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J. DITSCH
FARMS
R.R. 3 Brussels
Atwood 356.2292 Resident. 887-6824
441.
Listimal
Heart
44*
THE BRUSSELS POST, JUtlf 22, 1981
Changes in WC benefits
Report from
Queen's Park
BY MURRAY ELSTON,
M.P.P. {Hump-Brucel
Some important changes
have been projected for the
Workmen's Compensation
programs, and I felt that the
following capsuled analysis
of these proposals should be
brought to the attention of
everyone in the Riding. As a
result, I have again prepared
a Queen's Park Report.
In the last week of the
legislative session, the Min-,
ister of Labour tabled in the
House a White Paper which
Proposed major changes to
Ontario's system of work-
men's compensation. These
changes are intended to
compensate injured workers
more accurately and fairly for
actual income loss..
The Minister's proposals
would also make provision
for a more elaborate appeal
and review structure to hand-
le decisions of the Work-
men's Compensation Board.
These proposed amend-
ments arise from a wide-
ranging review of the exist-
ing system which was con-
ducted last year by Harvard
University Professor Paul
Weiler. In January 1980,
Professor Weiler was asked
by the Minister -of Labour to
undertake a comprehensive
re‘ iew of the current system,
of the schedule of benefits,
and the operation of the
Workmen's Compensation
Board. His report was deliv-
ered in November 1980, and
was entitled "Re-shaping
-Workers' Compensation for
Ontario". It recommended
major revisions to the benefit
structure and adjudicative
system.
The second phase of the
enquiry is soon to com-
mence, and Professor Weiler
will be taking a longer-range,
view of the compensation
problems associated with in-
dustrial disease, the advant-
ages and disadvantages of
moving to a universal plan
for guaranteeing against loss
of income from personal
injuries, whether work relat-
ed or not, existing administ-
rative and functional relat-
ions between the Workmen's
Compensation Board and the
Ministry of Labour, and
other related matters.
Included in the White
Paper is a proposal for the
abolition of automatic com.
pensation for permanent in-,
jury, regardless of actual loss
of earnings. It is proposed,
instead, that an injured
worker should be paid a lump
sum of compensation for the
injury sustained, followed by
periodic payments based on
any actual wage losses.
The maximum lump-sum
payment would be equivalent _
to the compen.sable earnings
ceiling used • to calculate
wage-loss benefits.
At the present time, there
is a fixed ceiling of $18,500.
Under the new proposals,
this would be replaced by a
ceiling calculated at 250 per
cent of the average industrial
wage in Ontario. Last year,
such a formula would. have
yielded a $40,000 ceiling.
The White Paper proposed
that the Workmen's Com-
penSation Board should be
giVen the power to discontin-
ue the periodic payments fir
wage losses Sustained due to
permanent injury in the
event that an individual
refuses to accept work deena-
ed suitable by The Board.
As the Minitter of Labour
has explained, the $oard
would need to have this
authority in order to ensure
that those people who are
able to work do so, even if
the work involved is not
related to their previous
occupation.
The proposed system of a
lump .sum payment plus
periodic payments based up-
on actual wage losses, would
eliminate the so-called
"meat chart" approach,
under which everyone is
assessed at the same degree
of impairment, based on the.
injury itself rather than on
the impact of the injury upon
the individual's earning cap-
acity.
The market at Brussels
Stockyards traded lower to
the week's decline on all
classes of cattle due to the
lower priced beef coming
from Western Canada. Cows
traded steady. There were
617 cattle and 1396 pigs on
offer.
Choice Steers - 81.00 to
84.00 with sales to 87.00.
Good Steers - 78.00 to 81.00.
A steer consigned by L & B
Farms of Wallenstein weigh-
ing 1310 lbs. sold for 87.00
with his lot of 12 steers
averaging 1207 lbs. selling
for an overall price of 85.85.
A heavy steer consigned
by Earl Kelly of. R.R. 2, Blyth
weighing 1440 lbs. sold for
86.00.
Married workers with de-
pendents would receive
higher temporary compen-
sation benefits than single
workers under the new,
scheme, since such benefits
would be based upon 90 per
cent of net earnings, rather
than the current 75 per cent
of gross earnings.
Combined with the
$18,500 ceiling, the current
75 per cent of gross earnings
formula yields maximum
benefits of $7,500 a year.
Eight steers consigned by
Horace Crawford of R.R. 6,
Goderich averaging 1133 lbs.
sold for 82.00.
Forty steers consigned by
Henry Farms of Blyth aver-
aging 1164 lbs. sold for an
overall price of 82.40.
Three steers consigned by
Ed Waechter of R.R. 4,
Walkerton averaging 1250
lbs. sold for 82.60 with his lot
of 6 holstein-hereford steers
averaging 1300 lbs. selling
for 81.85.
A steer consigned . by.
Lorne Forester of Lucknow
weighing 1350 lbs. sold for
83.75 with his load of 29 steer
averaging 1301 lbs. selling
for an overall price of 82.25.
Choice Heifers - 76.00 to
Employers would be ob-
liged to maintain fringe
benefits for twelve months
for injured workers receiving
total disability benefits and
would have to offer available
re.employment to injured
workers or face increased
assessment costs. Wage-loss
benefits for permanent injur-
ies would no longer be paid
until the worker's death, but
would be replaced at age 65
with retirement income loss
benefits, in an effort to keep
79.00 with sales to 81.25.
Good Heifers - 74.00 to
76.00.
'A heifer consigned by R &
K Young Farms of Tiverton
weighing 1060 lbs. sold for
81.25.
A heifer consigned by
Russell Zettler of R.R. 3,
Hanover averaging 1100 lbs.
sold for 79.75 with his lot of 6
'heifers averaging 1070 lbs.
selling for 78.90.
A heifer consigned by Bill
Rintoul of Wingham weigh-
1200 lbs. sold for 79.75.
Choice. Cows - 54.00 to
57.00 with sales to 61.00.
Good Cows - 51.00 to 54.00.
Canners & Cutters - 48.00 to
51.00.
compensation more closely
aligned with actual income
IOW
Coverage would also be
extended to domestic ern-
Ployees.
The $335 million cost of
the increases will be met
from employer contributions
to the accident fund.
In. the White Paper, the
Nfinister of Labour requested
that written comments be
received no later than Aug-
ust 31st, 1981, . in order to be
considered prior to the in-
troduction of any legislation.
Comments should be _ ad-
.30 to 40-lb. pigs traded to a
high of 34.50.
40 to 50-lb. pigs to a high
of 41.75.
50 to 60.1b. pigs to a high
of 47.00.
60 to 70-lb. pigs to a high
of 52.00.
70 to 80-lb. pigs to a high
of 56.50.
dressed to: The Workers'
Compensation Revision
Committe, Ministry of La-
bour, 400 University Avenue,
Toronto. M7A IT7.
07/012 -
During the mail strike,any
mail which you would like to
direct to the Government
Offices in Toronto can be
dropped off at either of my
Constituency Offices. - in
Wingham or Kincardine.
Licences which are renew-
able in July or August are
being extended to the end of
August, also because of the
mail strike.
During this period, Work-
men's Conspensation che-
ques can be picked up from
the. London or Owen Sound
offices. Bruce County resid-
ents should call Owen Sound:
371.0036, before going into
the office, and Huron County
residents should call the
London Regional Office at
433.2331 to confirm that the
cheque is there before mak-
ing the trip into the office.
OHIP payments can also
be taken into either of my
constituency offices during
this period.
Western beef makes prices lower
Beussels,
Wingham Memorial Shop
QUALITY SERVICE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Open Every Weekday
Your Guarantee for Over 35 Years of
CEMETERY LETTERING
BOX 158, WINGHAM
JOHN MALLICK'
GUESS J.R.'S WEIGHT
Guess the combined weight of
the staff at J.R.'s and we'll give
you a dollar for every pound
you weigh.
eg. winner weighs 150 lbs. you win $150.00
With every food order of $5.00 or more or
gas purchase of $10.00 or more you get a
chance to win. Winner to be announced
August 10,1981.
J.R.'s Shake Shoppe;
- Variety and Gas Bar