Alberta Safety Council for Seniors’ Housing PIR and Disability Management Services

Partners in Injury Reduction n Partners in Injury Reduction (PIR) is designed to encourage injury prevention and the development of effective workplace health, safety and disability management programs. Alberta currently has a rate of 3.0 injuries for every 100 workers. If Alberta reduced its lost-time claim rate to 2 injuries for every 100 workers, claims costs would go down by more than $190 million. That translates roughly to 42 cents per $100 of insurable earnings, on the average premium rate.

The “hidden” costs of a minor workplace accident are conservatively estimated to be at least 5 to 10 times the direct costs of the injury and illness costs. It has been estimated that for every serious major injury there are 600 incidents that could be considered “near misses”. Every hour, 17 Albertans are injured at work. The Facts: Did You Know….

nEarn up to 20% discount on your industry rate (guaranteed 5% for employers with a Certificate of Recognition) nNo Surcharges nAchieve a lower lost-time claim rate and reduced accident costs l PIR LTC rate is 13%  than non PIR participants l Claim cost rate 23%  than non PIR participants nIncrease your competitive edge - some companies require subcontractors obtain COR to bid on jobs nEnjoy other benefits including higher productivity, employee well-being and job satisfaction Benefits of PIR

n In 2003, 7033 employers are registered in PIR nThe number of employers qualifying for PIR refunds has increased to about 4664 in As a result, PIR refunds for 2002 totalled $37 million.* *includes Deferred Improving Your Performance Forecasts Growing with PIR

1.Register with WCB l Complete a PIR registration form prior to December 31 to enroll for upcoming year (registration is for a three year period) l No cost to register* l Important to submit form even if not sure about pursuing a COR – can always withdraw registration *There is no cost to join the PIR program through WCB but all Certifying Partners will charge varying fees to help you achieve your COR How to Enroll

2.Contact Your “Certifying Partner”* l Find out your industry’s requirements and standard for your size of business 3.Earn your Certificate of Recognition (COR) *A Certifying Partner is recognized by Alberta Human Resources and Employment as an organization having the ability to assess health and safety audits for quality and to jointly issues CORs to employers

*Indicates that the Certifying Partner is a safety association that is funded through a levy on WCB premiums Certifying Partners

nYou can reduce WCB premiums in one of three ways: l Achieve or maintain a Certificate of Recognition (COR), and l Improve your performance, or l Maintain Industry Leadership nWCB will award an industry rate discount based on the highest score obtained among the three incentive opportunities, up to a maximum discount of 20%* * You must have your COR before any discount is awarded PIR Discounts

FIRST: n5% for a Certificate of Recognition (COR) If you’ve achieved or maintained your COR by the end of the registration year, you will be eligible for a 5% industry rate discount, unless you qualify for a higher discount through the Improving Your Performance or Maintaining Industry Leadership measures. Achieve or Maintain Your COR

THEN: n1 – 20% for Improving Your Performance This measure compares your current accident performance to your historical performance. Claims costs transacted in the measurement year compared to claims costs transacted in the prior year are used to measure success in both preventing injuries and managing claims that occur. You can earn an industry rate discount of 1% for every 1% improvement up to a maximum of 20%. Improve Your Performance

OR: n10 – 20% for Maintaining Industry Leadership This measures improvements in your claims experience in comparison to the average for your industry’s rate group over the same period. To earn discounts from this measure, you need a COR and claim costs that are at least 50% lower than the industry average for two consecutive years. Maintain Industry Leadership

Note: You will receive the highest of the three discounts earned, up to a maximum of 20% Maintain Industry Leadership

Potential Impact of E/R and PIR * Maximum Discount combines E/R at 40% and PIR at 20% ** Maximum Surcharge combines E/R at 40% and Poor Performance Surcharge at 40% Example:

nPIR isn’t just for large employers n“Small Business COR” (SECOR) available for business with less than 10 employees l Meets applications and training needs of small employers while considering their resource limitations l Costs and audit requirements are significantly less to achieve COR SECOR

PIR and Certificate of Recognition (COR) PIR Cost 22.61% less than non-PIR 2003 YTD. 7,033 employers are in PIR 4,664 employers have a COR PIR employers have 13% lower LTC rate

nWCB offers services to help employers lower claims costs including: l Brochures – “Back-to-Basics”, “Office Ergonomics”, “Working Safely Behind the Wheel”, “It’s not safe being green” l Disability Management Seminars – help employers understand the relationship between claims costs and employer premiums l Information on injury response, reporting and investigation, case coordination, modified work programs WCB Services

Disability Management Services nDisability Management Training (1Day Seminar) l Minimize and understanding the impact of work related injuries – both human and financial nHalf Day Supervisor Seminar l Usually held on site at employer’s premises l Incorporates claims management into day to day operations nUnderstanding the Appeals System (1 Day Seminar) nEmployer Information Workshop (1/2 Day) nto register for any of these call (toll free)

Disability Management Services nClaims Audit - to ensure regulatory compliance and provide education to employers nOnline Electronic Reporting nDirect Employer Clearance Certificates (DECC) nAAV (Automated Account Validation) nLoss Control Reporting (LCR)

Benefits of an Effective Disability Management Program Employer Benefits: nConsistent application of policy/procedures nReduced risk of reinjury nReduced stress nIncrease productivity nReduce employee turnover nIncrease the “bottom line” nEnhance corporate image nComplies with Duty to Accommodate Legislation nLess absenteeism nLower retraining costs

Benefits of an Effective Disability Management Program Employee: l Early and safe return to work l Reduced risk of reinjury l Continuity of earnings l Reduced stress l Decreased period of disability l Job security l Maintain contact with co-workers

nWCB – Alberta Customer Contact Centre (780) 498 – 3999 (Edmonton)(403) 517 – 6000 (Calgary) nBrochure and registration form available on WCB website under “Safety Pays” nDetailed requests for discount simulations and refund calculations – Underwriting Department or Account Manager nDisability Management info – Account Manager Where to get more info on PIR and Disability Management

Summary nPIR discount can create a domino effect. If an employer earns a 20% PIR refund for “improving their performance”, chances are their experience rating is also improving. The added benefit of achieving COR is an employer in a surcharge position can work their way out of surcharge and into discount. The PIR discount/refund is “over and above” any improvements in their experience rating.