Published on: March 26, 2020

WorkSafeBC is postponing the payment deadline for Q1 2020, in light of the uncertainty and challenges many employers are facing during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

Employers who report and pay on a quarterly basis

If your business reports payroll and makes payments on a quarterly basis, it may be to your advantage to report your Q1 2020 payroll in order to ensure your account balance is accurate and your clearance status is not negatively impacted.

However, you will not be charged a penalty if you do not pay your premium by your usual first quarter deadline of April 20. You can defer payment without penalty until June 30, 2020, although you can still pay your full premiums before then if you are able by using our online services. Learn more.

Personal Optional Protection (POP) coverage holders

In order to assist you, we’re allowing Personal Optional Protection (POP) coverage holders to defer payment of premiums that are due on April 20. This means you can defer payment until June 30, 2020, without risking cancellation of your coverage and without negatively impacting your clearance. You can still pay your full premiums before then if you are able.

Employers who report and pay on an annual basis

Employers who report payroll on an annual basis do not need to report their 2020 payroll or pay their 2020 premiums until March 2021.

To learn more about reporting payroll and paying premiums, visit our website or contact us.

See also

• WorkSafeBC Assessable Earnings Reduction Calculation
  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WorkSafeBC is waiving premiums for employers who receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for wages paid to furloughed workers. Employers can use this worksheet to calculate the amounts to exclude from assessable payroll for furloughed workers who were eligible for a CEWS subsidy.