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REGISTERING
WITH THE WCB
(Workers' Compensation Board)
Do
I have to register?
Most employers are required by law to register their business/firm with
WorkSafeBC and pay premiums. Registration of employers is legislated by
the Workers Compensation Act.
Obtaining
coverage is more than just a legislated requirement. When you're covered
by WorkSafeBC insurance, you're protected against lawsuits from injured
workers. If a worker is injured or contracts an occupational disease while
on the job during the course of employment, WorkSafeBC covers the worker's
medical and wage-loss costs. Workers are automatically protected under
the Act and cannot register for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage.
Generally, registration is mandatory if you:
- Employ
and pay people on a regular, casual or contract basis
- Hire someone
to work in or around your home
- Come
from another province or country to work in B.C.
- Work
as a commercial fisherman
- Work
in the trucking industry
Optional
registration
Registration is optional for some firms or individuals that don't meet
the criteria for mandatory registration. These include:
- Partners,
proprietors and spouses of proprietors, who can apply for Personal Optional
Protection
- Individuals
or firms that don't need to be registered but opt for voluntary coverage
We
make it easy to register for WSIB. For a fee of only $50 plus tax, we
will prepare and submit all required documents to the WSIB office for
registration. The process usually takes between 7 and 10 business days.
Once you receive your WSIB number, you are covered by the WSIB insurance.
To
order, simply contact us at the numbers listed below. Our friendly customer
service representative will guide you through the entire process.
Frequently
asked questions
Do
I have to register for insurance coverage?
Virtually all employers in British Columbia must register for insurance
coverage with WorkSafeBC (the Workers' Compensation Board) to protect
their workers. This includes employers in home-based businesses, as well
as some contractors, subcontractors and residential employers.
What
happens if I don't register?
If you are required to register and don't, you could be fined and charged
the total compensation costs of an injury should one of your workers be
injured, plus retroactive insurance premiums.
How
much does it cost to be registered?
Once you obtain WorkSafeBC coverage, you will be charged annual or quarterly
premiums for your workplace disability insurance coverage. Premiums are
directly related to the industry you're engaged in and the amount of your
payroll.
Do
I need to register if I'm a labour contractor?
Although registration is not mandatory, it is permitted. If you don't
register, you and your employees are covered by the prime contractor's
registration. The prime contractor is then responsible for paying premiums
or reporting work-related injuries.
Labour contractors
include unincorporated individuals or partners who:
- Have workers
and supply labour only to one firm at a time (e.g. a framer with one
or more workers in the construction industry)
- Are not
defined as workers, do not employ workers or supply major materials
or major revenue-producing equipment, but do contract a service to two
or more firms on an ongoing basis (e.g. a janitor who has two or more
ongoing contracts with two unaffiliated firms)
- May or
may not have workers, but contract a service which includes one piece
of major revenue-producing equipment to a business or a person (e.g.
a backhoe contractor who supplies a backhoe)
Do
I need to register if I'm a worker?
No. In fact workers cannot register with WorkSafeBC or waive their rights
to compensation. A worker is anyone employed full-time, part-time or casually,
and who is paid a wage, salary or commission by the job, or on a piecework
basis. This includes administration, management and clerical staff as
well as labourers.
Do
I need to register if I'm building my own home?
If you take on the role of a general contractor in the construction of
your own home, you may still be required to register, particularly if
you hire workers, such as casual labour, to clean up around your site.
Registration may be required, even if the subcontractors you hire carry
their own registration. Contact the Employer Service Centre for details.
Also, check the status of subcontractors working for you by using our
clearance letter service.
Do
I need to register if I'm hiring contractors or subcontractors?
Probably. To be sure, contact the Employer Service Centre. Remember, even
if you hire subcontractors who carry their own insurance, you should ask
for their WorkSafeBC account number. You can verify that they're registered
with WorkSafeBC by going to our clearance letter service.
Do
I need to register if my business is only in B.C. temporarily?
The requirement for registration is based on the number of times your
business comes (or intends to come) into B.C. This is the criteria for
registration:
Registration required:
- If your
business comes (or intends to come) into B.C. for a total of 15 or more
days each year
- If your
business comes (or intends to come) into B.C. for a total of 10 to 14
days as the result of three or more visits within a year
- If your
company operates outside B.C. and establishes a place of business in
B.C. or employs B.C. residents
Registration
not required:
- If your
business comes (or intends to come) into B.C. for a total of 10 to 14
days as the result of one or two visits within a year
- If your
business comes (or intends to come) into B.C. nine days or less within
a year regardless of the number of visits
For more information, contact the Employer Service Centre to determine
your registration requirements.
Note: there
are special requirements for out-of-province trucking firms.
What
if I'm a shareholder in an incorporated company?
If your business is active, you are required to register. All company
shareholders who are actively working in your business are considered
to be workers under the Workers Compensation Act and are covered under
your company's WorkSafeBC account.
What
if I'm working outside of British Columbia?
If you have operations outside of B.C., and are registered with WorkSafeBC
(the Workers' Compensation Board of B.C.), it doesn't remove your responsibility
to comply with the workers' compensation laws in other provinces, in the
territories, or in other countries. Check with the jurisdiction you'll
be working in to determine your requirements.
Can
I apply for optional coverage?
If you are not automatically covered by WorkSafeBC, you may be able to
apply for Personal Optional Protection (POP).
POP coverage
is an option for:
- People
who are self-employed
- Partners
or proprietors (and proprietors' spouses) in a non-limited company
Who is exempt
from registering with WorkSafeBC?
You're exempt
if:
- You're
the owner or occupier of a private residence (see registration information
for Homeowners and Residential Employers) and:
- You regularly
employ a person or firm for an average of less than eight working hours
a week
- You employ
a person or firm to provide before and after school care for your children
for an average of less than 15 working hours a week
- You employ
a person or firm to do a specific job or jobs for a temporary period
of less than 24 working hours
- You or
your spouse own an unincorporated business and don't employ workers
(spouses include common-law and same sex spouses)
- You own
an incorporated personal financial holding company and you don't employ
workers other than the principal shareholders. The activities of your
company are restricted to the management of personal investments such
as:
-Investments in publicly-traded stocks and bonds
-
Interest
bearing financial instruments such as GICs (Guaranteed Investment Certificates)
-Non-revenue producing land, buildings and/or equipment where there
is no development, construction or direct rental activity
If
I'm not eligible to register, who pays for my coverage?
If your registration is denied because you're a worker, it means your
employer is responsible for your coverage.
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