On Tuesday April 21, 2020, Premier Brian Pallister announced that the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) will be returning $37 million to employers.

The WCB board of directors have approved the refund of $37 million in surplus funds to employers who paid into the fund in 2019.

 “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the majority of our customers and we have actively explored how we can help mitigate the financial impact to employers,” said Michael Werier, chairperson of the WCB. “With a healthy reserve fund, we are pleased to provide a refund of approximately 20 per cent to employers to help bolster their bottom line. It’s incumbent upon businesses like ourselves to do our part to actively help support financial recovery efforts over the next several months.” 

Eligible employers will receive a credit to their account based on 20 per cent of their 2109 premium in May.

To be eligible to receive the surplus, employers must have fulfilled their payroll reporting responsibilities for 2019 and paid a WCB premium in 2019. Employers can still report their 2019 payroll to receive the surplus distribution. 

The WCB says that of the $37 million, $6.2 million will be returned to the health sector which includes regional health authorities and several other agencies such as CancerCare Manitoba, Riverview Health Centre and personal care homes 

$29 million will go to the private sector with $7 million of that going to small business.

This is the second the WCB has returned surplus funds to eligible employers.

© News4.ca 2020