The Ontario government and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) have announced that eligible Schedule 1 employers will receive a credit to their WSIB accounts in February 2025. The WSIB has noted that strong financial and operational factors have led to a surplus beyond the WSIB reserve factor, triggering a payout of the surplus to Schedule 1 employers.
The Ontario government stated that the WSIB will be distributing over two billion dollars to those employers who qualify out of the 323,000 employers who pay premiums into the insurance fund in the province.
To be eligible for the rebate, a Schedule 1 employer must:
- have an active account and premium payment obligations as of November 1, 2024
- have had premium obligations in 2023
- have not been convicted of a Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) or an Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) offence in a proceeding under Part III of the Provincial Offences Act in 2024 or in 2025, up to and including the date the WSIB issues a surplus rebate
- have not been convicted in more than one such proceeding under the WSIA, or have not been convicted in more than one such proceeding under the OHSA, between 2020 and 2025, up to and including the date the WSIB issues a surplus rebate
- have not had a traumatic workplace fatality attributed to the organization in 2024 or in 2025, up to and including the date the WSIB issues a surplus rebate, or have not had more than one traumatic workplace fatality attributed to the organization between 2020 and 2025, up to and including the date the WSIB issues a surplus rebate
- not be affiliated through common ownership with a business
that:
- is ineligible to receive a surplus rebate based on the convictions criteria outlined
- has a traumatic workplace fatality attributed to them between 2020 and 2025, up to and including the date the WSIB issues a surplus rebate
The WSIB has stated that eligible Schedule 1 employers will receive notice of the credit and amount to their online business accounts in February 2025.
Schedule 2 employers are not eligible for this rebate as they do not pay premiums into the insurance fund.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
