Glossary

The following list includes some of the words and abbreviations that you will find in the materials that you receive from WorkSafeBC. The Workers' Advisers have Factsheets that may help you with some of the more technical definitions in this list.

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The Act:
The Workers Compensation Act

ARCON:
Computerized impairment rating program that is used by WorkSafeBC to measure and calculate functional and range-of-motion impairment.

Aggravation:
When you have been hurt on the job, and the work that you are doing makes an existing injury or condition worse, either on a temporary basis or permanent basis. This can also include an aggravation of an underlying condition that becomes disabling due to the work you are doing.

Allow:
When the Review Division or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal finds in favour of the appellant.

Appellant:
The party who initiates a review or appeal. This can be the worker, a dependant, or the employer.

Cancel:
Means that the Review Officer or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal panel disagrees with the determinations made on every issue covered by a decision under review or appeal and determined that the decision should be set aside without a new or changed decision being provided in its place. Cancellations are normally only ordered on prevention matters.

Claim:
WorkSafeBC’s name for your compensation file.

Chief Review Officer:
A WorkSafeBC Officer who is appointed as the head of the Review Division.

DAMA (Disability Awards Medical Adviser):

A doctor who specializes in disability award assessments and conducts permanent functional impairment examinations. A DAMA may be a WorkSafeBC staff member, or work on contract to WorkSafeBC.

Disclosure:
This is a copy of your WorkSafeBC Claim file, including medical reports, correspondence, administrative logs and other information regarding your claim, as well as past reviews and appeals.

Effective date:
The start date of the permanent part of your disability benefit (usually the day after your wage loss claim ends).

Entitlement:
Your rights to benefits under the Workers Compensation Act and policies of WorkSafeBC.

Evidence:
All the facts, medical investigations, medical opinions, statements, video or documents that relate to a claim file.

Health care benefits:
Reimbursement or payment for the services of doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists, etc., or for such things as medicine, hearing aids, slings, casts, splints, or special shoes.

Hearing:
When a Review Officer of the Review Division or a panel of the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal convenes a face-to-face meeting and listens to your request for review or appeal and your presentation of evidence.

Implementation:
When WorkSafeBC acts on, or puts into effect, a decision of the Review Division or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal.

Issue:

A question that needs to be resolved by a decision from WorkSafeBC, the Review Division, or the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal..

Jurisdiction:
The authority and responsibility given by the Workers Compensation Act to interpret and apply law or policy.

LOE (Loss Of Earnings):
One of two methods of calculating permanent disability benefits. An assessment of a worker's Loss of Earnings involves a comparison of the worker's pre-injury and post-injury earnings capacity.

LOF (Loss of Function):

One of two methods of calculating permanent disability benefits. An assessment of a worker's Loss of Function involves a review of a worker's medical records and the relevant sections of WorkSafeBC's Permanent Disability Evaluation Schedule to determine the amount of the worker's permanent functional impairment due to their work-injury.

MA (Medical Adviser):
A WorkSafeBC doctor who gives medical opinions to WorkSafeBC staff.

Notice of Participation or Notice to Participate:
A form provided by the Review Division or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal inviting you to participate in a review or appeal initiated by the employer. By completing this form, you will have an opportunity to respond to the employer’s submission and evidence and provide you with a copy of the Review Division or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal decision.

Panel:
One or more Vice Chairs of the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal who hear and decide disputes regarding compensation matters.

PFI (Permanent Functional Impairment):
An assessed amount of impairment arising from the work-injury or condition.

PFIE (Permanent Functional Impairment Evaluation)

The medical assessment performed by a Disability Awards Medical Adviser (or "DAMA;" see definition above).  This assessment provides the main basis for a PFI award (see definition above).

PPD (Permanent Partial Disability):
The Workers Compensation Act provides for payment of a benefit for a permanent partial disability.

Policy:
The regulations of WorkSafeBC which provide specific rules on how to apply the general principles of the Workers Compensation Act in each cases.   These rules are considered to be the same as law set out in the Act. They are used to interpret specific sections of the Act to individual cases.

Remedy:

The benefits or action you are asking from the Review Division or Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal to grant.

Representative:
A lawyer, union member or other knowledgeable person who will help you organize your review or appeal and advocate on your behalf.

Respondent:
The person who is responding to the review or appeal. If you are requesting a review or appealing a decision, the respondent is your employer. If your employer is requesting a review or appealing a decision, you are the respondent.

RSCM (Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume I and II):

WorkSafeBC's regulations for deciding individual claims matters.

Short Term Disability:
See wage loss benefits.

Submissions:
Your arguments on law, policy or facts regarding your case, either in person or in writing.

TPD (Temporary Partial Disability):
Section 192 of the Act allows the payment of partial wage loss benefits when you are recovering, that is, you can do some work but are unable to return to your regular job full time. These benefits can be provided to top-up lost daily wages.

TTD (Temporary Total Disability):
Section 191 of the Act provides wage loss benefits when your condition is totally disabling.

Vice-Chair:
One of the members of the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal who decides appeals and in case of an oral hearing is responsible for its conduct. Vice Chairs are not employees of WorkSafeBC.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR):
Benefits to lessen or eliminate a disability caused by a work-related injury, and to help you get back to work. Examples include counseling, vocational assessment and planning, job readiness/skill development, and placement assistance.

WCB (Workers Compensation Board):

Now does business as "WorkSafeBC." It is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Labour. This organization has decision-making responsibility as legislated through the Workers Compensation Act.

WCAT (Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal):
The WCAT is established under the Workers Compensation Act. It is an external appeal body, independent of WorkSafeBC, that workers or employers can go to if they want to appeal a decision from WorkSafeBC.

Workers Compensation Act (the Act):
The law of the province of British Columbia that provides wage loss benefits, health care, vocational rehabilitation, permanent partial disability benefits for injuries on the job and for occupational diseases. The Act also sets the rules for Occupational Health and Safety.