Advisor Office - Temporary Wage Loss Benefits

What are Temporary Wage Loss Benefits?

When an individual is hurt at work and loses time from their employment, the WCB pays benefits to replace their lost income.
In Alberta, wage loss benefits are paid at a rate of 90% of net (after tax) income, up to a maximum amount set annually by the WCB Board of Directors and are subject to regular cost-of-living adjustments.
The WCB gathers wage information from the employer and the injured worker and sets the compensation rate accordingly.
Temporary wage loss benefits are meant to bridge the gap between when an individual cannot work due to a workplace injury and when they are able to return to some type of work.
There are two types of temporary wage loss benefits: Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits and Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits.

What are Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits?

TTD benefits are paid to an injured worker if the individual is temporarily totally disabled from all forms of employment. Typically, they are paid bi-weekly.
If you are fit for modified work, TTD may also be paid if your employer fails to provide you with suitable modified work.

What are Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits?

TPD benefits are paid to an injured worker if the individual can work part-time or at a reduced rate of pay. The WCB will compensate the worker for the hours lost from work, less any income paid by the employer. TPD can be estimated/deemed based on a suitable job within a worker's restrictions.
TPD benefits can be paid bi-weekly or monthly, depending on the circumstances surrounding the employment agreement.

What WCB legislation and policies apply to temporary wage loss benefits?

What questions might your Worker Advisor ask you about the benefits you may be entitled to?

Is your compensation rate correct?
What were your earnings at the time of your accident?
Was your date-of-accident job permanent or subject to seasonal or contract-based layoffs (non-permanent)?
If the job was non-permanent, what were your earnings for one year before taking this non-permanent job?
What work income did you report to Revenue Canada last year?
What is your shift cycle (hours per week/days per week etc.)?
Are you a sub-contractor or an owner-operator?
Do you have a second (concurrent) job?
Do you normally work overtime hours?
Does your health practitioner believe that you are temporarily unable to work full-time due to work injuries/disease?Have they reported this to the WCB?
Do you have temporary work restrictions due to your work injury/disease?
Are you currently employed?
When were you last employed?
Are you still employed with your date-of-accident employer?
What are your current earnings?
Are you working within your restrictions?
Is the deemed position suitable for you?
Do you believe that you can obtain employment in the deemed position? If not, why not?
Were you involved in choosing the deemed position?
What is your work history?
What is your academic history?
What are your language abilities?
What are your computer/keyboarding abilities?
Do you have a criminal record or driver suspension?
Do you have access to a vehicle?

What kind of evidence might you need? 

Medical reports/opinions about your work-related physical restrictions/conditions
Medical reports/opinions about your work-related psychological restrictions/conditions
Tax records (Notice of Assessment, T4)
Record of employment
Paystubs
Contracts to support employment
WCB Labour Market information
Alberta government Labour Market information or ALIS
Labour Market information from other sources
Academic Assessments or education records
Job Postings and jobs applied for