Human Resources Legislative Update
Private Member’s Bill Proposes Compulsory WSIB Coverage for Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes
Date: June 13, 2017
On June 1, 2017, Bill 145, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2017 was introduced by a member of the Liberal Party.
If passed, Bill 145 would amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) to provide that an employer who operates a residential care facility or a group home is a Schedule 1 employer. Coverage under the WSIA is compulsory for any business or industry named in Schedule 1. WSIA currently permits a residential care facility or a group home to be exempt from such coverage and to provide their own private insurance.
Bill 145 is a Private Member’s Bill (although one introduced by a member of the Liberal government) and it should be noted that only a small percentage of Private Members’ Bills are passed into law.
