Mental Stress 101by WCB of Alberta

( This posting was originally placed May 2011 )

For the past 6 out of 10 years I have had many thoughts pertaining to WCB and their actions, lost many hours sleep due to nightmares or frustration, the mind games that are played by them makes me feel like they are attempting to make me lose control of my thoughts. Why? I think so they can say I am a threat to their safety, as they have done to many other injured workers. I am not allowed to enter their building to pickup cheques, why I don't know? I never threatened them, but they write down what ever they feel at the time. I have found that if I rebuttal any conversation to my claims manager, I am them penalized by slow down of progress of my claim or payments not sent out at scheduled time, but the excuses are constant; waiting on supervisor consent, computer is down on the cheque writer,file is in assistance hands etc; none of this is on paper which is why I no longer communicate via telephone. To many conversations were re-written out of context or not even posted on my file. Managers claiming that their hands are tied yet an assistant is able to accomplish what manager claimed they could not; or stating that they are unable to change another claims managers decision, yet many changes have been made. Mangers refusing professionals or my request's ; 5 years later it is claimed as "offered" though I chose a different path; regardless of what was on file years before; becomes official statement.That pertained to the first academic training, which was I unable to compete in. It was the second academic training, less then a year later, is the reason of my criminal charges.
I attempt to start my own business, only to be told "I know nothing of business", therefore you must go to "Business Administration"! Academically challenged ? need the upgrading in order to compete academically? NO!, pass, fail or dropout we (WCB) are done with you. All that was 5 years ago and I am still dealing with the aftermath. Just now priorities are to catch up with what little I receive, after no financial income for 6 months, which was social assistance. I am again under investigation due to WCB keeping 100% of benefits and informing social assistance that I was in receipt of said benefits: yearly income statement from WCB is less then what we received from assistance monthly. Manipulation of information which caused Zero income for my family, which is under enough hardship due to 2 physically restricted members of the family, one adult , one child.
It is pathetic the way WCB Alberta is allowed to operate, they are like little children allowed to play without parental supervision.

Where has the Canada Pension Money gone?

There has been a lot of talk in the past couple of decades that our Canadian Pension is dwindling , to the point of nothing being available when my generation gets to retirement age (which is not that far away).

In the past few years I have been fighting for my rights which have been taken away by a provincially Legislated Non-Profit Organization, this Organization is responsible for the coverage of those who are injured or become ill from their work place. As many of the permanently disabled/ ill have come to realize the hard way is that the WCB's across Canada will do anything to protect their profits, which they use for international meetings, rewards to safety groups that basically do nothing, wages and most importantly their pensions. So we can see from their side as to why they want the employers of Canada, which includes our Provincial/ Federal Governments, our RCMP, our Military and those who stand guard of the Criminals that are kept in our prisons.
A recent court document that I had the opportunity to view, dealt with a Disabled by Occupation employee that fit into the latter of these categories, one sentence really caught my eye from the court transcript: " Your Honour,  the court of this province (Alberta) has no jurisdiction regarding the WCB " the Judge agreed and the lawsuit against WCB was dismissed.
(Alta WCB Act sec2.1: States " the Board has the same Rights, Powers & Privileges of a Natural Person")

The WCB of Alberta has made it clear that they do not have to follow the laws that are written up for all Canadians, nor do they have too fulfill their Legislated responsibilities to those who they were created for back in 1913,  as the tens possibly hundreds of thousands of Disabled by Occupation will verify and that have been lead to a life of poverty.

There is now a new way of preventing poverty of which the WCB of Alberta hopes all disabled by occupation will follow, they have their spokesmen going around talking to other Disabled by occupation into forgetting about their WCB benefits and to collect the pensions they are entitled too from Canada Pension.

Many have been informed of this "New" prevention of Poverty, only to find out that once they are accepted for pension , whether it is CPP or ASIH, they lose their benefits of WCB, including any monies that may still be owed to the claimant. Upon collecting CPP, depending on your age and contributions, will determine your pension and upon reaching retirement age your pension will then be recalculated for the amount you previously received and "deducted accordingly".
Mean while the Canada Pension decreases, the employers pay their premiums to WCB, who does nothing for the disabled Worker, the disabled worker's life is borderline poverty "until retirement age" and those who go around helping the WCB promote this "New Poverty Prevention" have no idea of what they are promoting, what should be promoted is the fact that the WCB of Alberta and across Canada for that matter should be stripped of their Judicial Immunity, laws that are in place for insurance carriers to be enforced to fullest extent of the law, and to prevent non-profits organizations such as the the WCB from having over a Billion in profits that is handed over to others, when it is meant to keep those Disabled by Occupation out of poverty and to assist them in gaining control of lives, instead of being treated like the poorest people of 3rd world countries.

After All the Majority of Disabled Workers became so from building this Province/Country , not by sitting behind a desk dictating what is best for others, destroying lives of Canadians, basically stealing from our pockets, when their only goal is to Profit themselves and have others succumb to their demands, sounds a lot like Organized Criminals to me .

Workers Compensation Of Alberta : On the Job Training ( new update)

I will say this is a start,but it is to late; but a good gesture as far as I am concerned, I have tried to gain employment in areas of employment that I felt I could do and it was mainly the way WCB Alberta handled the situation with the employers. The employers were scared to hired as it would drive up their premiums if an injured worker was re-injured and all the brunt of the injury would be on that NEW employer. I have brought this up to Alberta WCB a few years ago in the Appeals Process.
http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/summary/2475/
It is also on WCB website with more information, they claim it has been on site since September 22, 2008.
First I heard of it, not one WCB employee mentioned this to me in all the correspondence or conversations of the claims services staff, I also subscribe to the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta's mailing list for updates on programs and policies.

http://www.wcb.ab.ca/pdfs/workers/WFS_Training_on_the_job.pdf

Worker Fact Sheet
Website: www.wcb.ab.ca E-mail: contactcentre@wcb.ab.ca Box 2415, 9912-107 Street Toll-free: 1-866-922-9221 (within AB) 1-800-661-9608 (outside AB) Edmonton, AB T5J 2S5
Edmonton Ph: 780-498-3999 Fax: 780-498-7999
Calgary: Ph: 403-517-6000 Fax: 403-517-6201
Training on the Job (TOJ)
When it is identified that you are medically unable (because of the accepted work place accident) to return to your date of accident occupation, your case manager will consider suitable
re-employment assistance to meet your needs. Your case manager will initially determine, by
talking to your accident employer, if any modified job opportunities exist with them. If your
accident employer is unable to find you suitable employment, other re-employment assistance is
considered. The training-on-the-job program is one of the options available through the re-employment assistance program.
How it works
A TOJ program is an individualized program set up to help you return to work with either your date of accident employer or a new employer, learning new skills. This program is also an
incentive for employers to hire people who do not have the experience necessary to get into that
line of work. WCB - Alberta subsidizes (tops up) your wages while you learn these new skills in a different job*. This working arrangement is a win-win situation for you and your new employer. Your employer gets an opportunity to see if you are appropriate for the job, while you get an opportunity to be trained in a different job and return to the workforce safely.
Your case manager will review and determine your entitlement to a TOJ program based on your individual need.
* Depending on the details of your new position, WCB can reimburse your new employer at a decreasing percentage of the wages (e.g. 1st month – 100%, 2nd month – 75%, etc.).
**WCB does not pay overtime, holiday pay or the employer’s portion of the worker’s Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan contributions or WCB premiums.
Finding an employer
When you have identified a potential employer, WCB can approach the potential employer to determine if they are interested in sponsoring you in a TOJ program. Talk to your case manager.
Determining the length of the program
You, your case manager and your new employer will determine the length of your TOJ program
(usually three to six months) by assessing the skill requirements of the new job, your transferable skills and the time required for you to learn new skills to become a fully productive
employee.

They sure make it sound good but you notice that they have already set the time limits and the amount of income for the injured worker, Guess my first comment was damn close to the truth, just more corruption to get rid of the injured worker so they can keep on collecting Millions to set themselves in a nice comfy retirement.
http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-workers-compensation-board-of-alberta
If this were a court of law I know my lawyer would say this is not a good agreement to many loop holes to trap the injured worker and release the WCB of responsibility.

I have been investigating the connection between Alberta WCB and the Federal Government as I have been told so many times that Federal and Provincial Governments have no say in the day to day workings of the WCB, in fact I have been told by MP's that I have requested involvement from (as provincial Government has done nothing to investigate the WCB) that any business with WCB is to taken up with my Provincial Government.
The only connection to the Alberta WCB and Provincial Government on employers and labour incentives is to join a injury reduction programhttp://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/340.html. Now why would the Alberta WCB and federal Government join forces and not the Provincial Government?
Is this a way stating that offers were in place for the injured worker to gain employment ?

To find their own retraining programs due to WCB is incompetent at retraining?
or is it a way of proving that they had options in place to prevent Mr.Clayton from stating that the WCB had no options available for him and therefore cut him off benefits and to find his own medications without any health care assistance? regardless there has not been anywhere else then the Federal site and the WCB home site that stated this option for the injured worker's of Alberta.

I have a few major reservation's towards this situation:

1) what about after training; the I/W's restrictions would still be there, it would take very little to cause a flare-up in injury , depending on the injury it self.

2) If this is offered in Alberta , why not the rest of Canada ? seems like a new cover story by these actions of the situation of the Hostage taking.

3)Why doesn't the Federal Government, Provincial Government and WCB all work together and continue the subsidies for the employee's life span until retirement and a top off of a percentage to compensate our pensions.

4) What prevents the WCB from making "DEAL's" with the "on-the-job-training-employer" to have the workers employment terminated as soon as training is done, that does not secure any employment in the future, as the WCB could in turn increase the premiums/ stop wage subsidy or anything they want to the employer as he is no longer training.

5) Why is it only open to Employers for training ; what if I want my own business ( like I have tried before) and have always needed WCB's permission ( even via Federal Government Business Grant application), that way I can guarantee "my own" success or failure instead of falling back into the same rut

6) Sorry WCB Alberta but you have proven to many times that you cannot be trusted with the authority over the injured worker, especially now when you are not part of the Provincial Government as you have so contently stated to injured workers over the years, only to crawl into bed with the Federal Government; of whom has been washing their hands of you since the Merideth Report was written up.

This Stinks Big Time of Political Corruption;WCB is still in control of the situation; with that said I am cut off now due to non-compliance?

There is still no protection from the abuse and manipulation of the Workers Compensation Board Alberta.

Reply from WCB Supervisor

Hi Ken,

I reviewed the information you have inquired on regarding a training on the job (TOJ). This has been a re-employment assistance option for many years. This is not in conjunction with any government agency. This is not a new option and if you look at our site you will find information regarding training on the job. I have attached the link below with the fact sheet which I encourage you to review:

http://www.wcb.ab.ca/pdfs/workers/WFS_Training_on_the_job.pdf

I cannot comment on what the Government of Canada has chosen to place on their website, as we are not a government agency. I encourage you to contact them directly if you have questions regarding information that they have indicated in their website. Please also note that the reason that Alberta WCB may be indicated but others may not, is likely due to the fact that not all WCB's may have this as a vocational option. Each WCB in Canada is governed by separate legislation and have their own policies.

If you are inquiring on your eligibility for a training on the job you would need to contact us in writing with your request and a Case Manager would reply to your request. Thank you.

Nici Denney
Supervisor
Large Employers
Customer Service and Disability Management
WCB Alberta
Phone (780) 498-4358
Fax (780) 498-4078

A case manager will contact me? So once again I am without a case manager, last time I ended up on criminal charges by WCB, for no case manager available.

You do not have one assigned at this time Ken, as your file is not under active management, but if you would like to send something in writing regarding a request for a training on the job, you are welcome to do so and a Case Manager will be assigned to your claim and contact you in that regard.

Nici Denney

WCB Hostage taking could have been Prevented

October 21st ,2009 was not a great day in Edmonton Alberta, the hostage taking at Alberta’s Worker’s Compensation Board was a very depressing situation for the employees of WCB and for the injured worker and his family. In all reality "ALL" were the victims of WCB abuse, with their policies and practices to "Profit" (as they are a nonprofit organization) any way they can, which unfortunately leads the injured worker into poverty and loss of family, loss of home and sometimes suicide.
The man that did the hostage taking Patrick Clayton, was a man at the end of his rope, I would imagine he attempted every avenue of appeal within the WCB, as many of Alberta’s injured workers have done. After the appeals the only recourse of help is going to your MLA, to the Ombudsman, Premier, lawyers, media and protesting, as many injured workers have found out, each and every one of these last options are dead ends.

From my personal experiences with the WCB and the fight that I have been forced into, it has come to my realization that no matter what direction a person attempts to go, whether it is though the appeals process or just trying to get a claims manager to accept your Doctor’s report, it is a hassle. WCB staff and employers will and have attempted to close down an injury claim before it starts, to those that wish to ignore the actions of the WCB, like MLA Doug Griffiths and his P.C political party, we do have the proof.

I attempted to make Mr. Griffiths aware that all of the hostage taking could have been prevented, however each time I made a statement as to the abuse of the WCB he would twist my words into me claiming that the hostage taking was justified and continued to state that I have a twisted, terrorist mind an should seek physiological help, all for speaking out against the WCB and his political party that were the roots of the situation.

He kept asking for proof so I would direct him to websites with the information, his reply was give me something that he could verify, while the proof is in my possession; this went over and over repeatedly as if he and I were on the legislative floor wasting time continually repeating the words, as they so often do. By the end of the night which shortly after 12 am, I challenged Mr. Griffiths to prove me wrong, have an investigation into all that I stated about WCB or to prove me right by doing nothing as the Alberta legislature has done pertaining to the WCB for many years, decades in fact. Nearing the end of our conversation he informed me that he does not have the power to request an investigation, but he does have the power to present it on the floor of the legislative, which he refused to comment on and ended our conversation with an accusation that I need help, which he cannot give and mentioned that he wanted to know my name so he could find me the help I needed, and for me to go to bed as I need sleep more so then he did.

What I learned from this conversation is that anyone that speaks out against the WCB in this matter is considered a terrorist and after informing him that if the Alberta Legislative
had done their job properly years ago, that this situation would most likely not have happened, I was then again accused of being a twisted individual with a terrorist mind.

I had spent the day on the internet informing people that the WCB is not the victim here, they are the cause, with judicial powers and immunity to any court action, it is allowed free reign to do what ever they wish, I have talked with many about this organization from injured workers, advocates and lawyers and it is the same about the unfairness to the injured and one sidedness to the employer.
Justice MacLean: Alberta Court of Queens Bench has commented on the unfairness of the WCB, “This is not a level playing field, it is not fair, and it offends the basic principles of natural justice."

Yet this Alberta government allows this to keep going on, is it because they promote corruption or that the injured workers are a waste of their time and let fall into cracks of time and be forgotten?
The WCB has tactics of their own as well, from manipulating files, whether medical, financial or personal, they do it to justify their end goal of profit and savings for the employer, yet WCB is a non-profit organization with over a Billion in its account as of April 2009. There are many different tactics that they use as well, mainly the use of word manipulation, where if an injured worker questions an action of the WCB they are declared non-compliant and then all benefits are cut off until that person makes it to the appeals commission which can take up a year and some have gone a lot longer.
From deeming of employment to denial of doctors reports, they will do anything to the injured they wish, it is kiss their feet as (in their minds) they are holier then thou and if you don’t agree with that then you can no-longer come into our building as they will and have, written people up as a threat when no threatening actions have ever been made.

If all that isn’t enough to deter you from fighting for your rights, they will contact another arm’s length agency to also start harassing the injured worker. People should question how many injured workers have been forced to Social Assistance when it is the WCB’s responsibility to care for the injured worker, if nothing is done about this criminal organization the there most likely will be more situations like October 21st ,2009.

What Injured Albertan's say about WCB

Some posted their names others wish to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions by the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta.Comments of Injured workers and Advocates.These comments were copied from http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/remove-queens-bench-status-from-workers-compensation-boards-court/signatures-page2.html and also from http://www.gopetition.com/online/19942/signatures-page1.html as there are also many other comments from across Canada.However the story is the same all across this nation, corruption and deceit, abuse of power and abuse of the injured just to make the lives of those that work for the Workers Compensation Boards all that mush more pleasurable while the injured of who this organization was created for are forced into poverty,loss of property, loss of families and in some cases loss of life.

Calgary Alberta; Inefficient, too much lies and currupted.

Maria Farmer Drumheller,Alberta; WCB needs to be accountable

John Emmons Drumheller,Alberta ; The injured are not treated fairly.

Brent McGillis Edmonton,Alberta ; Citizens in Canada who are above the Law. How come there is not a Class Action Lawyer in Toronto that can sue these guys under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? It says explicitly in the charter that we as a group of disabled persons may not be discriminated against. The gov't has stripped an entire class of citizens of there human rights, because we are gimps? Are there any lawyers listening?

Robert Weiss Wetaskiwin,Alberta ; The WCB should not be allowed to treat people like garbage. The WCB takes away our human rights, dignity and self-respect among other things to the point we have nothing left. It has cost some people their lives. The WCB is allowed to hide behind the flawed policies that allows them to do what they want when they want and how they want, even if it costs the injured worker their life. Time the government that represents the tax paying citizens that built this country do something about it.

Ken Balacko Calgary,Alberta ;I was forced to work, under threats of being dismissed, to sit near toxic gases (coal methane gas and brake fluid toxic solvents) and hospitalized after but in spite of emergency doctors requests for WCB to have an investigation and poison control and Occupational Health and Safety to investigate, WCB refused to admit the incident took place. Ten of my co-workers wittnessed this act but the companies involved can't be sued and are protected by the WCB Act.

Elizabeth Church Wetaskiwin,Alberta ; I have had nothing but trouble with wcb since june of 2000. I have a spinal injury and had 2 surgergies.

Kathlyn Worsley Cochrane,AB ; WCB seems to be able to answer to no one

Daniel Hunter Edmonton,Alberta ; The creation of a court to police the actions of the business it is a part of is ridiculous. Even worse is to staff it with political appointees selected to favor the business itself. WCB Alberta tribunals are a farce and nothing more than a kangaroo court.
When their decisions are appealed to a real court with a real judge all he can do is refer it back to them.
A standard catch 22.It has to be changed.

Sabina Cincer Calgary,AB ; For almost 10 years I have had ailments, which have stemmed from a fall that occurred on my employer’s premises. I received WCB compensation until Sep.99. An “independent WCB doctor had declared me as healthy.
My symptoms, back pain and leg giving out, hadn’t changed. In 2000 I had a complicated elbow fracture. On year later WCB reopened my file. At some point WCB forced me to give up Physio and despite my surgeon’s order to start a program at their Rehab Centre where I have caught RSD.

Monique Ceresney Delburne,AB ; The WCB is not performing as it was set up to do. It is neccessary to re-evaluate how the decision-making is performed, whether it REALLY protects workers and ensures thier safety and most importantly whether it helps injured workers in a non-adversarial way. Workers should have more options if they feel the board's decisions are not balanced and fair.

Joan Standish Red Deer,Alberta ; WCB needs a complete overhaul. This organization is extremely corrupt. The injured workers of Alberta need to be dealt with fairly, honestly and quickly, with out the interference of the stakeholders(employers). The stakeholders and the case managers are worried about the dollar they may be assessed or the money they won't receive in bonuses for getting injured workers off the benefits they are legally entitled to.

Norman Standish Sr. Red Deer,Alberta ; We have been representing injured workers since 1992 and a complete overhaul of this system is definitely required. We need to stop the corruption that exists. Many injured workers are left with no recourse after they are denied their rightful benefits. More weight and evidence is given to the employers (shareholders) and the WCB own paid doctors than the family physicians, and specialists that the family doctors send the injured workers to.

Benjamin Smeenk Delburne,Ab ; The accountability of insurance companies needs to be maximized while minimizing their corrupt attitudes!

Marc Castonguay Delburne,Alberta ; The WCB dose not take care of injured workers in fact many workers recieve new injuries while in thier care.

Nancy Ror Delburne,Alberta ; I have also been fighting with the WCB for 4 years . Thier actions are despicable. WCB no longer serves the injured worker only the employer/ shareholder . The workers compensation board should be abolished. Alberta Health care already foots the bill for our medical even though WCB has collected premiums on our behalf for years.

Christy Petersen Medicine Hat,Alberta ;WCB.....lies to keep money that belongs to injured workers forcing the injured to deal with a life that no one in a free country should have to live. Criminals have more rights then we do.
It is so sick and perverted. I dont know how the workers of this company can live with the choices they make daily to ruin other peoples lives. children are affected by there actions.

David Kachorowski Edmonton,Alberta ; As a injuried worker, I know and understand the dirty tricks and games played by the WCB Alberta to deny worker benefits, that by law, they are eligible for.

Further, Their use of psuedo professionals to write fictional options to support WCB policies is a clear case of malpractice. This should not be tolerate is a society of law. If a government created agency openly advocates malpractice, It is an in tolerable situation. You can't fight the government and win.......

Brenda Hatt Edmonton, Alberta ;I am one of the many injured employees of the Government of Alberta. I have been fighting WCB for help for almost three years. After reading many of the worker's comments on this site, I am that much more disheartened and depressed in the thinking, I am NEVER going to get the assistance I require in getting back to workable condition. I am working right now, but I am injured and cannot get the help I need. They just keep closing my file.

Donald McMillan Calgary,Alberta ; Had to declare Bankruptcy due to my injury and WCB not accepting my claim

Barry Duxbury Calgary Ab ; I have inoperable back pain due to two work related injuries. WCB accepted responsbility at the beginning but as soon as it became apperant that the two sugeries I had only increased the problem, WCB dropped my claim like a hot potato. I have been fighting them for over 20 years with no results. I have lost everything-my home, my savings,my self respect because I am unable to work. My wife has supported myself and my children until she has succombed to a life threatening disease and cannot work.

Edmonton,Alberta ; I have occipital neuralgia from a slip and fall injury and W.C.B. decided to cut off my benefits and medications which I need and cannot afford. I am appalled at their systematic abuse they give to injured workers and this MUST STOP!!!!!

Sherry Milne Calgary,Alberta ; My husband has suffered for 14 years with no help but pain from WCB! It is about time that the gov't that we elected stand up and do what they said they would do and investigate and get WCB on the right track to truly helping the people they were meant to help. Where is this money going as it is not going to my husband NOR any other injured workers?? Companies should also be asking this question along with every person that will or does collect CPP! Enough is enough!!

Travis Short Calgary,Alberta ; I fell 22 meters from a drilling rig derrick in the winter of 2001, suffering severe multiple injuries, including a brain injury, which WCB claims has "resolved it self" and is therefore no longer a valid part of claim, my left knee needs to be replaced,, but since I am only 40, I have to wait until I am 55 to get it replaced, in the meantime I get by on 150 40 mg tablets of oxycontin a month. I was also forced to return to work, further aggravating my injuries and pain threshold. Suicide?

James Wonnacott Calgary Alberta ; My brother has been suffering from an injury for over 2 years now from using faulty equipment while working for the company Tesla. His arm is now immobilized. WCB hasn't helped him one bit but rather has given him great grief. WCB is full of crooked liars, people with large wallets but little concern for human decency. It's time to end the madness.

Antonieta Broda Edmonton,AB ; For some many years I worked under the belief that the entities that were supposed to protect us are the ones that serve to discard us as damaged human beings.

Connie Dewey Stony Plain,AB ; Workers compensation has no right to make workers except less than what is justly due to them. Everyone who is injured at work should have the right to continue to live in the same manner prior to the accident, not in poverty. That is what this insurance is supposed to be for.

Gene Ostrowski Seven Persons,Alberta ; I am one of the cases that cannot work as per various Doctor's reports and Worker's Compensation pays me 800 Dollars a month when I was making over 5000 Dollars a month when I was injured in 2003 and they expect me to live on this. What a big cutback on wages and they feel this is fair. How is it the Doctors reports are ignored and case workers with no medical training can deem me fit enough to work in order to cut back on paying us what is due to us.

Suzanne Metz Medicine Hat,Alberta ; So often injured workers are expected to return to work when they should not be working. This is totally unacceptable!

Medicine Hat,Alberta ; The WCB and all connected to its administration are extremely corrupt . All should be aware of the bloated and highly
overpaid salaries being awarded to these individuals who basically do not have any respect or concern for WCB claimants.They are only in the organization to financially line their own pockets,WCB is a total disgrace , in need of a complete overhaul and dismissal of the people who run it.

Charles Boyce Stony Plain,AB ; I can't beleive this is allowed to happen in a western democracy

Deanna Pilon Fort Kent,Alberta ; My hubby still cant work and WCB didn't care...he did their cookie cutter routines that worked on other parts of his body but not the injured knee...if fact it did worse for the knee than good and they said because he finished the rehab he was better...HE STILL CANNOT WORK!!

Larry Hansen Medicine Hat,Alberta ; WCB totally disregarded my case of chemical poisoning in the workplace rejecting my claim while I had already been diagnosed and was receiving treatment====

Nora Yaghi Edmonton,AB ; I was injured at age 23 and now for the rest of my life I have to live with an injury that restricts me everyday even thought it's not as visible as others injuries. The WCB says my lifetime compensation amount is a percentage of $70,000 depending on how they measure it. Keep in mind they can't measure chronic pain and severe depression.

Earl Forrest Edmonton,Alberta ; I have been treated unjustly by WCB on two different claims an injury claim and a progressive injury claim. Both times I was denied they came up with a reason that made no sense. It is a very stressful thing to go through, and we all as workers should have an organization to trust in if we are injured at work. WCB needs to change and start doing what there name says. Compensating!!!!!!

Monica Weiss Red Deer,AB ; My husband is currently a victim of the WCB's shenanigans... he is facing a condition caused by his injury that may render him unable to work permanently. The WCB has received numerous orders that he is to attend specialized treatments in Edmonton or Camrose, and not to continue with their treatment schedule. Our family unit has suffered due to the stress that the WCB has placed on Ron as it aggravates his condition of RSD. They threaten to stop his pay if he doesn't attend THEIR schedule.

Rob Willis Calgary,Ab ; The soul-less members of the WCB, DRB, and Appeals Commission have obscured, ignored or neglected all pertinent evidence regarding my claim.....it's criminal and immoral.
The entire system should be scrapped.
The members should be prosecuted and incarcerated for crimes against humanity!

" It cannot be said that the Board is independent insofar as the worker is concerned. It is a Board set up to protect the employers. The Board is funded by the employers, and the Board has a duty and probably a primary duty to protect the employer. In relation to the worker, the Board has an overwhelming wealth of knowledge and experience. It has the financial ability to fund sophisticated investigations involving highly qualified experts and have the material presented to them, guided, orchestrated and propounded by its in-house counsel responsible to the Board and paid for by the Board. The application of any standards under the rules of natural justice would identify such circumstances as being unequal in negotiating ability and unfair. This is not a level playing field, it is not fair, and it offends the basic principles of natural justice."
- Justice Maclean - Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Wilson v. Medicine Hat (City) [1999] A. J. No. 269 (February 3, 1999)

These are just some of the comments as this blog would be endless, but I hope there is enough here to make people aware of the abuse, manipulation and the deceit of the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta, along with criminal activities as fraud, manipulation of personal and medical information, intimidation and threats, physical, emotional and mental abuse just to name a few. Something must be done, our Government allows this to happen , WHY? cause they are there for the Corporations not for the people and when dealing like that, the Corporations become more corrupt and so does our Government.

An Apology and advice to the Alberta Government

Before I go to much into this I want to say that all that has been written in my blog I still standby it.The comments on Government, Provincially and Federally are still responsible for the WCB's across Canada, with that said it has come to my attention (via freedom of information)that the Alberta Government has done somewhat of an inquiry into my situation. The information I supplied to the GoA,in all honesty,pertained to the actions of manipulation of financial and personal information (now it has included medical). The GoA had received responses from the WCB of Alberta and those replies are not answers, as per your questions about my claim;information was withheld by the WCB and only part of the situation was answered. WCB admitted that they did not give all the financial information and passed the blame to the department of Social Services. My main complaint was the double dipping into the finances that was claimed I owed to their department and that when I originally made these accusations, it was due to T-5 tax statements made by the WCB of Alberta for the years of 2003 and 2008, both to the extremes, 2003 claimed I made approximately $24,000.00 more then my benefits; 2008 stated I only made $943.11 when they also claimed that I was paying back $818.00 per month towards overpayments, which they withheld 100% and forced my family to Social Services.
Now how can I make $818.00 per month and yet only receive $943.11 for the whole year; especially when I am being investigated for not reporting the $818.00 per month, of which I did inform the Department of at the beginning of assistance, but a year later am told that I had to report it each month.During that time WCB had been ordered by the Appeals Commission to supply me with regular updates on my claim pertaining to financial interactions, which had obviously not been done. WCB also stated in their communications to the GoA that I did not comply with the Appeals Commission's request to hand over all WCB benefit cheque stubs, therefore I was non-compliant and they did not have to proceed any further. The WCB of Alberta has put the blame on Social Assistance and myself for their mishandling of my claim, but that does not excuse them from everything else that happened,(example; information handed to the Appeals Commission after the hearing that purposely defends the claims manager in the manner of financial mistakes made by "her" not by the payment specialist's). That then creates another matter for investigation,this particular claim needs to addressed directly and not by WCB staff like it has been for the past few years all that does is allow the WCB to keep re-writing information that will reflect accuracy of their financial statements that they have used to remove monies for the same overpayment numerous times. The GoA has been told lies and half truths by the WCB of Alberta pertaining to my situation, as well as the F.O.I.P office has taken a very long time to go through my information before handing it me (as of July 8,2009 I have only received half of it and was ordered in March 2009),with a large amount of information being withheld from disclosure.
I am apologizing to the Government of Alberta for many of things I have said towards your lack of intervention, mainly due to the information that the WCB has supplied back to the Premier and Minister's that did inquire into my claim, was inaccurate, half truths and dealt with the present finances; not directly with the complaints that were originally made to your office .
I would like to offer some advice to the GoA pertaining to the WCB and the claimants that contact your offices on a daily basis, listen to the injured workers and be more thorough on information received from the WCB, when WCB sends back letters advising that they made a mistake on a financial amount and inform you of the "real" amount and it is twice that original amount; then you should question the actions of the WCB and have things investigated immediately. As it says in the F.I.O.P documents that I have received so far; the replying agent for WCB,sends requests for permission and answers from another department before answering your inquiries.
One last piece of advise I would like to add Mr.Premier is that please let the complainants such as myself, be more informed of Government intervention and actions, that will cease any doubts of non-compliance by this Government. A investigation is needed into this organization,WCB is under R.I.C.O investigation in the States http://www.riskandinsurance.com/story.jsp?storyId=185931550&topic=Main ;the main difference here in Canada is that the WCB has judicial protection; the Justice Minister has been claiming to do "GET HARD ON ORGANIZED CRIME" well remember that CORPORATE CRIME is also ORGANIZED CRIME.

Dear Prime Minister Harper and any other Politician that claims to stand for Canadians

After all the searching that has been done by myself and other injured workers, we are curious as to why with the Free Trade Agreement that there is an agreement pertaining to labour, namely the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation.

PREAMBLE
- protect, enhance and enforce basic workers' rights

Article 5: Procedural Guarantees

"1. Each Party shall ensure that its administrative, quasiiudicial, judicial and labor tribunal proceedings for the enforcement of its labor law are fair, equitable and transparent and, to this end, each Party shall provide that:

(a) such proceedings comply with due process of law;

(b) any hearings in such proceedings are open to the public, except where the administration of justice otherwise requires;

(c) the parties to such proceedings are entitled to support or defend their respective positions and to present information or evidence; and

(d) such proceedings are not unneccessarily complicated and do not entail unreasonable charges or time limits or unwarranted delays.

2. Each Party shall provide that final decisions on the merits of the case in such proceedings are:

(a) in writing and preferably state the reasons on which the decisions are based;

(b) made available without undue delay to the parties to the proceedings and, consistent with its law, to the public; and

(c) based on information or evidence in respect of which the parties were offered the opportunity to be heard.

3. Each Party shall provide, as appropriate, that parties to such proceedings have the right, in accordance with its law, to seek review and, where warranted, correction of final decisions issued in such proceedings.

4. Each Party shall ensure that tribunals that conduct or review such proceedings are impartial and independent and do not have any substantial interest in the outcome of the matter.

5. Each Party shall provide that the parties to administrative, quasijudicial, judicial or labor tribunal proceedings may seek remedies to ensure the enforcement of their labor rights. Such remedies may include, as appropriate, orders, compliance agreements, fines, penalties, imprisonment, injunctions or emergency workplace closures.

6. Each Party may, as appropriate, adopt or maintain labor defense offices to represent or advise workers or their organizations.

7. Nothing in this Article shall be construed to require a Party to establish, or to prevent a Party from establishing, a judicial system for the enforcement of its labor law distinct from its system for the enforcement of laws in general.

8. For greater certainty, decisions by each Party's administrative, quasijudicial, judicial or labor tribunals, or pending decisions, as well as related proceedings shall not be subject to revision or reopened under the provisions of this Agreement".

Pertaining to Article 5 the only enforcement is where the WCB’s and employers are concerned, they are given protection of their Quasi-judicial tribunals, however the injured worker has no protection from the abuse that takes place against their very daily living, from mental stress to poverty ,from denial of medical treatment to being forced into an employment that is in direct conflict with the injury, along with the information manipulation that so many injured workers are forced into dealing with. Degrees of injury re-written months or years later as to a lesser degree, financial information that is re-written so blatantly that any ordinary person can see the fraud and corruption within this organization also personal information written as to the benefit of the WCB’s where have literally charged innocent injured workers of criminal acts and then penalizing the injured more then the courts have already done. There are many types of fraud but this type also reflects the quality of Government across Canada, if this world wide organization is to be an arm’s length of Government (Federal law mandates WCB in each Province, therefore Federal Government should police the actions if the provincial Governments do nothing) with all the powers of Canada within its hands, including Court of Queens Bench status that commits these and crimes against Humanity (yes does qualify) it shows to us that injured workers are disposable which enables abuse towards them in the same manner as physical or mentally handi-capped with the exception they have protection; injured are abuse in the worst possible sense, animals get better treatment. You may ask why does this happen, the answer is simple, WCB’s across Canada have billions in their accounts and are controlled by the employers; Millions of dollars are funneled through the WCB to safety organizations and rebates to employers that have been found guilty of labour violations. To any person that has any intelligence this has the markings of money laundering, does this mean our Governments practice this type of criminal activity? If so then maybe it is time we as Canadians took back our country and jail all those that have been part of the Canada wide corruption as accessories to the fact.

"It cannot be said that the Board is independent insofar as the worker is concerned. It is a Board set up to protect the employers. The Board is funded by the employers, and the Board has a duty and probably a primary duty to protect the employer. In relation to the worker, the Board has an overwhelming wealth of knowledge and experience. It has the financial ability to fund sophisticated investigations involving highly qualified experts and have the material presented to them, guided, orchestrated and propounded by its in-house counsel responsible to the Board and paid for by the Board. The application of any standards under the rules of natural justice would identify such circumstances as being unequal in negotiating ability and unfair. This is not a level playing field, it is not fair, and it offends the basic principles of natural justice."- Justice Maclean - Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Wilson v. Medicine Hat (City) [1999] A. J. No. 269 (February 3, 1999)

IBEW 424 Where are you ?

I was there when Tim (present Business Associate) was working with George at dispatch, now he is least to my knowledge business manager, regardless of placement he knows my story as he was there from the beginning.
But the main part that gets me is why? ,(when George was alive) my situation was conflict of interest?
George was administrative to the IBEW and also on the WCB board, is this why I have not received assistance from my "BROTHERS ?
Having my rights been taken away?
No assistance for all the years of dues I paid?
Insurance is non-existent, how many years of payment to the employees benefit plan?
No representation other then qualifications for job placement?
My family has to live in poverty with no medical or dental for me and my wife?
We have to go through all this bull just because those I thought were there for me turned out only to be there to better there own lives?
When I worked for IBEW. it was all together or stand alone, thats why I stood to picket and fight the non-union (remember Hinton or A.E.C pulp mill)what do I get ?
No more I am now officially against UNIONS cause the brotherhood is not there.

Abuse and Coverup by Quasi-judicial system in Alberta

All information has been collected directly from Claim ######## November 9th 2007


 Tthe financial workings of the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta, it does not include all previous evidence that called for with Appeals Commission Audit.

On January 26th, 2006, I had a hearing in front of the Appeals Commission, pertaining to an audit on my claim. When the audit was about to be put in front of the Appeals Commission ,a letter from Murry McIntosh dated January 12th, 2006 warning the appeals commission not to proceed with the portion of the audit pertaining to the charges he set against me in October of 2005 as he insinuates that I am appealing for forgiveness on the alleged fraud (June 2004 requested an audit on my claim) or they would be subpoenaed into court (we agreed between us that the appeal was prior to said situation, although all audits pertained after the fact).

The hearing chair had voted in favor of myself, with the chair asking for an internal audit, the audits that were done by order of the chair were neither proper or accurate; here are the reasons as why I feel it has not been done correctly, even though I have been informed by WCB that it is correct and true, letter from case manager March 22, 2007

I. WCB claims that all cheques issued to in my name are considered income on the T5 taxation for the year 2003 states that I made over $44,000.00, which included computer, reimbursements, travel & meal allowance, loan/advance, school tuition and supplies, according to Revenue Canada only paid benefits were to be on T5, : repercussion of as of June 2004, caused my family to lose our GST rebate and lowered our child tax credits,: In May 2004, my WCB benefits were originally cut off , by end of May reinstated, which time my benefits were set at a deemed position as if I had passed my schooling and working in that profession.

II. Pre-accident earnings for 1999 listed at different amounts

• letter from Shirlyann Garlinski dated May 19th, 2005, states $58,280,93 gross pay

• Rate and earning detail dated April 8th, 2004 states $48,225.89 gross and $29,515.63 net

III. July 10th, 2003 and August 06th, 2003 payments were questioned by the appeals advisor as too why these payments were issued and then deleted creating an over payment? It was explained as duplicate payments, but would not produce canceled cheques as requested:

• Note on file by Romaine Nadue payment specialist May 17th, 2004 states that “ As for the reason these payments were issued and then deleted I do not know”

IV. Same overpayments removed numerous times:



• December 20th 2001 letter on file States ‘overpayments from claims 35801 & 40801 were withheld from retro payment.

• February 18th 2003 Rob VanDoesburg case manager letter claims 35801 & 40801 were removed once again by claims manager, explanation was “ it was talked about ,but never recovered”;

• February 17th, 2006 Lorinda Thome payment specialist memo audit states that overpayment from claim # 358 01 was recovered from TPD owed to the claimant of $15,249.31. (No date as to when this was done) leaving $10,810.33 for adjustment. Remainder went to non attendance overpayment, (3 years apart?)


• Lorinda Thome payment specialist March 20th, 2006 memo audit states $4,439.08 is still outstanding from claim 358-01

• letter dated June 14th, 2006 from claims manager page 9 paragraph 2 states that $4,439.08 is still outstanding from claim 358-01

V. Claim payment list dated February 25th, 2004 states that cheque # 367069* was requested on December 19th , 2001 for the period of 1/1/00 to 9/23/01 and issued on February 19th 2003 (over a year later and listed as an overpayment) with various amounts listed to the cheque:

• With the request amount and the payment amount the first request amount is ######## (exactly as list is written in financial information; true amount unknown) payment amount $13,597.68.
• request amount $1,564.64 payment $1,564.64,
• request amount $8,754.64 payment amount $8,754.64 ,
• request amount $37.17 payment amount $37.17 ,
• request amount $1,117.62 payment amount $1,117.62 .

* Yet cheque # 367069 was issued at the amount of $5,503.66 (with overpayments from previous claim and this claim taken off) which translates into $19,568.09 paid to overpayments which did not exist.
On the payment list there is a cheque #367068 which was written the same day for the amount of $1,261.36, although it is on the list with the amount of $1,207.14 along with overpayment deduction.


IV. April 2003 I requested an advance/ loan, which was granted to me with a 12% interest charge and listed as income, which has since been called an overpayment by WCB; with a 5 year with a payment plan that was to be ongoing to March 2008 @ $223.00 monthly payments: (The loan  paid off prior to this letter being written).

• Letter dated March 29th 2004 over payment details from Marg Sapkos payment specialist states that total of loan is $13,022.10 , with $11,015.10 remaining on loan as there were only 9 payments made out of 20 , interest calculated needs to be revised and additional interest added ( all payments are deducted prior to cheques released)

• June 29th, 2004, $3,022.10 calculated as interest which was manually added to the overpayment/ loan (double interest?)

• Lorinda Thome payment specialist November 2nd, 2005 memo states that as of 30/9/05 loan balance is $6,555.10


• Lorinda Thome March 20th, 2006 memo audit states the $8,369.21 remains outstanding on advance.


• Letter dated June 14th, 2006 from claims manager page 9 paragraph 2 states that $8369.21 remains outstanding on loan as per memo of March 20th, 2006. updated amount was requested

• Letter of September 18th , 2007 states that only $239.18 remains owing on loan

V. Although each audit that has been done the main reference to monies owed is from those charges, with each audit is a different amount calculated as to the monies owing for the same time period:

• Inquiry dated May10th, 2004 stating that there is an overpayment of $14,659.67 left on claim # 01.

• Marg Sapkos payment specialist memo October 26th 2004 further summary to March 29, audit claims $26,230.81 overpayment from nonattendance

• Mr. McIntosh fraud investigator October 2005 claims $22,872.73

• March 20th, 2006 by payment specialist Lorinda Thome states that $22,776.50 is left owing due to non-attendance at school.

• Shirlyann Garlinski , letter of July 14th, 2006, Quoting from memo audit of March 20th, 2006, that $18,337.42 overpayment was due to my non attendance.

• WCB lawyer claims just over $13,000.00, July 16th, 2007 court proceedings

• Shirleyann Garlinski claims manager letter of September 18th, 2007, quotes $19,308.23is remaining amount of over payment from not attending school, and $239.18 remaining on loan.

• Janet Welch case supervisor e-mail November 5th, 2007 states that amount owing now $14, 648.65. ELP benefits now listed $816.46 which is automatically going into over payments, has been since July 1st, 2007.


Court was concluded on July 30th, 2007; therefore I was already forcibly paying back on overpayment before a fixed amount was determined, the amount owed or paid is unknown to me as well as on the advance/loan.



I have no idea as to how much is owed or owing as all the calculations are mixed up, along with unmatching check numbers/monies not accounted for when compared to audit and other financial information along with monies proven to be removed more then once. It is unknown as to how many times the same monies have been removed and claimed that it has not been collected. January 26th, 2006, Appeals Commission informed WCB to list all deductions. To this date WCB has yet to co-operate.

From all that I can see from going though my file is that any cheques issued to me that state on them “user changes” comes back as an over payment, when I questioned this to my claims manager in 2003, I was informed that it was due to my changing of the payment schedule when I requested to have my benefit cheque picked up on a Friday instead of a Monday as it was already written up and ready to mail; however this was not the case in December 2001. There are many such cheques stating user changes when I was receiving benefits.

Along with the unknown amounts mentioned above; also unknown as to the amount of time frame that WCB has decided the monies are owed for:

• In letter from September 5th, 2007 WCB claims non attendance from April 7th, 2003 – April 30th, 2004

• November 2nd, 2004 letter states non-attendance from September 2003 onward.

• WCB submitted a claim on court documents for non-attendance to school from February 1st, 2003 to July 28th, 2004, (more then scheduled school).

• Court agreement between lawyers states that it was from October 13th, 2003 – April 30th, 2004

As of July 1st 2007, though my claim is still open I no longer receive benefits as 100% goes towards over-payments, I do not receive any information as to amounts paid and to my knowledge that when all collected , although claims manager stated that I would receive updates.

Although I had an appeal on February 4th, 2007, I was informed that the appeals commission will not deal with the over payments, just the audit that was requested by the appeals commission on January 26th, 2006, will be considered. Any appeal to the Dispute Resolution and Decision Review Body pertaining to overpayments will not be addressed again “as it was to be addressed by the Appeals Commission” letter of September 19th, 2007 from claims manager.


Thank You Sincerely

(Revised February 5th, 2008)

(Added April 8th, 2008)
As of receiving the appeal commission’s decision Dated February 15th, 2008, even with this information above shared with the commission, they found the audit to be correct and true. They therefore ordered I hand over all cancelled cheque stubs to WCB within 60 days of dated letter, to compare to their payment list or I am to forfeit any future claims towards audits. Appeals commission stated that a letter from claims manager June 14th, 2006 pertaining to monies owed from previous claim was written in error and had been recovered in 2001, but this does not explain the other letters from previous claims manager/ payment specialists audit or the deductions that have been removed for the said overpayments. The Appeals commission also makes reference to the information above,” as that they did not receive this information from WCB in the file package”.

UPDATE:
As of July /07, my family was forced to Social Services, September 2008 WCB informs Social Services that I am making $816.00 per month, I am then again under FRAUD INVESTIGATION, all assistance cut off. T-5 for the fiscal year from WCB $911.43. Hows that for Fraud and manipulation.

Provincial Government agencies all work together?

In 1999 was when I suffered my last work related injury ( which reoccurred for the forth time), I was forced into fighting for my claim with the Alberta Workers Compensation Board as my Doctor said enough is enough, to many times I had re-injured my lower back and hips, with over a year off each time; and each time to be cut off by WCB for what ever reason they came up with. This last time was a fight that took almost two years of paper and WCB personal shuffle, living those months I will never forget. First my employer Tracer Canada Inc, which is a company out of the U.S; who's representative had stopped my doctor in the hallway leading up to the examination room I was in. My employer's representative (safety officer) requested to the doctor NOT to list this as a lost time injury, regardless of what had happened; my doctor REFUSED. I then returned to the job site with more medical appointments for chiropractor,physiotherapy and my doctor for the next week. My employer then set me on light duty at work, mainly paper work of schedules and material confirmations. The safety officer for the company informed me that he would be taking me to my appointments so the company would know first hand what is happening with my injury,but when it was time for appointments I was informed I had to find my own transportation to the appointment; without my own vehicle as I car pooled to work, I was forced to walk/ hitch hike 5 miles to town then across town to the doctors office; while re-injuring myself along the way. That had happened 3 separate times and my employer making comments of "Alberta WCB's treatment of the injured worker was to lenient, this would never happen in the states; time to get the WCB laws changed so the workers can't be faking it". My last appointment with the doctor after he received the reports from the chiropractor and physiotherapist stated I could no-longer return to my trade as an electrician, so into WCB's hands I went.After two and a half months of WCB's physical rehabilitation, their answer to everything whether you are physically capable or not, which I wasn't. Due to the pain and immobility they inflicted upon me by their routine of therapy,which after three weeks,I had re-structured myself in order to decrease the pain and increase my mobility to enable myself to be there each day so I wasn't penalized or cut off benefits. It had come to the point of a supervisor making a comment to the therapist "why do we pay you when the claimant sets their own program, which in turn caused me more pain an immobility again to the point of not being able to lift myself out of bed or even to sit and get back up again without a type of mechanical assistance; it was then I was cut off and forced to fight in appeals. During my fight in the Appeals process the department of Child Services came into the picture, they had heard I did not have an income, the children were going without food and that I was abusing the children due to the stress of fighting the WCB. They then decided to monitor our household 24/7 claiming it would only be a few days, it turned out to be 54 days of constant watching, my wife and I were forced to sleep with our bedroom door open as we found a listening device beside it. My WCB files had been gone through as was all the information I had been gathering to enable me to proceed with my appeal, which some of that was copied down into our "baby sitters" daily statements.On the 54th day Social Services took our children into their custody due to my second oldest getting two swats on the butt for putting two rather large holes in the new drywall that had been completed a month before, of which the child had been warned that would happen if there was to be any more holes in the wall, which is why it was redone in the first place. Two years of fighting the department of Social Services, only to find out in the court room that they too practice file manipulation as does the WCB, those two swats on the butt with the flat of my hand were written down as multiple excessive punches upon the child's body. What all this had done to our family was devastating enough, but to have to live in a community that heard what the Social Workers claimed made living there very hard, threats continually, literally having to physically defend myself from others that didn't know me or my wife and friends going to odds with each other over this whole mess. As I was attempting to start my own business and everything else going, on we decided to move to the country so I would could show my determination towards and have less overhead for my business; which I was penalized by WCB for not getting their permission to move to that location ; but if I moved to the city they would have paid for my movers and covered first months rent(according to Rob VanDoesburg clam's manager, who was no-longer my claims manager after I moved)

In the mean time I had won my appeal from the WCB, even with the mis-information from my employer and WCB as I was able to show on file that they had conspired together on manipulation of information in order to have my claim denied and another year and a half later we won our court case against the Department of Social Services; although we now had four very messed up children, so messed up that one child had to be put on medications for behavioral problems (not our choice)that were created from being shifted from foster home to foster home.I found that WCB and Social Services both use improper medical and psychological tactics, even in using the worst professionals that are out there, re-writing information, contradicting themselves and posing a holier then thou attitude, all this just to show that worker or claims manger was always right and everyone else is wrong, to the point of withholding information from the professionals that were hired by my wife and I to assist us in correcting what ever wrongs we may have done; which we found out later in court we had not committed any wrong's.
But again WCB and Social Services have teamed up together, it seems that when they want you and your family to live in poverty they will go to any lengths to keep it that way, as I am once again facing charges from trying to keep my family fed, if I didn't then I would be on charges again for not feeding my family

Who's the malingerer and abuser of the system?

I was last re-injured in August 99 and the 3 times prior,of which I was also off work for over a year by DR's orders. Each time I was forced back to work and each time resulting in more damage to my body.This last time has had to be the most strenuous situation I have ever been in my life of 45 years,with deeming of employment of an occupation that is stated for its high rate of back injuries; then there's employers that refuse to hire due to increase of their WCB premiums as I am "HIGH RISK" employee; to whom the WCB refer me too ? To the Labour Board on grounds of discrimination.

All my life I enjoyed inventing and being creative, with wood, metal or combination of both in many various ways, with electrical , welding and carpentry experience, creating was endless. As I had shown WCB of Alberta; my portable Work station.
My plan was simple to me as I already had a National Retailer interested, basic proto-type built and a Canadian manufacture ready to go on completion and testing of proto-type, all I requested was the means for materials and proper equipment.Since I started the portable work station, I have built many more multi-purpose tools that assist me in my injury; which was(amongst other plans) stated in my business proposal to WCB. WCB then hired The Business Development Bank of Canada to take over my "portable work station", their proposal on my behalf was way out of line,pertaining to my overhead costs and marketing, my calculated cost was at least 50% less and marketing already covered; but I was also given a 45% chance of success rate even though all I had was a rough proto-type. Needless to say this is how the rest started.Later I attempted to gain my own Government grants and financing to manufacture other items such as portable fencing for one, I was unable to gain any assistance due to being under the WCB of Alberta's care. I was informed it was the responsibility of the WCB to assist me in my endeavors, it was at that time I gave up on trying to take over my own life.

I was attempting to get out of the WCB at that time and since, as I already knew I hated dealing with them, from prior experience. The last time I was in WCB's rehabilitation center, I had to force them to put me in a work out program that wasn't causing as much pain and injury. First it was tread mill set at a speed calculated by the length of my legs and arms,speed was to fast and hand rails too low; almost fell on my face, 3 days for pain to subside.Next was a go-no-where bike,with a back and hip injury already, more of I cant do; all this was to raise my heart rate. I recommended climbing stairs , there at least I had a hand rail for stability and at my own pace.Later I requested a leg press instead of squats with a box full of weights,that was refused as well as anything else I wanted to prevent more pain and immobility, all due to the supervisors comment of "who are the trained professionals here". On account of the unnecessary situation I was put in, where I was unable to participate in my program from the physical results of the day before, I was denied benefits for the time I was not participating, for listening to them I received not only pain and immobility but financial penalty as well.
To me it seems as if anything an injured worker wants to do for themselves is prevented, even in their act it states that they are the authority of the claimant, in every way shape and form. If I were to hire a lawyer in a 3rd party law suit that caused my injury, I would need WCB of Alberta's permission to proceed.That is only if they allow it,you and your lawyer become property of the Alberta WCB. If you are successful, monies are not be distributed by the court without the permission of the WCB; which at that time you will receive after all legal costs accrued by the WCB, only 25%.
For any of you that have followed my blog or have read other postings,I am not a "malingerer nor an abuser of the system", but the more I deal with WCB the more I see of false accusations pointed from the very people that are guilty of the those accusations. Who's the malingerer and abuser of the system?

If you read the comment below you will see that WCB employees take great pride in their "LAW" that enables them to commit these crimes and abuses, along with the arrogance , mis-information and belittlement that they utter, just ask any employer what happens when they hire anyone that has had a WCB claim.It is also typical of WCB employees to send the injured back to work into employment that is neither compliant to injury or that the worker is qualified for. The WCB employee is a brain washing tool to the public and a liar and manipulator to the injured.

Fun TImes Compensation High

First a little about me, I started working out of home at 13 , while going to school, as a stock boy and later pump jockey. I left home by 15 with a last academic grade completion of 6. I wrote a type of equivalency test for a welding course at 17, which gave me grade 12 equivalent, tried trade school 2 years later, but was unable to compete academically. About 10 years later I attempted an apprenticeship, succeeded to 4th year, stayed a 4th year for 6 years, with multiple injury claims between , all pertaining to an original injury in 1992. I had low scores but enough to pass, at that time there was a push for tradesman an as long as your experience was there , you basically passed. However I knew I would not be able to pass the Provincial test.
After my last injury WCB wanted to send me to school for electrical engineer, I did pass the entrance exam for pre-technology course, but not knowledged enough in academics for completion. WCB refuse me upgrading as was requested by an educational Institution,so I wanted to start my own business, hopefully with a little assistance from WCB. Although I already had a national retailer to be an exclusive to a portable work bench that I registered as an industrial design.
WCB informed me that I know nothing of Business so therefore I must go to Business Administration. We will send you right back to school then you can make the monies needed to build your business; pass , fail or drop out we are done with you.
Well, knowing that I would not be able to complete again due to class qualifications, even the Institution questioned it. WCB got me in from stating "well he was registered last year", (April/May 2003)the secretary allowed me in. I had started an appeal almost immediately, knowing that it would be a few months before I got any answer, by October I had not heard from appeals adviser pertaining to appeal, left message, I contacted claim supervisor to inform him of my situation, he took my statement down and wrote its as I wished not to got school due to vehicle problems and other reasons on file. This is where the fraud charges from non-attendance to school originated.Turned out Appeals Adviser was no-longer working there and I wasn't informed, appeal papers sat on managers desk for approx 6 months, the one year time limit for appeal had passed .
Earlier that spring, I had already been questioning 1 overpayment on my claim that had been removed 3 times, with your basic runaround by claims manger, and other over payment's that seemed to accumulate over night. I then received my T-5 for the year 2003, floored me, thought I was the highest paid WCB recipient ever, but knew it wasn't true. I then went through my cheques, talked to Revenue Canada, was told to send it back to WCB and have them correct it. That never happened,I requested an audit of my claim; instead about 4 months later I am under fraud investigation, I told them I was happy they are taking me to court so I can show how they manipulated my claim file, everything was good, until court day. My lawyer had assured me that we could beat , then court day I am informed that "we do not" have the necessary information to prove manipulation, what happened there I still do not know. He informed me to plead guilty for defrauding WCB for the months of October 13th 2003 to April 30th 2004 or face jail time. SO I did, as a father with young children and 1 that is handicapped I figured he knew best, boy was I wrong.

The rest is all documented though my blog, I now have more information about file manipulation , pertaining to that time and since. OH yes in 2007, just before court, I received a letter from my claims manager that"I WAS"offered upgrading but chose a different path, apparently it was offered at the time I was scheduled for school, same time THEY refused it. Talk about Manipulating information, no other record on file pertaining to such offer.

Steven Harper you listening to Canadians or just making false claims?

Mr.Harper has included in his budget funds for the unemployed as they don't go into poverty. What help is there for the injured workers of Canada that are forced to live in poverty for many years now. The Workers Compensation Boards in Canada (which is Federally legislated that all Provinces must have) are no less then legal racketeering corporations that are protected by our Government, no court action may be taken against them, as they are their own entity, unqualified person's making legal decisions that go against common law, criminal law and the Canadian Charter of rights thus making criminals of innocent people.

Injured workers across Canada have the evidence of fraud, harassment, threats against person or property and just plain outright manipulation of information. I ask you Mr.Harper where is the help that these people, who literally broke their bodies to build this country, that truly need the assistance and intervention of a responsible Government. Where is the justice with this organization? Your new announcement on organized crime in Canada is a step forward, but what about so-called government arms length branches like Workers Compensation Boards in Canada that get away with this and more they have been given to many rights while the rights of injured workers is non-existent.