Estimates of the nature and extent of claim suppression in British Columbia’s workers' compensation system

Report cover Estimates of the nature and extent of claim suppression in British Columbia’s workers' compensation system

Published: December 2020

by: Saunders R, O'Grady J, Cardoso S

In his March 2018 report to the Board of Directors of the Workers' Compensation Board of B.C., “Restoring the balance: A worker-centred approach to workers' compensation policy,” Paul Petrie noted that “the issue of claim suppression is fraught with allegations that are difficult to document.” Petrie recommended “that the Board of Directors consider initiating an independent review of this issue by a qualified organization with a scientific methodology to determine whether and to what extent claims suppression is a significant issue in the B.C. workers' compensation system.”

Subsequently, the Institute of Work & Health collaborated with Prism Economics and Analysis on a study, funded by WorkSafeBC, to estimate the nature and extent of claim suppression in the workers’ compensation system of British Columbia. This report, completed in December 2020, shares the findings of that study and the methods behind them.