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Nova Scotians who experience significant stress over time as a result of their employment will be able to submit a claim to the Workers’ Compensation Board.
A bill tabled in the legislature today, October 13, would amend the Workers’ Compensation Act to allow gradual onset stress to be considered an injury eligible for compensation.
“We want to make sure working Nova Scotians are supported and have a healthy workplace to go to each day. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case for some workers,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “This legislation will ensure the workplace insurance system is prepared to support workers who have experienced significant workplace stressors over time, with the goal of returning to work healthy.”
Nova Scotians and business owners have told the government they want a modernized approach to workers’ compensation insurance, including support for psychological injuries. This change will ensure workers have access to benefits and can return to work safely.
The amendments also include parameters for workplace stress that will not be considered, including issues such as performance management, termination of employment, a change in job description and interpersonal conflict.
These amendments would take effect next September, allowing time for the Workers’ Compensation Board to recruit specialized staff and consult with interested parties on developing policies.
The bill also increases funeral benefits for workers who have died on the job from $4,000 to $15,000, and indexes those benefits to the consumer price index.
Quotes:
“This is a positive step forward to better protect Nova Scotians from psychological injury, and it brings us in line with other jurisdictions coast to coast. We look forward to working with the government to help protect both workers and employers from the impacts of this new type of compensable injury in our province.”
– Karen Adams, CEO, Workers’ Compensation Board
Quick Facts:
— workplace stress injury coverage in the Workers’ Compensation Act currently only allows for an acute reaction to a traumatic event
— this legislative change would bring Nova Scotia in line with other jurisdictions across Canada and make it the first in the Atlantic provinces
— this amendment will not have an immediate cost to employers
— funeral benefits would be brought in line with the rest of the country with no financial implication to the system
Additional Resources:
Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legis
Workers’ Compensation Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites
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Legislative Amendments Prioritize Access to Mental Health and Addictions Care
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The Province is cementing its commitment to universal mental health and addictions care for all Nova Scotians through legislative changes introduced today, October 13.
Amendments to the Health Services and Insurance Act allow the minister of Addictions and Mental Health to establish insured service programs to deliver mental health and addictions care as part of a publicly funded healthcare system.
“We made a commitment to Nova Scotians to provide universal access to mental health and addictions care as part of a publicly funded system – and we are pulling every available lever to connect people to care,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “We’re investing in our formal healthcare system, launching new and innovative tools and supports, and funding community-based organizations, all of which are connecting more people to the care they need. With these legislative changes, we’re able to tap into the capacity that exists in our private sector, making important mental health and addictions services available to everyone – not just those who can afford to pay.”
The Health Services and Insurance Act provides the legal framework for insured healthcare services in Nova Scotia, including the Medical Services Insurance (MSI) Plan. It supports the delivery of publicly funded healthcare services as outlined in federal legislation.
Amendments to the act grant authority to the minister of Addictions and Mental Health to establish insured service programs that enable the delivery of healthcare services to Nova Scotians – authority that already exists for the minister of Health and Wellness.
Insured service programs include fee-for-service models using health service codes that outline billing fees. Under this model – used for decades by doctors, dentists, pharmacists and many other healthcare providers – the government determines which services will be publicly funded, and at what cost. The provider bills the Province directly for the service they provide to Nova Scotians.
The updated legislation deems mental health and addictions care as important as physical health care. It will also reduce red tape, allowing faster implementation of new programs and services, and remove outdated language based on gender.
Quick Facts:
— in 2021, Nova Scotia became the first province in Canada to commit to universal mental health and addictions care for all its residents, and the first to appoint a dedicated minister to deliver on the commitment
— the government has invested $65 million in mental health and addictions care over the past two years
— there are currently two pilot projects testing the expanded use of health service codes in Nova Scotia: the Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health, which provides psychological services to people in the community who face significant barriers to access; and the Clinical Psychological Services Pilot, addressing wait lists for autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder diagnostic assessments
Additional Resources:
News Release – New Mental Health Centre Opens in Halifax: https://novascotia.ca/news/rel
News Release – Pilot Program to Address Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder Wait Lists: https://novascotia.ca/news/rel
Action for Health, the government’s strategic plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/actionfo
Mandate letter for the Minister of Addictions and Mental Health: https://novascotia.ca/exec_cou
Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legis
