintained.
The WCB encourages employers to leverage technology to
improve the efficiency of interactions. Options include making
premium payments online, website chat with an assessment
account representative or submit an email with an inquiry or
callback request. n
For more information, contact Assessment Services by email at
assessmentservices@wcb.mb.ca, web chat at wcb.mb.ca/contact-wcb or
phone at 204-954-4505.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD
BUILDING RURAL MANITOBA | 55
/clearances
/contact-wcb
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