Several amendments to The Workers’ Compensation Act are coming this October, including the expansion of occupational disease coverage for six additional forms of cancer impacting firefighters.

Other amendments include administrative penalties if a privacy breach occurs, and a simplified process for releasing information during reconsideration or review of a decision on compensation claims.

Also, all expenses associated with transporting a deceased worker’s body to the usual residence outside Canada will be covered, and compensation will be provided to a worker’s dependent children when the worker passes away from a non-work-related injury.

Additional amendments:

– updating the privacy provisions to: (1) mirror The Health Information Protection Act; (2) provide for administrative penalties if a privacy breach occurs; and (3) simplify the process for releasing information during reconsideration or review of a decision on compensation claims;
– requiring all appeal tribunal decisions with rationale to be published;
– covering the expenses associated with transporting a deceased worker’s body to the usual residence outside Canada;
-providing compensation to a worker’s dependent children when the worker passes away from a non-work-related injury while on compensation no matter the length of time on compensation;
– simplifying the medical review panel process;
-increasing the permanent functional impairment award over a four-year period and indexing afterward;
– and indexing the independence allowance.