THUNDER BAY, Ontario, March 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On March 22nd and 24th the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will be holding a “General discussion on the right of persons with disabilities to work and employment”, examining section 27 of the CRPD. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/GeneralDiscussions.aspx
The Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) has made a submission sharing our experiences in Ontario that builds on our previous submission in 2019 that points out how the practice of “deeming” violates Canada’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
“Workers’ compensation is a critical lifeline for people who get injured on the job,” says Steve Mantis, chair of ONIWG’s Research Action Committee that prepared the submission. “Deeming denies people the right to income security when they are unable to get back to work because of a workplace injury.”
“Deeming creates poverty for injured workers with permanent disabilities,” says Janet Paterson, president of ONIWG. “The number of injured workers whose benefits are so far below the poverty line they have to turn to social assistance is shocking.”
In the submission, ONIWG requests:
- that the new general comment advise all governments to ensure that employment injury compensation systems adopt follow-up reporting on the employment outcomes of work injury compensation claimants with long-term work-acquired disabilities;
- requests that all governments ensure humane and dignified treatment of people with work-acquired disabilities in the employment injury benefit system;
- asks all governments to ensure protection against discrimination for people with work-acquired disabilities in the employment injury benefit system. Disabled workers should not be discriminated against for filing a claim for income security and should not have to fear termination of employment or the pressure to end their medical treatment from employers who are concerned about maintaining a low experience rating;
- requests that the new General Comment state that income security for people with work-acquired disabilities is a fundamental human right, and that income security must be sufficient so that people are able to live a dignified human life.
For further information contact: Steve Mantis at 807-767-9633