Should You Claim WorkSafeBC Benefits if You Have COVID-19?

With COVID-19 concerns increasingly growing in the workplace, the question of whether contracting COVID-19 at work can result in compensation from WorkSafeBC has arisen. WorkSafeBC has provided some guidance on their website, for such situations (www.worksafebc.com).

If you contracted COVID-19 as a direct result of your employment, you should file a WorkSafeBC claim.

However, a worker is not entitled to compensation simply because the worker has contracted the disease while at work. There must be something in the nature of the employment which had causative significance.

What this means is that the nature of your employment created a risk of contracting the disease significantly greater than the ordinary exposure risk of the public at large.

When it comes to evidence, you would need a medical diagnosis in a medical report or non-medical factual evidence where other evidence establishes the existence of COVID-19.

If you are self-isolating or in quarantine but do not have COVID-19, then you will not be covered by WorkSafeBC for COVID-19.

If you apply for WorkSafeBC benefits and are denied, please contact our offices to see if we can help with your claim.

Note to our Readers: This is not legal advice. Please contact our offices, if you are looking for legal advice.

 

GKS Law Firm

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