Financial Benefits

Permanent Impairment Benefit (PIB)

When a medical examination determines that your injury has resulted in a permanent impact, you may be entitled to receive a PIB. The amount of this benefit is determined by something called a Permanent Impairment percentage (PI%). Your PI% is determined during a Permanent Medical Impairment Exam. The exam is completed by an independent medical examiner using a standardized rating system.

• A PIB is often paid as a lump sum, or in some cases a monthly payment, which you may be eligible to receive for the rest of your life.
• Monthly PIB payments are usually paid on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Sign up for direct deposit online—the fastest way to get your payments.

What to expect during a Permanent Medical Impairment Assessment

Learn more about how PIB is calculated.

See the monthly PIB payment schedule.

If Your Permanent Impairment (PI) Changes

If your condition changes after your initial assessment — specifically, if your workplace injury results in a different or greater measurable loss of function than what was previously assessed — you may be eligible for reassessment. Any change in function must be directly related to your original workplace injury. Keep in mind that a reassessment can result in a higher or lower permanent impairment rating, depending on how your condition has changed.

Reassessments are typically considered at least 16 months since your last assessment, and require recent medical reports from your doctor describing the change in your condition.

Extended Earnings Replacement Benefit (EERB)

Following your injury or illness, you may have been getting short-term financial support called a Temporary Earnings Replacement Benefit (TERB). You’ve now learned you’re going to receive a long-term benefit called an EERB—or Extended Earnings Replacement Benefit. Here’s what you should know about an EERB—and what to expect from this long-term benefit.

You are eligible for EERB if you have a permanent medical impairment (PMI) as a result of a workplace injury or illness and:

• The injury prevents you from returning to work in any way at all. This is rare.
• You can return to work but are not able to make the same income that you did before. This can happen when the injury requires you to change jobs.
• EERB benefits are paid as a monthly payment to help replace lost income due to a serious injury.
• EERB benefits can be reviewed at any time. Learn more about what’s involved in an EERB review.

Sign up for direct deposit online:  It's the fastest way to get your payments.

Learn more about how EERB is calculated.

Yearly Long-Term Benefit Increases

How yearly increases currently work (Until End of 2026)

When the consumer price index (CPI) in Nova Scotia increases, WCB benefits are increased by half of that percentage increase. This is called the “indexing factor.”

Here’s a simple example:

• If Statistics Canada calculates that the CPI went up by 4% in a year
• Your WCB long-term benefit would increase by 2% (half of 4%)

Improvement starting in 2027

Starting in 2027, the indexing factor will be calculated as 100% of the CPI increase (instead of half), and there is a maximum cap of 3% per year.

Here’s how it works:

• If the CPI goes up by 2%, your benefit goes up by 2%
• If the CPI goes up by 4%, your benefit goes up by 3% (because of the cap)
• If the CPI goes up by 3% or less, your benefit matches it exactly