This follows findings only three claims have been accepted since a policy has been amended
Manitoba’s Workers Compensation Board (WCB) is facing criticism from labour leaders after only three of 21 burnout claims were accepted under a recently amended policy designed to cover psychological injuries due to excessive workloads. The policy, which took effect on May 1, 2023, has sparked calls for a thorough review, with labour representatives labelling the current acceptance rate as “pathetic.”
The amended policy was intended to provide compensation for workers experiencing severe burnout due to overwhelming work demands. Yet, over a year since its implementation, only one of the approved claims was directly related to burnout. Fourteen claims were outright rejected, 12 of which did not meet the stringent eligibility criteria. The remaining four claims are still under review.
The data, obtained by the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) through a freedom of information request and shared with CBC News, has raised alarms among union leaders. MFL president Kevin Rebeck expressed his dismay over the low number of approved claims, highlighting a significant gap in the compensation process.
“It just shows that there’s a big disconnect here right now,” Rebeck stated. “Today in Manitoba, if you’re injured on the job by a physical injury, you’ll get covered by WCB. But if it’s a mental health injury … WCB has put a bunch of false barriers in place between workers getting the compensation that they need and deserve.”
Workload “unusual in intensity”
Under the current policy, the workload must be proven to have been “excessive or unusual in intensity” over an extended period and notably different from what is typical for the claimant and their coworkers, CBC News highlighted. Additionally, a mental health diagnosis from a psychologist or psychiatrist is required, which Rebeck argued is an unnecessary obstacle for workers seeking compensation.
“The bar that’s being put before them is so high,” Rebeck continued. “You need to have a psychologist or psychiatrist diagnose you and say that’s the issue. They [WCB] need to expand who they’ll accept medical information from.”
The situation has been particularly distressing for Manitoba’s nursing community, which continues to grapple with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, described the situation as “absolutely shameful,” pointing to the extreme workloads that have become the norm for many healthcare professionals.
“We have nurses who are working with workloads that far exceed anything we’ve ever seen before,” Jackson said. “There’s a cost to a publicly funded health-care system. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as if this government is willing to pay that cost.”
Calls for review
Both Rebeck and Jackson are urging the provincial government to re-evaluate the current guidelines. The MFL has called for an expansion of the types of medical documentation accepted, while Jackson is pushing for a broader review by the labour minister to ensure mental health injuries are treated with the same seriousness as physical injuries.
“They’ve helped one person by changing their policy,” Rebeck said. “That means they need to change things in a more substantive way.”
