How to Open a Psychological Injury Claim

We’re here to help your worker—and you

Psychological injuries can be hard to navigate. A client care navigator—part of our specially trained team for psychological injuries—will guide you, your worker, and your workplace at a supportive pace. They’ll explain next steps, connect health care and return-to-work supports, and keep everyone informed.

How to open a claim

Employers are required to report all injuries—psychological or physical—that require medical attention or where the worker will lose time from work.

Workers can also open a claim on their own (by phone with a client care navigator or through a health care provider). It may be hard for a worker to talk about harassment, bullying, or a traumatic incident, and they may choose not to involve you at first. WCB provides information and support to workers early in the process, even before a claim is opened. During this stage, a client care navigator will not contact you until the worker decides to move forward with a claim, or if they provide consent before a claim is open. Once a claim is opened, the employer will be contacted right away.

Ways a claim can be opened

• Complete the injury in WCB MyAccount with your worker — this is the fastest way
• Worker may call a client care navigator to open a claim
• A health care provider can submit a report on the worker’s behalf

Need to speak with us now?

Call a client care navigator: 1-833-491-8889 or 902-491-8888. If we can’t answer right away, leave a confidential voicemail—we most often respond within 1 hour.

What to expect after you report

A client care navigator will:

• Explain the process and timelines
• Coordinate with your workplace and the worker’s health care provider
• Connect you to other WCB team members (for example, an eligibility specialist or return-to-work specialist) as needed
• Support early and safe return-to-work planning tailored to the worker’s abilities

Your role as the employer

• Report promptly in MyAccount and designate a workplace contact who will support the claim
• Keep information private and communicate with empathy
• Offer suitable work that matches the worker’s abilities, with input from the health care provider (work that they can do now, helping them to stay at work, while they receive treatment)
• Stay in touch with the worker and WCB, and attend case discussions as needed

Information we may ask you for

• Basic information about the situation that led to the injury and any supports already offered
• Description of the worker’s role and physical/cognitive demands
• Work schedule and any modified duties you can offer

We’ll tell you exactly what’s needed and when.

Resources and related pages:

• Psychological injuries overview — What they are and how they’re assessed
• Return to work for psychological injury — How to support early and safe return
• Workplace psychological safety resources — Tools to help prevent psychological injuries

Questions?

Contact a client care navigator: 1-833-491-8889 or 902-491-8888. If we can’t answer right away, leave a confidential voicemail—we most often respond within 1 hour.