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Highlights and Partnerships On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic. Shortly after, on March 18, 2020, the Minister of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador declared a public health emergency in the province.
of technology, maintained the critical services of the workers’ compensation system – so that injured workers continued to receive their benefits; the adjudication of workplace injury claims continued; and employers accessed up-to-date materials to help them implement safe work practices and identify hazards specific to COVID-19. WorkplaceNL continues to closely monitor the situation and quickly adjust its operations and protocols as needed. Throughout the year, WorkplaceNL achieved many accomplishments – some as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and others as a regular course of business. As examples, WorkplaceNL:
Wash your hands
Wear a mask
• W orked with the Provincial Governmentappointed Statutory Review Committee to support the review of the workers’ compensation system. • Fast-tracked software solutions, such as Webex, a digital collaboration application, to ensure employees had the tools needed to work from home.
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• W orked with health care providers to ensure injured workers could access virtual care. Practice social distancing
Stay home if you are sick
As with other organizations, WorkplaceNL worked through many challenges to serve its clients and support its employees in what was an unexpected new reality, faced with rapidly changing information, business interruptions, and periods of uncertainty. The first priority was the safety of WorkplaceNL employees, clients and the public. WorkplaceNL introduced new safety protocols and updated them as public health measures evolved – such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks in common areas, maintaining a physical distance and staying home when sick. WorkplaceNL quickly transitioned the majority of employees to working from home and, through the use
• Implemented digital processes to allow employers to obtain clearance letters so they could continue operations. • Deferred assessment payments and waived interest and penalties for a period of time to alleviate some of the challenges employers were experiencing as a result of the pandemic. • Issued advisories, updated the website and directly contacted clients to keep them informed of changes as needed. • Released new in-class instruction and virtual training guidelines for trainers and training providers, so required certification training for workers could safely resume during the pandemic.
WorkplaceNL - Annual Performance Report 2020
