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Psychological Disabilitiesand the Workplace:
WSIB and Human Rights Implications
March 11, 2015
Psychological Disabilitiesand the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights Implications
Elizabeth KosmidisSamantha SeabrookJoseph Cohen-Lyons
Agenda
• Psychological Conditions and Litigation
• Managing Psychological Conditions in the
Workplace
• Decision 2157/09 – What Does it Mean?
Legal Consequences, Practical Implications
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Legal Consequences, Practical Implications
• Managing Employees Who Have Psychological
Conditions
• Rules of Professional Conduct
Psychological Conditions and Litigation
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Allowed Lost Time Claims for 2013 MentalDisorders or Syndromes
• Schedule 1 179 representing .4% of lost time
claims up from .2% in 2004.
• Schedule 2 399 representing 3.1% of lost time
claims up from 1.3% in 2004.
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
claims up from 1.3% in 2004.
Types of Compensable Psychological Injury
1. Psychotraumatic Injury
2. Chronic Pain Disability
3. Traumatic Mental Stress
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Psychotraumatic Disability OPM 15-04-02
• Diagnosis of a psychological condition that
emerges as an indirect result of a physical injury
• Can arise from an emotional reaction to the
accident or to a severe physical disability
• The disability is related to extended disablement
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• The disability is related to extended disablement
and to non-medical socioeconomic factors
• Must manifest within five years
Chronic Pain Disability OPM Policy 15-04-03
• Physical injury followed by pain which lasts
beyond the normal healing time with marked life
disruption
• Policy sets out specific criteria
Entitlement usually results in a permanent
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Entitlement usually results in a permanent
impairment award
Traumatic Mental Stress – "PTSD"
• Traumatic Event is commonly defined as an
incident that has an element of physical harm,
violence or threats of physical violence
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Mental Stress
• Entitlement for "mental stress" limited to PTSD
• No entitlement for chronic mental stress
• Defined in the WSIA and OPM
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Traumatic Mental Stress - WSIA
• Section 13(5):
• A worker is entitled to benefits for mental stress that is an acute
reaction to a sudden and unexpected traumatic event arising out
of and in the course of his or her employment
• A worker is not entitled to benefits for mental stress caused by
his or her employer's decisions or actions relating to the worker's
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
his or her employer's decisions or actions relating to the worker's
employment, including a decision to change the work to be
performed or the working conditions, to discipline the worker or to
terminate the employment
Traumatic Mental Stress – "PTSD"
Adjudicators must identify a sudden and
unexpected traumatic event which:
• Arises out of or occurs in the course of
employment,
Is clearly and precisely identifiable,
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Is clearly and precisely identifiable,
• Is objectively traumatic, AND
• Is unexpected in the normal course of the
worker's employment or work environment
Traumatic Mental Stress – "PTSD"
• Workers will be entitled to benefits where they
have suffered or witnessed a sudden and
unexpected traumatic event
• Must have an acute reaction to the work-related
traumatic event that is significant and severe
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
traumatic event that is significant and severe
• Acute reaction must result in an Axis I diagnosis
in accordance with the DSM – IV
Traumatic Mental Stress – "PTSD"
• Acute reaction can be either immediate or delayed
• If acute reaction delayed, clear and convincing
evidence must link the delayed onset with the
traumatic event
• TMS based on nature of occupation also
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• TMS based on nature of occupation also
recognized
• No requirement that most recent event be the most
traumatic in the series
Decision 2157/09 –
The Constitutional Decision
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Facts and Findings
Facts of Decision No. 2157/09
• Nurse worked in a hospital for 28 years
• Nurse alleged that from 1990 to 2002 "Dr. L":
• yelled and made (undisclosed) demeaning
comments to her in front of colleagues and patients
interrupted her history-taking with patients
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• interrupted her history-taking with patients
• told her to "shoo"
• closed door on her heels
• No assault, no threat of any physical violence
Facts of Decision No. 2157/09
• Spring 2002: co-workers reported Dr. L's
mistreatment of worker to team leader – no action
was taken and Dr. L's conduct continued
• June 13, 2002: worker complained to team leader
her duties were reduced the next day
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• her duties were reduced the next day
• effectively a demotion
• Worker went off work on June 14, 2002 claiming
mental stress
WSIB Claim and Appeal
• Worker filed claim for mental stress with WSIB
• Claim denied
• Worker appealed – WSIAT would have granted
entitlement but for ss. 13(4) and (5) of the WSIA
and TMS Policy
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
and TMS Policy
• Worker pursued Charter challenge
• discriminatory to treat entitlement for mental vs
physical disabilities differently
WSIAT's Findings on Expert Evidence
• Battle of experts – Dr. Gnam (MAG) vs Dr.
Stansfeld (worker)
• Panel accepted the opinion of the worker's expert
Dr. Standsfeld that:
a moderate association exists between job strain
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• a moderate association exists between job strain
and mental disorder; and
• psychiatric clinicians can determine causation
through history-taking and otherwise
WSIAT's Section 15 Charter Analysis
• Enumerated ground: mental disability
• Comparator group: workers who have suffered
work-related physical disability
• followed approach adopted in BCCA's Plesner
(mental stress) and SCC's Martin (chronic pain)
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
(mental stress) and SCC's Martin (chronic pain)
constitutional challenge cases
WSIAT's Section 15 Charter Analysis
• WSIA and TMS Policy:
• create a distinction based on the enumerated
ground of mental disability
• are substantively discriminatory against mental
stress claimants
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
stress claimants
• breach of section 15 not justified under section 1 of
the Charter
Basis for Finding of Discrimination
• Provisions deprive mental stress claimants of the
benefit of the "historic trade-off"
• Impose an additional burden by reducing mental
stress claimants' options to a tort remedy
e.g. increased complexity, costs, requirements to
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• e.g. increased complexity, costs, requirements to
prove negligence etc.
• Grievance procedure remedies insufficient
Basis for Finding of Discrimination
• Implicit message: mental disabilities are not "real"
• Assumption of increased cost/fraud perpetuates
stigma of mental illness
• No evidence to support "skyrocketing costs" or
"blanket coverage"
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
"blanket coverage"
• "Objective proxy" for causation argument rejected;
physical causation can also be challenging
No Justification under Section 1
• Ensuring work-relatedness of eligible claims is
sufficiently pressing and substantial objective
• financial purpose rejected; no evidence of crisis
• MAG failed to prove proportionality
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• no logical or rational connection
• impairment is not minimal (see AB and SK)
• interests of group are not advanced by exclusion
• no proof of prospect of overcompensation
Remedy
• WSIAT declined to apply sections 13(4), (5) or
TMS Policy in the appeal
• Worker's appeal allowed
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Decision No. 2157/09
Potential Legal Consequences
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
The Legislation/Policy Has Not Changed
• Section 13(5) is still in force
• Decision 2157/09 is only applicable to that claim
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• WSIB must apply the WSIA, and is not bound by
WSIAT decisions
WSIB Can Decide Constitutional Questions
• While the WSIB is bound to apply the WSIA, and
is not bound by WSIAT decisions, the WSIB has
jurisdiction to consider the Charter
WSIB Appeals Branch relies on s. 118(1) of the
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• WSIB Appeals Branch relies on s. 118(1) of the
WSIA and the SCC's decision in Martin for
constitutional jurisdiction
Current & New TMS Claims at WSIB/WSIAT
• WSIB Operating Level: Likely no change
• WSIB Appeals Branch: May consider the Charter
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• WSIAT: Likely to follow Decision No. 2157/09
Charter Challenge to the Rest of s. 13(5)?
• Decision 2157/09 specifically did not address
remainder of s. 13(5):
13(5) A worker is entitled to benefits for mental stress that is an acute reaction to
a sudden and unexpected traumatic event arising out of and in the course of his
or her employment. However, the worker is not entitled to benefits for
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
or her employment. However, the worker is not entitled to benefits for
mental stress caused by his or her employer's decisions or actions
relating to the worker's employment, including a decision to change the
work to be performed or the working conditions, to discipline the worker or
to terminate the employment.
Possibilities for Legislative Change
• Attorney General is not considering judicial review
• Ontario Government could also amend s. 13(5)
• If legislation is amended what would that look like?
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Chronic Stress In AB, SK, and BC
• Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia
have policies similar to Ontario's Traumatic
Mental Stress Policy.
• However, they also have entitlement for Chronic
Stress when it is a reaction to:
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Stress when it is a reaction to:
a) an accumulation, over time, of a number of work-related
stressors
b) a significant work-related stressor that has lasted for a long
time
•
Factors for Chronic Stress Entitlement
• Work-related events that are excessive or unusual
in comparison to those experienced by the
average worker in a similar occupation
• Work-related events or stressors are the
predominant cause of the injury or disability
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
predominant cause of the injury or disability
• Confirmed psychological or psychiatric diagnosis
• Objective confirmation of events
• Normal labour relations issues are excluded
Non-Occupational Case Law
Shah v. Acklands Grainger 2013 HRTO 2084
• Applicant developed a stress-related disability
due to discrimination
• WSIB denied claim
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• The Code does not exclude stress that is alleged
to result from employment-related factors
• WSIB did not appropriately deal with the
substance of the Application
Non-Occupational Case Law
• Kissoon v. VON and College of Nurses 2013
HRTO 1479
• Employer concerned that Applicant's mental
health made her unfit to work
Code does not require an employer to allow an
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Code does not require an employer to allow an
employee to work where it has reasons to believe
that employee is incapable of performing duties,
notwithstanding incapacity due to a disability
Non-Occupational Case Law
• Does a disability exist?
• Liquor Control Board of Ontario 2011 HRTO 1429
• Important in psychological cases
• Changes to the DSM
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Non-Occupational Case Law
• Can you performance manage an employee?
• TCHC v. Local 416 (Knight Grievance)
• Gombos v. Goodrich Aerospace Canada Ltd. 2011
HRTO 978
What information will establish a disability?
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• What information will establish a disability?
Managing Psychological Conditions
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Managing Psychological Conditions
• Statistics:
• In any given week, more than 500,000 Canadians
will not go to work due to mental illness
• 30% of disability claims and 70% of disability costs
are attributed to mental illness
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
are attributed to mental illness
• Estimate $51 billion annual cost to Canadian
economy due to mental illness
Mental Health Commission Canada
Managing Psychological Conditions
• CSA Standard Z1003-13
• Psychological health and safety in the workplace is a
voluntary standard intended to provide systemic
guidelines for Canadian employers to help develop
and maintain psychologically safe and healthy
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
and maintain psychologically safe and healthy
environments for employees
Managing Psychological Conditions
• The business case for improving workplace
psychological health and safety:
• consider risk mitigation
• cost effectiveness
recruitment and retention
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• recruitment and retention
• organizational excellence and sustainability
Managing Psychological Conditions
• Establish a psychological health and safety
management system with the following elements:
1. commitment, leadership and participation
2. planning
implementation
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
3. implementation
4. escalation and corrective action
5. management review
Best Practices
• Implementation and integration
• Train supervisors to recognize and address
possible psychological health issues
• Educate employees about policy and respectful
compliance principles
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
compliance principles
• Early intervention through EAP
Practical Strategies: Minimize Risk
• Harassment policy with procedures must be
enforced
• Management must be responsive to complaints
including completing investigation in a timely
manner
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
manner
• Availability of a support system for complainant
Practical Strategies: Minimize Risk
• Educate managers to be supportive
• Discipline for inappropriate behaviour
• Deal with interpersonal issues at work involving
coworkers and/or supervisor
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Practical Strategies: Minimize Risk
• A nationally representative study of the adult
population found that job strain, high effort reward
imbalance and lower levels of social support at
work were independent predictors of common
mental disorders
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
mental disorders
Practical Strategies: Minimize Risk
Chronic Stress
• Tribunal accepted evidence from scientific studies
that there is an association between job strain and
the onset of mental disorders such as depression
• Job strain and associated depression risks represent
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Job strain and associated depression risks represent
a substantial, preventable and inequitably distributed
health problem
Practical Strategies: Minimize Risk
• Must be proactive in developing intervention
strategies to reduce job strain
• Consider whether working conditions can
increase risk of depression and anxiety disorders
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Best Practices
• Eliminate or assess level of risk
• Manage and collect data but confidentiality must
be maintained
• Evaluation and corrective action
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Rules of Professional Conduct
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Rules of Professional Conduct
• Rule 1
• Conduct unbecoming a barrister and solicitor means
conduct that tends to bring discredit on the legal
profession including:
• taking improper advantage of the ill health of another
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• taking improper advantage of the ill health of another
Rules of Professional Conduct
• Rule 2.1-1
• Standards of the Legal Profession
• a lawyer has a duty to carry on the practice of lawand discharge all responsibilities to clients, tribunals,the public and other legal practitioners honourably
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
and with integrity
• special responsibility to protect the dignity ofindividuals and to respect human rights laws
Rules of Professional Conduct
• Rule 3.2-7
• A lawyer shall not:
• knowingly assist in or encourage any dishonesty,fraud, crime, or illegal conduct
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Rules of Professional Conduct
• Rule 3.2-7
• Knowledge can be actual or in the form of wilful
blindness or recklessness
• If course of action is pursued despite lawyer's
advice, lawyer shall withdraw from acting
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
advice, lawyer shall withdraw from acting
Rules of Professional Conduct
• Rule 3.2-9
• When a client's ability to make decisions is impaired
because of mental disability, the lawyer shall, as far
as reasonably possible, maintain a normal lawyer
and client relationship.
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
and client relationship.
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
• Capacity and Consent to Settle
• Effect of a Full and Final Release where mental
incapacity is alleged
• Can be an issue for both sides
Rules of Civil Procedure/Professional Conduct
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Rules of Civil Procedure/Professional Conduct
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
Bjelakovic v. Accenture Global Services, 2008
CanLII 32802 (ON SC)
• Court held that a contract is binding on a person of
unsound mind unless:
1. the person of unsound mind was incapable of
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
1. the person of unsound mind was incapable ofunderstanding what was being done; and
2. the other party had knowledge, either actual orconstructive, of the incapacity
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
• Onus is on the person asserting the incapacity to
establish both incapacity and the other party's
actual or constructive knowledge of that
incapacity
• If you have a suspicion that a party lacked
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• If you have a suspicion that a party lacked
capacity and deliberately refrained from inquiring
about this, constructive notice will be established
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
Scott v. Teranet Inc. 2012 HRTO 2315
• Applied Bjelakovic test in determining whether
Release is unenforceable where an allegation of
incapacity is made
• No basis to conclude Applicant lacked legal capacity
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• No basis to conclude Applicant lacked legal capacity
Managing Employees with PsychologicalConditions
Kassab v. UPS SCS Inc. 2013 HRTO 1431
• Applicant sought to set aside Minutes of Settlement
as he was under medication which "affected him"
• To set aside, must establish that the Applicant's
condition resulted in a form of incapacity
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
condition resulted in a form of incapacity
Responding to a Claim
• Worker's past attendance records
• Worker's non-compensable medical file
• Worker's employment history
• Does the worker have any prior psychiatric
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
history: thin skull or crumbling skull
• Is there a DSM diagnosis or is this a transitory
emotional response
Responding to a Claim
• Are work-related events excessive or unusual in
comparison to the normal pressures and tensions
experienced by the average worker in a similar
occupation
• Is there a workplace injuring process or is this a
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
• Is there a workplace injuring process or is this a
worker's misconception of events
• Co-existing or prior non-work stressors present
• Temporal connection
Responding to a Claim
• Do medical professionals have a complete history
and accurate facts
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Psychological Disabilities and the Workplace: WSIBand Human Rights ImplicationsMarch 11, 2015
Psychological Disabilitiesand the Workplace:
WSIB and Human Rights Implications
March 11, 2015
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