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 .

How I got to this Point

Over an 18 year period, I went from barely able to walk due to being denied proper medical treatment, where the medical professional was  recommended by others, not by myself, but by many of who have a questionable reputation; too losing almost everything, including my family and sanity.

1992:
2nd yr Electrical apprentice: Alpac Project in Northern Alberta, was working on the “Chipper”, which is a long walk up the steps, 4 other co-workers and I were the first up the stairs, seemed like a nice day out there, cloud cover breaking with the morning sun and warming up, to keep the November air just perfect for work.
Add 2” of snow during the night, the pines are looking beautiful along the horizon, I was first to grab the hand rail and go up, next thing I knew my right leg came up, w/knee hitting my shoulder, left leg does a side-ways 90 degree angle from my upper body to the right side under my right hip and that is how I hit the ground, “Tin Bashers” had left a sheet tin on the ground, right at the base of the stair case of the chipper.

I can remember the pain, along with my 1st instinct, when in pain react to it, I got up w/help from my colleges, was able to stand but not able to climb the stairs, so I was put on the “REEL” to spin off cable for the conveyor belt of the Chipper. Reel was about 75-80 yard’s away it took me 15 minutes to get there when I did I fell on the reel, after about 30 mins I was unable to spin cable off the reel, so I was told to go back to the lunch trailer, about 100 yards away, and wait for the foreman and a nurse, this was about 7:45 -8:00 am.
10am coffee break I was 20 yards from the Lunch trailer, my co-workers saw me and carried me the rest of the way, (they were on top inside the chipper the whole time), no-one else knew I was injured (except the foreman).

It took time for me to feel everything that was wrong with me, even after I seen the Doctor for the first time, which was 4 hours later, during that time I waited for my Foreman and a nurse, all I got was Foreman (w/ aspirin in his hand), General Foreman and Job-site Manager all came an talked to me, told me that I will have to fill out WCB forms so they can contact WCB and make them aware immediately. It was a claims manager from WCB that called me at the job site (they brought the phone to the lunch trailer) asking me questions on my injury, I told him I don’t know as I haven’t seen a doctor yet, he then informed me of my rights under the Act as per medical attention, and he will have a doctor ready for me Lac La Biche, approx 30 miles away, half of it rough bush roads, I was informed to get to my bunk in camp and wait there until the ambulance came to get me.

In the next few hours I was accused of “Malingering”, “looking for a free ride” etc, etc; I used a wall to assist me in walking I fought hard to take each step, most of the pain I felt under my right knee cap, as it was so painful that I barely felt the pain in my hips and lower back, I took it as symptom of the knee, not the opposite, as that is what I was told by the Doctor, who the WCB had lined up for me before I got there, which I ended up driving myself, as they were waiting on Ambulance to bring me in, that in itself brings up more questions then I can get answers.
For three days I went to him, driving back and forth to camp, as the Company wanted to keep it “lost time prevention”, I took 5 separate injections under my knee cap each visit then asked "If my knee felt better", after taking those shots under the kneecap I wasn’t feeling any pain from the meds I was given, but 3 hours later it sure didn’t help, I was right back to the max pain level of a 10+, sitting in camp alone , with other trades men, yelling through the walls to “quit that moaning and suck it up” .

That was the original injury which went undiagnosed, until 2.5 years later due to a re-injury, physio-therapist then put my hip back into place, which was refused to be such by the Alberta WCB, automatically it is a new claim and they used the old injury as a deduction of Medical/Financial/ rehabilitation responsibilities.

Between 1992 and 1999, I experienced 4 separate situations like this and each time was off work for over a year, only difference is that in 1999 my Doctor said “enough is enough”, this mans body cant keep taking this punishment of cut him off and return him to work so he can only come back again, . A year long battle broke out on this in appeals, of which time I had no income what so ever and the repercussions my family went through was more then outrageous; it was criminal.

I fought the WCB claims manager & Employer; as together, they created false information pertaining my length of employment, hours and day of lay-off, I thank my union for supplying me with the information I needed to win that appeal, and I do hold them accountable for misrepresentation of a worker in many ways, but that is not what this story is about.

WCB put me through their vocational program, my resumes were mixed with other peoples information, not mine; they gave me questionnaires to determine a new profession, they refused most due to the schooling costs; they then requested I write an entrance exam to an accredited School for Electrical Engineering, was accepted; by that December the school had a letter written up stating that “I do not have the academic back ground for the completion of the Pre-technical course that was required to enter Electrical Engineering.”

So I was then informed of my monthly pension, which I would be collecting, and on that I was not able to support my family as I did prior; unless I can come up with a permanent solution.

I came up with a “Portable Work Station”, many uses, made specifically for people who enjoy D.Y.I projects. I created it due to my hobbies of wood, metal, lapidary and other projects I have enjoyed during my life, it could even be converted easily into small portable office. It was built to hold tools (power /hand), material, 300lb weight capacity, extend-able, height adjustable, everything I needed to work with my injury.

I then made up a few drawings and then took the materials I had and created a semi-prototype of what I wanted, you must remember this was with material I had handy; nothing was bought, as I had no money for that.
I did a test of it in my garage, worked not to bad; I then went through the process of pricing material to build another, did more testing, fixing where I found fault in structure, I needed the proper equipment to do this, so off to find the Financing I need.

I made presentations to various Retailers and Distributors, in hopes of getting a break in Financing; I found a national retailer that wanted to handle my Work Station but would only buy in lots of 1500 and payable within 90 days. In order to reach that amount of product I needed to know manufacturing costs, I had a manufacturer set up that would go over my design, blue print it, minimal cash up front as he knew my situation, to be my sole manufacturer, but not until I sent them the finished, tested proto-type for production. I had other designs drawn up as well, from mobility aids for handi-capped, portable fencing and other designs/plans in various fields, all non-related with P.W.S, which were all included in my business plan to the WCB; of which they took out of my hands and placed it in the hands of the Business Development Bank of Canada.

The B.D.B.C had given the Portable Work Station a 45% chance of success w/out a proper proto-type having been built, it was their startup costs of the venture that I disagreed with.
My calculated cost was just over $70,000.00; $50,000.00 less than business plan that the B.D.B.C had written up for the WCB, it was rejected.

I was informed by Mr. Rob VanDoesburg during this time: “that I know nothing of business and therefore I should enroll into Business Administration”, he did advise me that it was my decision to take this course, then if I still felt that I wanted to pursue this venture, I would have the means to do so, on my own, or to collect $900.00 per month until retirement, as I would not receive any venture capital from the WCB, nor would they grant me an advance on my benefits to do so: this was before the B.D.B.C was done the feasibility study of the Work Station.
I discussed this situation thoroughly with Mr.VanDoesburg , he stated that “if” I showed a solid commitment to this venture, it may be considered, so we bought property, close to rail and hiway, which enabled me to keep overhead down, location to build proto-type and other designs I had planed to create to have manufactured.(of which I penalized after for not having WCB permission to move to that location, they would however have paid for my moving if I had moved to the location they chose for me & my family)
That wasn’t showing enough commitment and I was forced to go to academics even though from the past situation which had the same entrance qualifications, pass, fail or drop out they were done with me. When I was to start classes I would receive my full benefits, until then I was to live off the deemed employment of an Electrical Engineer, which after deductions was about $350.00 per month.

6 months later I have no claims manager, no-one to inform directly that I desperately needed the upgrading to enable the completion of the B.A course, I finally got hold of a WCB supervisor Mr. Patrick McDermott and was able to relate the information to him, he advised me once again pass, fail or drop out they are done with me, as that is the reason I no-longer have a claims manager, as soon as school was done so were my benefits, so a C.M was not needed.
That winter I received my T5007 tax form, it claimed I made over $44,000.00 that year, I questioned this and requested the Financial reports on my claim, unknown to them I had kept all my benefit stubs since the beginning of my claim, I then requested an audit due to many irregularities of the financial statements, that is when Ms. Shirley-Anne Garlinski started handling my claim and I had found over $40,000.00 (at that time) wrongfully removed from my benefits; 3 years later I am again forced into a situation ; this time it was to plead guilty to fraud charges (of which they had been doing the defrauding, prior to and after, as over $70,000.00 wrongfully removed now).

As I never stopped working on finding the finances for the Portable Work Station during this, along with getting an Industrial Design registered with the Canadian Patent Office , I had been able to gain my name on the list for the CBC television show “The Dragons Den” which was about a year before I knew I was facing criminal charges and had to withdraw from the program due to the acceptance agreement, I had also gone to various Federal Government programs to gain financing but was informed that I am a WCB recipient and therefore their responsibility, go to them for assistance. With everything else that I have posted on my blog’s this is what was happening behind the scenes as well, I will still get all this going, but again I cannot do anything with the position that I must sit stagnant as I cannot come up with what is needed for success nor will those responsible allow for me to go forward, only under their direction may I succeed into deeper poverty and social stigma.
all of this due to greed and corruption inside the Alberta Government.
From the year 2000 until 2007, my wife and I had spent 3.5 years in the courts fighting two Alberta Government agencies, 2.5 years alone fighting for our children, of which we were proven innocent, all due to just one, the Alberta Workers Compensation Board, during that time not only was all this going on , but with our special needs child going through over 27 major surgeries  in 7 years, dealing with psychologists and many other professionals due to the WCB & family Services working together during the time of my benefits being cut off, stating that we cannot afford the food for our children and placed them in foster homes, which in turn lead to the 2.5 years in court, along with the Fraud charges the WCB laid against me and forcing me into pleading guilty under duress; all this while attempting to concentrate on academics which I was unprepared for and refused the assistance I needed.

Letter to Mr.Mah ; Legal Representative to the WCB of Alberta

Mr.Mah
I would like to address a few issue's with you pertaining to criminal activities of the Alberta Workers Compensation Board, from fraud, blackmail and extortion to United Nations Human Rights Violations,
as well as the conduct of some WCB employee's.

What right does a WCB representative have to threaten Members of the Appeals Commission with court action against them if they follow through with a hearing pertaining to false financial reports and the practice of manipulating various types of information.

What give the Workers Compensation Board the right to choose an employment for a Disabled Person that they have no desire to participate in or have a suitable personality for that forced occupation, which in turn is a conflict of interest of the United Nations Declaration of Rights concerning the Slavery clause as being forced into an occupation and the wages for such employment are forced upon the Disabled Person, for the reason of reducing benefits and forcing those people into poverty.

What gives a WCB employee who is not medically trained, the power to over ride a Physicians instructions on medical care and rehabilitation, while forcing that person into more physical injury and unnecessary pain.

WCB employees forcing person's into academics that they are unqualified for,refusing to provide them with the academics that they need to succeed, while stipulating rules of pass, fail or drop out the WCB is done with them.

Why should these already disabled people, be subjected to Physiological terrorism by the employees of the Workers Compensation Board and its affiliate businesses, by accusing the disabled person as being a malingerer or non-compliant due to their pain threshold is at the limit and yet are forced to continue by those who are for the most part unqualified for their positions.

WCB's contact with the department of Family Services to have a family denied assistance due to the Deeming of Employment and Manipulation of Information and having that same family into the courts fighting for their children due to the corrupt actions of the Alberta Workers Compensation Board.

Extortion of monies from the disabled person's and the rise in premiums to the employer's, (I speak of the 2003 Auditor Generals report specifically and to the T-5's issued for that year)

Medical malpractice by employees and Doctors of the Alberta Workers Compensation Board, by not fully diagnosing the patients or Staff's claimed Medical knowledge from reading medical reports, to the abusive and inhumane treatment of person's at the WCB sponsored rehabilitation Centers.

For a non-profit organization you have accumulated a lot of Finances, Property and an extreme amount of high paid staff all at the cost of disabled people and the employers that are forced to be subject to the criminal and inhumane practices of a money laundering business.

Sincerely
Ken

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.

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)

Government, WCB and computer Viruses

The letters I have received from MLA's in my province of Alberta, all say the exact same reply when asking for help from them pertaining to the workers compensation board; The WCB is an arm's length of government, "We have no say in the day to day workings of the WCB, it is best that you talk to your claims manager or their supervisor pertaining to the problems you are having. I wish you the best of luck with your injury and related problems with it." That same type of reply I received over the past 10 years from different MLA's and my Premier Mr. Stelmach. Why is it that though WCB Alberta is able to commit criminal acts of fraud, medical malpractice, manipulation of information, threats and intimidation; not only to the injured but also the Physician's and anyone that may be assisting the injured in their battles against this organization.
Though the WCB is legislated by Government, that is all the control our Government has over the WCB. With judicial powers,total authority over the injured worker they are continuously over riding the injured workers Doctors, by using their paid physicians, of whom never see the patient, stating medical reports of the person's injury and turning it into fact. Injured workers that request treatment for injuries have been forced to wait months or even years in some cases to get a M.R.I, cat scan or surgery; during these waiting periods the injured worker is healing and by the time that they are able to get help it is to late in some cases as scar tissue has formed an the surgeon is unable to correct it.

At that point the WCB claims that nothing can be done and the injured worker is then "deemed"(made-up)to an employment that they are incapable to succeed at or is directly opposing of their injury, and then the workers benefits are set at that fictitious employment with gradual decreases in wages, until the worker is no-longer collecting benefits ; yet is still unable to gain employment due to injury; I myself was an electrician and WCB Alberta forced me into academics for Electrical Engineering, but would not give me the upgrading to succeed in this course, a letter was written on my behalf by the program head stating I am in need of upgrading in order to succeed in the course; I was then removed from academics but the WCB still "deemed" me as an Electrical Engineer and the wage that an E.E would make was deducted from my benefits, which lowered my benefits to approximately $140.00 per month while still (to my knowledge) charging my employer the full rate of compensation.I was forced to take them to appeals at which time they would again "deem" me at employment that matched the income of an E.E and I would have to appeal that decision again and again.
Now is this the workings of an honest business ? That is part of every working person's life, whether you are injured or not, your employer is forced to make payments for you for every 100 hours you put in, it stays in the back ground like a computer virus until it gets involved and ends up screwing up your life just like it would your computer, slowly the longer it is there the more damage it does until you have lost everything and there is no getting it back cause you have no protection that would avoid the outcome.
( and yes I have had my hard drive wiped out after receiving emails from my WCB supervisor's, 3 separate times)

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.

Auditor Generals Report on Alberta WCB

EXCERPS from Alberta Auditor Generals Office on WCB

http://www.oag.ab.ca/files/oag/ar2004-05.pdf Human Resources and Development; pages 243- 248 of 378

2003 audit of my claim also coincided with The Quality Assurance Group’s investigation into Alberta WCB, at which time I did not know about. I find it quite curious, especially pertaining to financial matter of my own concern that reflects directly to “possibly the validity of” this Report.

The Quality Assurance group completed a review of high dollar ELPs that

were established during 2003. Results indicated that there is room for

improvement in the entitlement decision of ELP cases.

High Dollar ELP’s? Would that be like when my T-5 for 2003 stated $ 44,000.00 income when my actual was approx $19,000.00. 

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.

Were claims altered to make them seem larger in order to keep premiums high and then lower the actual income for injured workers by disguising claimant income for that year?

From attending school the year before there were no additions (tuition, travel, expenses) on my T5, only paid benefits! 2004 T5 was the done up same as the T5 in 2002, except no school involved. 2006 T5 was done with benefits only also, which had training involved.

The WCB again made satisfactory progress in implementing this

recommendation as follows:

• WCB made a policy change to require a review of ELP entitlement and

rate setting after the first three years and then annual reviews

thereafter. This should allow management the opportunity to identify

and account for changes in worker entitlement and earnings over time.

• New ELPs require supervisor and manager review and approval.

• Claims staff and management have completed training and been

provided comprehensive tip-sheets, checklists and procedures

detailing the adjudication processes that need to be completed prior to

implementing an ELP award.

• Monthly reports providing detailed ELP information are distributed to

management.

When we completed the follow up of this point in March 2005, the Quality

Assurance group was in the process of obtaining management responses to

the findings for 2004.

To implement this recommendation, WCB’s Quality Assurance group must

finalize its review of the 2004 entitlement decisions and management must

demonstrate that changes made to the control environment have been

effective.

Yes changes were effective, as my benefits were cut at that time, cut right off, then reinstated at a lower rate of benefit. I remember my claims manager mentioning this to me, as due to the delay of my benefits being processed, same time as they lowered benefits (re-calculating?).

Makes one wonder as to what kind of training, tip-sheets, check lists and procedures detailed for the process of determining the implementation of the ELP award.

For the Quality Assurance Group I am not sure if this was internal or external, however a point of interest, the only financial business I found pertaining to that name, belongs to a division of the World Bank.(It was not them ) 

The “padding” my benefits would *benefit WCB down the road, even better considering all the “overpayments” they have collected off me, not even mentioning the “Fraud charges” for which they are collecting almost 3 times the stated amount in court documents. Charging me did 3 things, damaged my credibility to pursue the financial truth that I started prior by requesting an audit on my claim, criminal record and poverty. All from a T-5 that was purposely created, but then again in 2008, WCB claimed I made $816.00 monthly for income to a Government Financial Assistance agency, when my T-5 states $943.11 for the same year; and again a Fraud investigation against me.

*Implications and risks

If the ELP classifications and calculations are not accurate, the WCB may

pay inaccurate benefits to injured workers and charge incorrect costs to

employers.

Is this the reason that my rate calculations are all different but mysteriously calculated by their payment specialists to same amount?

More confusion like the financial reports that have the payments scattered around so bad that it takes a week to separate and put into proper order?

The WCB’s 2003–2004 strategic plan describes four strategic themes to guide

the organization:

• Commitment to fairness

• Focus on return to work

• Leveraging prevention

• Financial stability

Who does this apply too?

This is only part of the report I find pertaining to my case only, with possibly more information yet to be discovered.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business , Alberta District, tried to abolish the tribunal ( appeals) system at the WCB, due to cost. Tribunal alone $45 million and premiums increased 77% on average.
http://www.cfib.ca/legis/alberta/pdf/5179.pdf

GEE that relate to posting ? 

 http://abusebyalbertasworkerscompensation.blogspot.com/2009/05/abuse-and-coverup-by-quasi-judicial.html

Same time frame when all this was happening!
Making our employers aware of what they/ we are getting for which they pay for?
Over a Billion Alberta WCB, in their pockets right now!
Go to the site and see if it pertains to yours!

I brought this to the attention of the Auditor General office and was informed that they do not get involved with individual claims of the WCB, I requested to have an investigation by the A.G.O and the only reply I received back is 

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/province-accused-of-muzzling-auditor-general-3615/

IS IT FINANCIAL MANIPULATION OR IS IT A RETURN TO WORK PROGRAM?

I have been dealing with WCB of Alberta for over 15 years now, the last couple years I have taken WCB to Appeals over overpayments, requesting audits due to overpayments and payments not sent out to me that I was entitled too, the amount involved here was over $ 25,000.00. Through their manipulation of files they had taken me to court for fraud all this was 3 years after I started with the audit to be done, which had been in front of that Appeals commission 3 separate times, the last time the Appeals Commission said that they would only look and see if the Audit was done correctly, not to review information about overpayments or monies owed to claimant. There is much more to this story pertaining to actions of WCB employees with threats and intimidation. To make a long story shorter the WCB of Alberta set me up with a deemed position for which I was to $32,000.00 a year as a sales clerk, in which I was to receive approx. $814.00 per month on my claim, however they were keeping this money due to over payment for $32,000.00 which they were not entitled to remove from me as they already had that money from not giving it to me 4 years before, with no income in our household to pay bills, we were forced to go to social assistance, after about 8 months of assistance I received a phone call informing me that I had not claimed the $814.00 monthly to the social worker and was therefore cut off and file sent to a collection agency. I have just received my T-5 for the year of 2008 from WCB of Alberta, it states that my income from them for the year is $943.11, yet they call social services and inform them that I am making $814.00 per month, causing my family to live below the poverty line and yet they still continue to make discussions on my claim without informing me of these decisions