TORONTO– Mike Schreiner made the following statement in response to the Premier’s election promise of raising injured workers’ compensation:
“Actions speak louder than words when it comes to supporting workers.
And the Premier has failed injured workers by denying them benefits through deeming.
If the Premier really cared about supporting injured workers, he would immediately end the blatantly unjust practice of deeming, in which the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) chooses a new job that it deems a worker is able to do and reduces that workers’ benefits according to what they ‘could’ be earning.
This practice leaves many injured workers in poverty. It’s completely unacceptable, and disproportionately impacts migrant workers.
The Premier had the power to end deeming, but chose not to.
Workers deserve better.”