| Last month, a journalist published the story of a former police officer who, after 29 years of service, stopped work over 15 years ago as a result of trauma he experienced on the job. The workers’ compensation appeals tribunal allowed his claim 9 months ago: He was to be reimbursed 15.5 years of benefits owed to him. Yet the worker – a 64 year old Métis man – had still not received any compensation. Shortly after the story was shared publicly, the worker received the $630,000 that was owing to him. A workers’ compensation spokesperson said “it may take longer than any of us would like to gather all the information and documents required to calculate” benefits owing. This worker was traumatized on the job and was impaired as a result. He was let down by a system that – 15 years ago, at least – had not yet caught up to the fact that workplace trauma should be “compensable”. He was left to advocate for himself despite living with a debilitating condition. He experienced years of homelessness and poverty – indeed, his first plan for these funds is to have a well dug so he cant get running water. One can only imagine the effect of all this on his 2 children. While relieved, he reports being overwhelmed, and he continues to live with PTSD. When decisions are made to pay claimants owed money after such a long period, what is the approach we need to take to provide relief – justice – to those in the most dire circumstances and with the most urgent need? Are our systems instead set up to process such decisions on a purely first-come, first-served basis? If so, is that really what we all want? What do you think? |
