The Board of Directors approved amendments to the policies that guide the WCB in determining the effective date of a change in an employer's classification. At the November 19, 2003 Board of Directors meeting, changes to Assessment Manual Items AP1-37-2 (Classification - Multiple), AP1-37-3 (Classification - Changes) and AP1-42-3 (Transfer of Experience Rating) were approved.

The key changes to the policies include:

• Amendments to the classification changes policy to provide three general reasons for classification changes, with corresponding effective dates based on the reason for the change and direction on the transfer of experience rating.
• Amendments to multiple classification policy to remove references to effective dates and direct the reader to the classification changes policy.
• Amendments to the transfer of experience rating policy to specify that when a transfer of experience rating is being considered in the context of a change in classification, the change in classification policy is considered.

These policy changes are effective January 1, 2004 and apply to all new decisions on or after that date.