On February 11, 2010, the Board of Directors approved minor housekeeping changes to several program policies. These updates were made to reflect changes to the WCB's organizational struture and changes to staff positions at the WCB. These changes were implemented on June 1, 2009 and were driven by our commitment to prevent injury and help those who are injured return to the job in a safe and timely manner. Services from the WCB are now delivered based on the size of a workplace, and the particular needs of the people in it. In light of this organizational change, the WCB reviewed program policies and identified several (10) requiring minor revisions to reflect the new organizational structure. For more information, see the Program Policy Background Paper Minor Policy Revisions – Housekeeping Changes.These minor revisions do not change the intent of any of the 10 program policies; rather the purpose of the revisions is to replace inaccurate position and department references with the appropriate references. The changes are summarized below:
Section 2 – Health Care
In the following policies the phrase “Medical Department” was changed to “Health & Extended Benefits Department”:
-Policy 2.1.6R– Attendant Allowance -Policy 2.2.6R - Home Oxygen Therapy
-Policy 2.2.3R Home Breathing Machines -Policy 2.2.7R - Portable Home Oxygen Therapy
Section 4 – Vocational Rehabilitation
In the following policies the phrase “Vocational Rehabilitation Department” was changed to “Service Delivery Departments”:
-Policy 4.1.2R - Extent of Vocational Rehabilitation Services -Policy 4.2.4R6 - Workers' Travel Expenses for Vocational Rehabilitation
Section 8 – Internal Appeals
-In Policy 8.1.3R2 – Appeals and Referral to a Hearing Officer, the phrases “Claims department, the Medical department, the Vocational Rehabilitation department, the Assessment Services department” were changed to “Service Delivery departments”.
-In Policy 8.1.7R1 - Reconsiderations Pursuant to s. 185(2) Where a Final Decision of the Board Addressing an Issue Has Been Rendered, the phrase “Client Services or the Assessment Services Department” was changed to “Service Delivery Departments”.
Section 9 – Assessments and Collections
In Policy 9.7.1R - Write-Off of Uncollectable Accounts, the following changes were made:
- the phrase “Supervisor of Collections” was changed to “Manager, Field Services and Collections” .
-the phrase “Director of Assessment Services” was changed to “Director, Service Delivery – Workplaces”.
-the phrase “Executive Director, Finance & Administration” was changed to “Chief Financial Officer”.
Section 10 – General Policies
In Policy 10.3.9R – Procurement Policy, the following changes were made:
-the WCB adopted the “September 1, 2005” version of the Province's Prcurement Policy.
-the phrase “Audit & Finance” was changed to “Audit & Risk Oversight”.
-the phrase “Procurement Branch of the Department of Transportation” was changed to “Procurement Services of the Department of Economic Development”.
-the phrase “Minister of Transportation & Public Works” was changed to to “Minister of Economic Development”.
-added a reference to the Province’s Executive Council and to the Finance & Investment Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Board of NS.
-removed reference to the Province of Nova Scotia’s web site.