WINNIPEG, (Feb. 4, 2005) — Manitoba may soon become the first Canadian province to have no limit on insurable earnings.

The Winnipeg Free Press reports that a review panel studying workers’ compensation reform is recommending that Manitoba workers be insured for 90 per cent of their net income, regardless of how much they earn.

Currently, the Workers’ Compensation Board insures workers for 90 per cent of their estimated net income up to their first $58,260 of gross earnings. Anything earned above that amount is not insured.

It’s one of 100 recommendations presented to Labour Minister Nancy Allan in a report unanimously endorsed by a panel that had representatives of business, organized labour and the public at large, the newspaper reported.

Also under the proposal, the government will undertake a largely voluntary expansion of the workplaces covered by workers’ compensation, with emphasis on high-risk jobs. Today, the list of compulsory industries varies.

Among other key recommended changes:

A rule that reduces insurance coverage to 80 per cent of estimated net earnings after two years would be removed; no injured worker relying solely on workers’ compensation would receive less than minimum wage; a provision that reduces lump-sum damage awards by two per cent for each year a worker is above age 45 would be removed.

Also, in a change sought by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, an independent auditor would conduct a value-for-money audit of the WCB every five years.

— From the Winnipeg Free Press