Employers’ Council Secures Manufacturing and Processing Safety Sector Council
For four years, the Employers’ Council has been working in partnership with Canadian Manufacturing and Exporters NL Division (CME-NL) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) to establish a Manufacturing & Processing Safety Sector Council (MPSSC) for the industry. After significant work by the Employers’ Council and our partners, multiple challenges, and bumps in the  [...]
Premier Ball announces presumptive PTSD coverage for all workers covered by WorkplaceNL
On December 4th, Premier Dwight Ball, Minister Sherry Gambin-Walsh and WorkplaceNL CEO Dennis Hogan announced a bill to amend the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act to include presumptive post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) coverage for all workers, effective July 1, 2019. The legislation will presume that PTSD was the result of a workplace event(s) if  [...]
Employer’s Council addresses inaccuracies in NAPE’s campaign for presumptive workplace mental health legislation
On Monday, October 15th the Employers’ Council sent a letter to all MHAs in the province, raising concern with inaccuracies and misleading information presented in the ongoing NAPE advertising campaign, “Let’s Get It Right”, calling for presumptive “workplace mental health legislation”. Workplace mental health is exceptionally important to employers in this province. The Employers’ Council supported improvements that were  [...]
Employers’ Council Calls for Changes to WorkplaceNL PRIME Program
On September 21st, 2018 the Board of Directors approved the Employers’ Council’s submission to the Prevention and Return-to-Work Insurance Management for Employers’/Employees (PRIME) program review, currently being done by WorkplaceNL. Read the submission here. While the PRIME program has value, through consultation with members it has become clear that the current PRIME model is not  [...]
WorkplaceNL significantly over-funded: Employers’ Council calls announcement of 131% funded position insulting to employers
On Friday the Employers’ Council was in the media reacting to an announcement by WorkplaceNL that their funded position has reached 131%, calling it “insulting to employers.” The Employers’ Council is calling on the Board of Directors of WorkplaceNL to drop assessment rates in 2019 to bring the funded position to 110%, in keeping with the funding target  [...]
Employers’ Council Reacts to Changes in Workers Compensation Benefits
In late February Minister Sherry Gambin-Walsh introduced a bill in the House of Assembly to amend the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act to move the existing income replacement rate (IRR) – used in calculating the worker benefits – from 80 per cent to 85 per cent of net income. Maximum Compensable Assessable Earnings will  [...]
Removal of Worker’s Compensation surcharge saves employers $20 million annually
The NLEC is extremely pleased with today’s announcement by the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WorkplaceNL) that the average worker’s compensation employer insurance premium in the province will drop by $0.25 to $2.20 per $100 of payroll for 2016. Since 2011, the NL Employers’ Council has conducted an aggressive and award winning advocacy campaign to  [...]
NLEC receives Pinnacle Awards for campaign to reduce workers’ compensation premiums
The International Association of Business Communicators, Newfoundland & Labrador Chapter (IAB-NCL) presented the NLEC with two awards on May 22nd at a Pinnacle Awards Gala at the Rooms. The Pinnacle Awards showcase excellence in business communication. The NLEC was recognized in both the Government Relations and Advocacy Communications categories for the three year campaign to  [...]
WHSCC Stat Review recommendations address NLEC concerns, but do not go far enough to fix the syste
Earlier this year, the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Statutory Review Committee (SRC) concluded its review of the provincial workers’ compensation system. View the SRC report: Working Together: Safe, Accountable, Sustainable (Vol I, Parts 1 & 2) Working Together: Safe, Accountable, Sustainable (Vol II, Appendices) The NLEC Board of Director’s recently approved a detailed response  [...]
North American Occupational Health & Safety Week 2014
May 4th-10th is North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week. The NLEC participated in the Canadian launch of this continent wide event spanning Canada, USA and Mexico on Monday in St. John’s. NAOSH Week is designed to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public on the importance of preventing injury and illness  [...]
NLEC lobby to reduce WHSCC premiums saves employers millions
January 1, 2014 will mark the first reduction in workers’ compensation employer insurance premiums in this province since 2006. Due to a sustained lobby by the NLEC, the average employer insurance premium in Newfoundland & Labrador will drop by $0.30 to $2.45 per $100 of payroll for 2014, putting millions of dollars back into the hands of  [...]
NLEC asks Worker’s Compensation Statutory Review Committee to take our system out of last place
NLEC Executive Director, Richard Alexander presented to the Workers Compensation Statutory Review Committee yesterday at the Ramada Hotel, asking the committee to make recommendations that go far enough and succeed where other reviews have fallen short — in finally bringing our system out of last place. The NLEC has been leading a strong lobby to  [...]
NL employers frustrated & angry with highest Worker’s Compensation premiums in the country
The NL Employers’ Council recently travelled across the province hosting focus groups for employers to discuss the impact the high cost of the Worker’s Compensation system has on local businesses and the economy. Newfoundland & Labrador has had the highest Worker’s Compensation insurance premiums for employers (currently 37% higher than the Canadian average), for almost the last 20  [...]
NLEC calls for removal of inefficiencies, inequities and loopholes in Worker’s Compensation system
The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) released recommendations for legislative change to the Worker’s Compensation system in Newfoundland & Labrador on Thursday. NLEC Executive Director Richard Alexander highlighted inefficiencies, inequalities and loopholes that contribute to employers in Newfoundland & Labrador paying the highest Worker’s Compensation Employer Insurance Premiums in the country. Worker’s Compensation in Newfoundland &  [...]
Economist Morley Gunderson says NLs worker’s compensation system must be reformed
The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) released findings of a study by economist Morley Gunderson, Ph.D. on the economic impact of high Worker’s Compensation employer insurance premiums on Newfoundland & Labrador Thursday morning. Newfoundland & Labrador has had the highest worker’s compensation employer insurance premiums of any province in the country for nearly two decades. The study  [...]
WHSCC statutory review announced
NLEC calling for legislative change in the system to reduce Employer Insurance Premiums The Provincial Government has announced the start of the Workplace Health, Safety & Compensation Commission (WHSCC) statutory review. A committee representing key stakeholders has been appointed to oversee the statutory review process, including NLEC member Claude Horlick, and labour representative Dave Burry. Ralph  [...]
NLEC calling for amalgamation of OHS Branch and WHSCC due to inefficiencies revealed in AG’s report
The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) is calling for the amalgamation of the Workplace, Health Safety & Compensation Commission (WHSCC) and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Branch of Service NL in order to increase efficiency and decrease the cost of our Worker’s Compensation system. Currently, the legislated responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety education lies  [...]
NLEC to hold Tax on Labour Focus Groups
NLEC is holding Tax on Labour focus groups across province. Next focus group to take place at the Mount Peyton Hotel in Grand Falls on March 31st, 2011. The organization is looking for employer feedback on how high tax on labour impacts business in this province. The NL Employers’ Council (NLEC) will be gathering evidence  [...]