Workers’ Compensation Advance. (a) If a claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits is made by the Employer on behalf of a Full-time Nurse, said Nurse may, in return for turning over all monies received for said Compensation, elect to receive full salary from the Nurse’s accumulated sick leave bank until such time as the claim is adjudicated in the Nurses’ favour. At such time, the Nurse will be entitled to assign the Workers’ Compensation Benefits to the Employer in exchange for bi-weekly advances equivalent to the Workers’ Compensation supplement. In addition, the qualifying Nurse will be entitled to full restoration of the sick bank to the pre-accident amount. In order to qualify for advances, a Nurse must have a minimum of two (2) weeks sick time entitlement.
(b) A Full-time Registered Nurse who is off work due to compensable illness or an injury incurred in the employ of the Employer and is receiving benefits from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, may draw on accumulated sick leave to make up the difference between the basic rate of pay and the Workers' Compensation benefits.
Workers’ Compensation Advance. Employees on Workers’ Compensation will be paid an advance equal to their base hours (i.e. seven and one-half (7½) hours in the case of most employees in COPE jurisdiction) times their hourly wage times seventy- five percent (75%) for each full day the employees are off on Workers’ Compensation. The advance will be paid on their regular pay cheques. If the WCB reassesses the employee’s wage loss compensation, the Employer will change the amount of the advance accordingly. Payments from the WCB will be paid directly to the Employer. An employee whose WCB claim is denied, even if the claim is being appealed, will cease receiving advances. The employee whose claim is denied must apply for benefits under the Sick Leave and/or the Income Continuance provisions of the Collective Agreement. If the benefits are approved, or the advance is not fully covered by the aforementioned benefits, the difference will be recovered from the employee’s pay in not more than ten (10) consecutive pay periods and at not less than $100 per payment (or ten percent (10%) of the employee’s wages, whichever is less). If the outstanding balance to be repaid is less than $100, the entire amount will be recovered in one payment. In cases where the above arrangement would create extreme economic hardship for the employee, the Employer and the Union will meet to discuss alternate payment arrangements. Upon termination of employment, any outstanding WCB advance will be recovered from the employee’s final pay.
