Loading...
The Citizen, 1998-01-07, Page 6ranbrook P. Hagedoorn, 887-6935 and M.Saxon, 887-9287 Attention Widows and Widowers whose spouses died of workplace injury or disease in Ontario, and who subsequently married or remarried prior to April 1, 1985 Time Limits on Appeals to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario Legislative changes taking effect on January 1, 1998, place a time limit on workers and employers right to appeal decisions of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) formerly the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB). • There is a 30-day time limit on appealing a Board decision about a Return to Work or a Labour Market Re-entry plan made on or after January 1, 1998. • There is a six-month time limit on appealing any other Board decision made on or after January 1, 1998. Retroactive Time Limits on decisions made before January 1, 1998 • The 30-day time limit applies to any Board decision on Return to Work or Labour Market Re-entry plans made before January 1, 1998. The 30-day window for these appeals runs from January 1, 1998 to January 31, 1998. • The six-month time limit on appeals applies to any other decisions made before January 1, 1998. The six-month window for appeals of decisions made prior to January 1, 1998 is between January 1, 1998 and June 30, 1998. To appeal a decision made prior to January 1,1998, you must notify the Board in writing at 200 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3J1. Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal Appeals of the Board's final decisions can be made to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT). Under the new legislation, there is also a time limit on appeals to the tribunal — six months after the final decision of the Board. The Tribunal has the authority to reconsider its own decisions and extend the period for appeals. On January 1, 1998, Ontario will have a new Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) with new legislation, replacing the Workers' Compensation Board. This new legislation restores survivors' benefits to widows and widowers, including common-law spouses, who married or remarried prior to April 1, 1985 and who were then cut off survivors' benefits. The new Act states: "Any person whose benefits were terminated for reason of marriage or remarriage under subsection 36(2) or 37(1) of the Workers' Compensation Act, as it read on March 31, 1985, may apply to the Board for a reinstatement of benefits, and the Board shall reinstate benefits, as of April 1, 1985." To have benefits reinstated you must provide the WSIB with specific information showing that you are eligible. For more details please call or write to: Una Capone (416) 344-2194 or 1-800-465-9646, Manager, Spousal Benefits Reinstatement, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, 200 Front Street West, 4th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3J1 Claiming Benefits from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario Legislative changes taking effect on January 1, 1998 require workers to claim benefits under the insurance plan of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, formerly the Workers' Compensation Board. • Workers who wish to claim benefits for a work-related injury or disease on or after January 1, 1998 must now file a claim for • benefits as soon as possible. Workers must apply within six months of the injury or disease. The Board may permit a claim after six months if it considers it just to do so. • When they file their claims, workers must also provide written consent to the release of functional abilities information to their employers. Employers and workers will use this information supplied by the treating health professional solely for returning workers to work early and safely. • Workers should claim benefits and sign consent on the Employer Report of Injury/Disease Form 7, if possible. Otherwise, they should promptly submit a signed Form 6 sent to them by the Board and give a copy to their employers. • Failure to claim and consent could result in workers not being provided benefits under the insurance plan. INS113 AIMS* CSPPAT Workplace Safety & Insurance Board Commission de la securite professionnelle et de l'assurance contre les accidents du travail Workers' Commission Compensation des accidents Board du travail Ontario Blyth Public School received new playground equipment thanks to the number of organizations and individuals who supported the pro- ject. A newcomer to Blyth set up shop with chiropractor Dr. Palmer to provide reflexology and aromather- apy. Review looks at highs, lows PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1998. hall style meeting to discuss federal and regional issues. For two years, the Brussels arena had licensed dressing rooms, but the LCBO planned to revoke that right because they decided a dress- ing room was not the place for alcohol. The news from VanDyks welcome baby windstorm swept across the Brussels area resulting in power outages and downed trees. Anneke and Rymert Los of Grey Twp. got the best start to a new year that a young couple might hope for when little Luke was born at 7:55 a.m. on Jan. 3. Luke was the first New Year's baby to arrive in The Citizen' s readership area. Education changes swept across the province as Education Minister John Snobelen announced new methods of funding and the amal- gamation of school boards. A co-operative effort was made by the members of the boards of the eight Huron-Perth hospitals to make a joint proposal involving hospital restructuring. The first major blizzard of the new year arrived with heavy snow- fall, blowing and drifting winds, and numbing temperatures. Driving conditions deteriorated throughout the area. Local secondary school teachers began to take action this month and joined with those across the province to question government changes to education. The Blyth snowmobile poker rally had great conditions for the 150 sleds taking part. The provincial government billed it as an even swap, but Huron County officials calculated that county taxpayers got 40 per cent more expenses from the "mega- week" announcements of funding shifts than they saved. The result was that county taxpayers would have to pay more to the municipal and county levels than they did before. The provincial health ministry cut 7.2 per cent from the Wingham and District Hospital's 1997 budget and left the hospital's executive action group to plan a common strategy for the next phase of hospi- tal restructuring. The Brussels Bulls ended the year with three straight losses. The future appeared uncertain for municipalities, but financially, at least, Brussels council got some good news. The balance sheet, which showed a surplus for 1997 of $107,455, gave "a picture of the municipality's health." Federal Progressive Conservative Leader Jean Charest visited Goderich, March 27, for a town- Canadian author, Timothy Findley, autographed copies of his books following a sold-out world premiere performance of The Piano Man's Daughter... and Others which appeared in Blyth. Students and staff of Brussels Public School enjoyed a special time on Earth Day, when two Norwegian maple trees were planted as thanks to retired teacher Jim Prior, secretary Isabell Prior and soon to be retired principal Dave Kemp. There was no tax increase for municipal purposes for Blyth residents. The budget passed limited expenditures at $623,339, down $7,947 from the previous year's budget. Huron County taxpayers saw a 3.05 per cent rise in education taxes. With lots of help from the community, the Brussels Library was to soon be on-line. Colleen Schenk of Wingham won the Progressive Conservative party candidacy for the Huron-Bruce riding. Hullett Central Public School celebrated its 30 year history. A businessman who helped build one of the most prosperous farm operations in the region received a posthumous honour. Gordon McGavin, the founder of McGavin Farm Equipment in Walton, was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame. Brussels Public school welcomed a new principal, former BPS teacher, Howie Morton. Blyth Festival learned of a further 16.5 per cent cut from the Ontario Arts Council budget. The cuts brought a total reduction for the Festival of 46 per cent in the last two and a half years. Huron MP Paul Steckle coasted to an election win. Congratulations to John and Anna VanDyk (Terpstra) on the , birth of a baby girl, Dec. 28 Corinne Mary. Kids' Club will be Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Library Room. Euchre Last Friday, nine tables of euchre were played at the Community Centre. Winners were: high lady, Beryl Smith; high man, Lloyd Smith; low lady, Maryanne Perrie; low man, Velma Sleightholm, travelling lone hand, Ross Stephenson; ladies' lone hand, Jean Bewley; men's lone hand, Stuart Musgrove; tally cards, Dorothy Hamilton, Bill Craig, Brenda Perrie, George Pearson; 50/50, Jim Armstrong. The next card party will be on Friday, Jan. 16 at p.m. CORRECTION The children in the picture for the Kid's Club in the Dec. 24 edition were incorrectly identified. The boy and girl in the photo are Jessica and John Bentley. We apologize for the error.