On November 8, 2011, the Board of Directors (“BOD”) considered a decision from the Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal that Items
AP1-37-1 and AP1-37-3 of the Assessment Manual relating to the annual classification cycle are patently unreasonable. 

The BOD approved amendments to three policies in the Assessment Manual to:

• remove references to the annual classification cycle;
• adopt policy reflecting WorkSafeBC’s authority under section 37(2)(f) of the Workers Compensation Act to withdraw an employer from a classification and transfer it to another classification; and
• clarify that WorkSafeBC may undertake periodic reviews of the classification system.

These amendments reflect the purpose of the classification system, to classify firms into groups that can be used to set fair and equitable rates, and to ensure that the classification system does not unfairly differentiate between firms competing for the same business. 

These amendments were effective November 8, 2011, and apply to all decisions, including appellate decisions, made on or after November 8, 2011.