Time to register for WCB Alberta’s Partnership in Injury Reduction program
Annual Experience Rating statements will be released soon for employers across Canada, so it’s a good time to review some of the ways in which you can reduce your future WCB premium rates. Obviously, one way is to not have as many claims, since your WCB claims from the three preceding years are used to calculate your premium rate. So for next year (2026) the number and costs associated with the claims you had in 2022, 2023 and 2024 will determine what you pay in terms of a premium rate.
There is one additional way in which Alberta employers can reduce their premium rate, and that is to take part in the WCB’s Partnership in Injury Reduction program. In order to do so, you have to register no later than December 31, 2025. The benefit can be significant: If you qualify, you can get a refund of up to 20 percent on your premium rate for the year in which you qualify and for the prior year as well.
Understanding PIR and How to Participate
The PIR program is a voluntary initiative from the Workers Compensation Board that aims to encourage injury prevention and foster the development of effective health, safety, and return-to-work strategies in the workplace. The fundamental premise is that a collaborative effort between employers and workers to establish robust health and safety programs will lead to a decrease in work-related claims and associated costs, and thus a reduction in premiums paid by corporations as well.
For New or Unregistered Employers
If you have not yet joined the Partnership in Injury Reduction program, it’s worth noting that registration is free, and every participant that receives a Certificate of Recognition (COR) from the program can get a refund of up to 20 percent of their Industry Rated Premium.
As the WCB explains in its primer on the program, a COR shows that the employer’s health and safety management system has been evaluated by a certified auditor and meets provincial standards. These standards are established by Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
To achieve a COR, you must get at least 50 percent on each element of an audit and have an overall score of 80 percent. After earning a COR, you are eligible for a 10-percent industry rate refund for the first year and then five percent every year you maintain the COR.
By participating in the PIR program, you can lower your WCB premium in one of the following three ways. The WCB will always apply the measure that results in the largest refund amount:
- Achieve or maintain a COR or Small Employer Certificate of Recognition (SECOR).
- Improve your performance.
- Maintain Industry Leadership (performing significantly better than your industry)
For Current PIR Participants
If you are already enrolled in the PIR program, this is an excellent time to:
- Review the performance metrics used to calculate your WCB premium.
- Confirm that your COR or SECOR is current.
- Ensure your health and safety program is prepared for an audit.
The Importance of the Certificate of Recognition
While you can still earn industry rate discounts by consistently improving your claims cost record year-over-year or by significantly outperforming your industry, the key element of PIR is obtaining a COR, which is based on the development and implementation of a workplace health and safety system — a method proven to reduce work-related claims costs.
This may seem like a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, but employers pursuing a COR often find that many necessary components are already in place, making the process of meeting the required standards more manageable than anticipated.
Recognizing the fact that establishing an effective health and safety management system often requires an investment of time and resources, the PIR program includes a one-year grace period that allows employers to achieve their COR and still qualify for a discount.
- If a PIR-enrolled employer has not met the COR standard by the end of that first year, their performance discount will be carried forward for one additional year.
- If the COR standard is met in that subsequent year, the performance discount will then be issued to the employer; otherwise, it will be forfeited.
Furthermore, any employer obtaining their COR for the first time qualifies for a one-time 10-percent industry rate discount. Now is the optimal time to consider becoming a PIR member to ensure you are doing everything possible to minimize your WCB premiums. Unless WCB notifies an employer otherwise, participation in PIR renews automatically.
Looking for further information on or help with participating in the PIR program and/or obtaining a COR? You can connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin. Or you can reach us via email at [email protected], or contact us directly during business hours by using our chat feature or by telephone at 1-844-377-9545.