Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba
The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) is an agency of the Government of Manitoba. It was established in 1917 in accordance to the The Workers Compensation Act, itself passed in 1916. It is an injury and disability insurance system for workers and employers, paid for by employers.
The WCB was formed as a result of a compromise: injured workers gave up the right to sue employers in exchange for no-fault insurance in the case of work related injuries or illness, while employers agreed to pay for the system providing they would be protected from lawsuits. One of the problems that workers’ compensation was created to solve, namely, the problem of employers becoming insolvent as a result of high damage awards. The system of collective liability was created to prevent that, and thus to ensure security of compensation to the workers. Individual immunity is the necessary corollary to collective liability.
The WCB is run by a Board of Directors that consists of 10 members appointed by the Government of Manitoba from nominations submitted by labour, employers and the public. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is a non-voting member of the Board of Directors. The current Chairperson of the Board of Directors is Michael D. Werier, and the current President and CEO is Winston Maharaj.