Rate framework newsletter
Good Afternoon Directors, COOs & Associates,
The WSIB’s latest edition of their Rate Framework Newsletter appears below. The Rate Framework will be launched on January 1, 2020. It includes:
- a new employer classification system based on the widely used North American Industry Classification System (replacing the current classes and 13 construction rate groups which were based on the old SIC codes and amended and adapted for WSIB purposes)
- a new prospective employer-centric rate setting process (every employer will have its very own rate which is dependent upon its experience and the risk it represents to the insurance program) and
- a single new experience rating program (replacing CAD-7, NEER and MAP) that will apply to all employers.
This is a massive overhaul that your contractor members should become familiar with.
Please circulate the newsletter to your members.
And FYI – the Office of the Employer Adviser will be providing an update on the Rate Framework at the March 19th COO meeting.
Cheers !!!
ian
Ian Cunningham
Stay up-to-date with all the latest news and details about our new premium rate-setting model, set to be implemented on January 1, 2020.
Monthly webinars
To help Ontario businesses learn more about our new premium rate-setting model, we are offering monthly webinars providing the latest updates, information on how to prepare for 2020, and an opportunity to ask questions about the coming changes.
Our next webinar will take place on March 27, followed by sessions on April 16 and May 15. Each webinar will take place at 10 AM EST. You can register for any of these sessions and find a full schedule for upcoming webinars on our website.
Your new classification
This past December you should have received a letter with a detailed breakdown of your new classification information. If you would like to make any updates to your information or have additional questions about your individual classification, please contact us directly at rateframework@wsib.on.ca
Rate-setting in our new model
Our new model uses a two-step approach to setting and adjusting premium rates. Step one involves setting a class rate for each industry class based on their share of responsibility to maintain the insurance fund. In step two, a risk adjusted premium rate is set for each business based, in part, on how your individual claims history compares to the collective experience of businesses in your class. This two-step approach will ensure businesses are paying a fair rate that is reflective of their industry and experience.
Jargon buster
In each edition of our newsletter, we’ll explain some key terms and concepts that will be used to set rates in 2020 to help you familiarize yourself with our new model.
Risk bands
In the new model each class will have a set of risk bands, where each risk band represents a rate in relation to the class rate. A rate is assigned to each risk band, either above or below the class rate.
The class rate represents the premium rate a business would pay based on the risk of their class alone, not factoring in any adjustments made based on a business’ individual claims experience and risk.
Depending on your claims experience, your business will be assigned to a risk band that best represents your risk in relation to your class. Your assigned risk band rate includes rate adjustments based on your individual experience. Businesses in the same class and with similar risk profiles will fall under the same risk band rate.
Health and safety programs
As we move closer to implementing our new rate-setting model, you can start making a difference now to improve your safety experience. We’ve got programs and tools to help businesses, including Compass, which allows anyone to find and compare health and safety statistics for workplaces across the province and our new Workwell app which you can use to evaluate your health and safety management system. We also have a number of services and resources customized for small businesses to help promote health and safety, which you can learn more about by visiting our website.
Keeping your members in the know
We know that your members will have questions about our new model and we’d love to work with you to help them prepare for the coming changes. We can provide content or articles about our new model and how it will impact your members for your upcoming newsletters, trade magazine or website. We can also partner with your association to host a rate framework webinar or information session for your members. Our team is here to help, so if you’re interested in either opportunity, please contact us at rateframework@wsib.on.ca
What’s next?
We will continue to share information in the months ahead about our new premium rate-setting model to ensure businesses are prepared for implementation on January 1, 2020. We encourage you to visit our website that provides more information about the new model and other useful resources that will help you prepare for 2020.
About WSIB
We’re here to help. When an injury or illness happens on the job, we move quickly to provide wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and help getting back to work. We cover over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. We also help promote health and safety in the workplace with a goal of one day having zero work-related injuries or illnesses.