If I contract COVID-19 at work, am I covered by WSIB? – CBC News

Jon Pinkus, a Toronto employment lawyer and partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, was asked by CBC News to answer a question about WSIB during the coronavirus pandemic.

QUESTION: If you are at work and contract COVID-19, are you covered by WSIB?

ANSWER: Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is an agency that provides insurance coverage to 5-million-plus people in over 300,000 workplaces throughout the province.

CBC reports that WSIB isn’t providing a clear answer about this, as they review each situation on a case-by-case basis.

“Generally speaking, WSIB will apply whenever any injury or illness has occurred on the job,” Pinkus told CBC News.

The WSIB’s website suggests that a workplace must have played a large role in the employee contracting a disease, such as COVID-19.

If you apply for WSIB and that claim is rejected, Pinkus told CBC News that an employee should “seriously consider applying for long-term or short-term disability.”

• Anxious about returning to work? Get the facts

Pinkus also noted that employees may also be entitled to apply for private disability benefits for psychological-related problems caused by the pandemic and the lockdown, which are widespread.

You can apply for long-term disability due to COVID-19 if you have legitimate support from your doctor. If you do apply, and your disability claim is denied, you should contact the disability lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. Our team has been helping individuals to get their disability claim approved or reinstated when the insurance company inappropriately denies assistance. We can help you get the compensation you need during this difficult time.

Learn more about your rights during the coronavirus pandemic through our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Knowledge Centre, where you can find resources about your employment rights during COVID-19.

Contact us today to speak to an employment lawyer about your rights.