Province increases funding for workers compensation appeal tribunals

Injured workers on P.E.I.will soon have reduced wait times for appeals, according to Workforce and Advanced Learning Minister Sonny Gallant.

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The office of the worker advisor which is part of the Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning has added "temporary resources" to process files faster, the province announced today in a news release.

"With these additional resources, the office of the worker advisor and Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) will be able to support a record number of hearings this year," saidGallant.

"More than 20 hearings have been held since January and another 12 are currently scheduled and the tribunal anticipates surpassing 40 hearings by December. We anticipate wait lists will be reduced significantly by early next year."

Province adding 20 representatives

The province is adding lawyer Brian Waddell and nine additional vice chairs to the WCAT, as well as five worker representatives and five employer representativestoassist the tribunals.

These additional appointees, the province said, will share the work load so hearings happen more often and are processed quicker.

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