| B.C. to allow workers' comp for stressed employees |
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Published in the Globe and Mail November 4, 2011 British Columbia will soon join other provinces in compensating employees who are victims of workplace bullying, thanks to a new bill that acknowledges the effects of mental stress on the job. The provincial legislation would also extend workers' compensation coverage to employees who are victims of sexual harassment, violence and post-traumatic stress -- "an acute reaction to a sudden traumatic event" at work, according to Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid. Remember, mental illness has kind of come out of the closet over the last couple of years," said Ms. MacDiarmid."Just as we would cover repetitive strain injury where someone over time has repeated injuries that cause them eventually to not be able to work, that can happen with a mental problem as well." Workers seeking compensation would need a stress diagnosis from a doctor or psychiatrist. The stress of getting fired or disciplined would be excluded from the coverage, Ms. MacDiarmid said. Workplace stress compensation is already in place in Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. While the expanded coverage is expected to cost up to $18 million annually, Ms. MacDiarmid said leaving acute stress untreated costs Canadians even more.
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