From the desk of V.O.C.A.L.
Canada, Australia, and the U.K. are dumping injured workers onto welfare illegally instead of getting the wage loss and medical care promised by our respective governments. For anyone to deny that this is a planned attack on workers is damaging to the health and well being of the population at large and the economy. In each State, Province, and Territory we see injured workers suffering in great pain, forced into absolute poverty, and having their rights removed so they cannot defend themselves against the tyranny of the Workers Compensation Boards. There is an average of about 500,000 claims in Canada now being dumped onto welfare or CPP, which also takes more rights from the disabled. The injured worker is constantly bullied into submission by psychologically abusive appeals processes that cause further injury to the already physically disabled individual. How can any Canadian support such a dysfunctional and/or corrupt system that is responsible for more suicides, poverty, and undue hardship and pain and suffering than any other cause? I never thought I would live to see the day our Governments, whether P.C., Lib., or N.D.P. would stoop so low as to torment the disabled in such a callous way.
"As the newly appointed Minister in charge of the Alberta WCB and knowing that the adjudication process is a total sham, what are you intending to do to fix the system or are you simply going to do what has been the Conservative way of doing things which is diddly squat. Perhaps the people of Alberta at the next election will finally see nothing more than your rear ends as you make your exit into oblivion although I highly doubt whether the next government of Alberta will have the balls to fix the system by rehearing long standing claims and making the system to what Meredith intended the system to be and that is to assist injured and disabled workers which quite simply is not happening as determined by the Doerkson and Friedman reports.
Click on the following link;https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abwcac/doc/2014/2014canlii12289/2014canlii12289.html Undoubtedly, there are thousands of other workers who are on CPP disability (Federal Govt. and AISH (Provincial Social Assistance) for work related disabilities. A recent study performed in Australiahttp://www.miningaustralia.com.au/features/workers-comp-needs-real-reform-not-red-tape-fiddli has resulted in the same findings as in the United States that workers compensation systems are downloading the costs of workers compensation unto workers and tax payers. No one can dispute that this is happening as evidenced by the fact that the worker specific to the decision I have provided is on CPP and as well as AISH with both programs funded by the disabled worker, other workers and all tax payers resulting in subsidizing the system itself which results in unrealistically low premiums for employers.
How can a worker be determined to be totally disabled under CPP and AISH and be determined to not be totally disabled under the workers compensation system is grossly illogical. Either a worker can perform gainful work on a regular basis or they cannot perform gainful work on a regular basis. The Appeals Commission's explanation is that this is because of Federal, Provincial and WCB's interpretation of what is considered a disability. This is no doubt referred to as spin doctoring as the same interpretation whether Federally, Provincially or under the WCA system must have the same interpretation. Either a person is disabled or they are not disabled. The Alberta WCA defines a disabled person by using the word "invalid" rather than disabled (n) “invalid” means a person who is incapable of becoming gainfully employed due to physical or mental incapacity; thereby defining disability the same way that CPP and AISH defines a disability which all are based on the ability to perform gainful employment. The word or term "invalid" is no longer considered to be a politically correct word or term just as other politically incorrect words or terms used in the past have been replaced by politically correct terms.
Click on the following link;https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abwcac/doc/2014/2014canlii12289/2014canlii12289.html Undoubtedly, there are thousands of other workers who are on CPP disability (Federal Govt. and AISH (Provincial Social Assistance) for work related disabilities. A recent study performed in Australiahttp://www.miningaustralia.com.au/features/workers-comp-needs-real-reform-not-red-tape-fiddli has resulted in the same findings as in the United States that workers compensation systems are downloading the costs of workers compensation unto workers and tax payers. No one can dispute that this is happening as evidenced by the fact that the worker specific to the decision I have provided is on CPP and as well as AISH with both programs funded by the disabled worker, other workers and all tax payers resulting in subsidizing the system itself which results in unrealistically low premiums for employers.
How can a worker be determined to be totally disabled under CPP and AISH and be determined to not be totally disabled under the workers compensation system is grossly illogical. Either a worker can perform gainful work on a regular basis or they cannot perform gainful work on a regular basis. The Appeals Commission's explanation is that this is because of Federal, Provincial and WCB's interpretation of what is considered a disability. This is no doubt referred to as spin doctoring as the same interpretation whether Federally, Provincially or under the WCA system must have the same interpretation. Either a person is disabled or they are not disabled. The Alberta WCA defines a disabled person by using the word "invalid" rather than disabled (n) “invalid” means a person who is incapable of becoming gainfully employed due to physical or mental incapacity; thereby defining disability the same way that CPP and AISH defines a disability which all are based on the ability to perform gainful employment. The word or term "invalid" is no longer considered to be a politically correct word or term just as other politically incorrect words or terms used in the past have been replaced by politically correct terms.
Gerry Miller"