May 2021 Safety Tip: Making a claim with WorkSafeBC

If you are injured on the job, you should submit a claim to WorkSafeBC. This notice is to guide you through the process and inform you of the supports available to you through our union, the BCGEU.

When should I file a claim?

Experiencing an injury on the job can be a traumatic experience. You should submit a claim to WorkSafeBC as soon as possible if you:

• Are injured and need to go to a medical facility for treatment
• Miss work after the day of the injury
•  Lose consciousness on the job
• Are diagnosed with a work-related disease
• Develop mental health symptoms due to work or the work environment
• Suffer broken eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aid or artificial limb due to a workplace incident

What if I am exposed to COVID on the job?

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and there's a possibility it was contracted while at work, you should also file a claim.

If you are required to self-isolate due to possible COVID-19 exposure, you may also decide to file a claim. However, if you do not test positive, WorkSafeBC will not provide any additional wage-loss benefit to any STIIP benefits you are entitled to.

How do I file a claim?

Information on how to submit a claim as a worker can be found here on the WorkSafeBC website. You will need to gather some information. For your claim to be as complete as possible, gather the following:

• Contact information for yourself and the employer
• The date of the injury/exposure and how it happened
• Who you reported the injury to (e.g., your employer, your health care provider)
• If you have missed work, the days and shifts you have missed and your earnings from a) your most recent paystub and b) the last 12 months
• If you have other employers, information about them
• Names and phone numbers of your health care providers (doctor, physiotherapist, etc.)
• Your social insurance number and your personal health number (BC Services card or CareCard)

Once you have all the information you need, you are ready to file the claim. You can submit the claim by phone, fax or electronically through the above link.

What do I do if I'm denied? Or the claim doesn't cover all of my treatment expenses?

Our union can assist you with an appeal. When WorkSafeBC makes a decision on your claim, you have a window of time to appeal it (usually between 30 – 90 days from the date on the decision letter). If your claim is denied or you would like to appeal the amount of your claim, our union can assist in the appeals process. Please be sure to contact the BCGEU as soon as you decide to appeal your claim so that we don't miss the deadline specified on your letter.

What you need:

• Your Personal Access Number and
• Your full decision letter from WorkSafeBC

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the appeal intake will need to be submitted electronically or by fax. Detailed instructions can be found here: https://www.bcgeu.ca/wcb_covid19

If you have question or concerns, please reach out to your steward or local chair. We can be reached at [email protected] or you can find us online at http://ohs.bcgeu.ca

In solidarity,

BCGEU Component 5 (Retail Stores and Warehouse) Occupational Health and Safety Committee


Download PDF of notice here 


Reference: "How workers report a workplace injury or disease," WorkSafeBC (accessed May 2021)
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/claims/report-workplace-injury-illness/how-workers-report-workplace-injury-illness

UWU/MoveUP