EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to expand the application of the section 14 entitlement to benefits under the insurance plan for posttraumatic stress disorder to nurses, health care workers providing close assistance to first responders, and workers other than police officers who provide police services or support the work of persons who provide police services.

Bill 151 2017

An Act to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to expand the entitlement to benefits under the insurance plan for posttraumatic stress disorder

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1 (1)  The definition of "correctional services officer" in subsection 14 (1) of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 is repealed and the following substituted:

"correctional services officer" means a worker who is directly involved in the care, health, discipline, safety and custody of an inmate confined to a correctional institution, and includes a bailiff, probation officer or parole officer; ("agent des services correctionnels")

(2)  Subsection 14 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following definition:

"nurse" means a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario; ("infirmière, infirmier")

(3)  Paragraph 5 of subsection 14 (2) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

    5.  Police officers and other workers who provide police services or support the work of persons who provide police services, including workers who provide investigative support, workers in forensics, garage staff, offender transport officers and civilian members or employees of a police force.

(4)  Subsection 14 (2) of the Act is amended by adding the following paragraphs:

  6.1  Nurses.

  6.2  Front line workers and health care professionals who are involved in the delivery of health care services, including the delivery of home care services, and who provide close assistance to other workers listed in this subsection in stressful and traumatic situations in a health care setting.

Commencement

2 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3 The short title of this Act is the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (PTSD Benefits), 2017.