WSIB offers amnesty for absentee employers

TORONTO — The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is implementing a Voluntary Registration policy in which non-registered employers, who are legally required to register with the WSIB, can come forward to voluntarily register with full or partial amnesty, reports the Ontario Trucking Association.

The new policy is effective immediately.

Employers are required to register with the WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first worker. Those who are not registered can be faced with significant penalties if investigated by WSIB.

According to OTA, under the new program, employers who choose to voluntarily register, rather than waiting to get caught, will pay no retroactive premiums during the full amnesty phase, no penalties for not reporting, no reconciliation interest on retroactive premiums, and will not be prosecuted under the Provincial Offences Act at the time of registration.

The WSIB will provide this full amnesty to all employers who register their business with the WSIB between October 29, 2007 and March 31, 2008 inclusive, says OTA. The effective date for registration will be the date of voluntary disclosure or the contact date.

Beyond April 1, 2008, the WSIB will provide a partial amnesty –meaning no penalties for not reporting, no reconciliation interest on retroactive premiums, and no prosecution at the time of registration. However, adds OTA, during this period, the effective date for registration is the date of first hire or January 1 of the year preceding the date of voluntary registration, whichever is later. This means the maximum retroactive premium that employers will be required to pay will be for the current year plus one prior year.

For questions about the implementation of this policy or to register through the VR policy, contact their nearest WSIB office, call 1-800-387-0080, or visit www.wsib.on.ca.