1 deferred payments and guidelines for a safe workplace during the pandemic. Our employees remain available to support workers and employers as the pandemic continues.
Message from the Board Chair On behalf of the Board of Directors, I hereby submit WorkplaceNL’s 2020 Annual Performance Report in accordance with the Transparency and Accountability Act and the Guidelines for Annual Performance Reports for Category 1 Government Entities. In this report, we present the achievements and outcomes of WorkplaceNL’s 2020 objectives as outlined in the 2020-22 strategic plan. We also highlight future opportunities to support our commitment to provide services to injured workers and dependents, employers, and the public through administering the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act (the Act). My signature below represents the Board of Directors’ acknowledgement for the accountability to prepare this report and achieve the actual results reported within. This year brought unexpected challenges as we learned to live and work with COVID-19. We accelerated parts of our Business Modernization Program to launch new technologies so we could serve our clients and support our employees, while working from home or the office. We ensured that injured workers received the benefits to which they are entitled and offered supports to employers, such as
In 2019, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador called the review of the workers’ compensation system, as is required every five years. WorkplaceNL cooperated with the Statutory Review Committee by providing information as requested, and looks forward to receiving recommendations to improve the system. We remain committed to ensuring that the employer-funded, no-fault workplace injury compensation system can provide benefits to injured workers for the long term. At December 31, 2020, the Injury Fund was funded at 125.5 per cent. The average assessment rate paid by employers again included a temporary $0.21 discount to reduce the surplus in the Injury Fund. The lost-time injury rate was 1.5 per 100 workers. I thank all workers, employers, and stakeholders, along with the Board of Directors, management, and employees of WorkplaceNL for their demonstrated commitment to evolving the workplace health and safety culture in our province and embracing many new safe work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
John Peddle, ICD.D Chair, Board of Directors, WorkplaceNL
WorkplaceNL - Annual Performance Report 2020
