British Columbia

Wage Loss Benefits

Complex application

Tax filing not required

Wage loss benefits are money that you get from WorkSafeBC to replace your wages after you have been injured on the job or disabled by a work-related disease. You get wage loss benefits so long as your injury continues to disable you from work and while your injury is considered by WorkSafeBC to be temporary. Wage loss benefits are paid every two weeks. If your condition keeps you off work for more than 10 weeks, you'll be eligible for long-term compensation.

Wage loss benefits are paid for both total disability or for partial disability. If your claim for wage loss benefits is accepted, you usually receive about 90 percent of your calculated net earnings. If you can work reduced hours or modified/light duties, you will receive partial benefits which will compensate you for the degree of income loss due to your disability.

Wage loss benefits are not paid if you are not working due to your fear that you may re-injure yourself or aggravate your injury.

You get wage loss benefits while your injury/injuries are temporary. This means that wage loss benefits will end when:

  • You recover from your injury; or
  • Your condition becomes permanent.

WorkSafeBC will usually provide you a decision letter that outlines their decision to stop your wage loss benefits and as of what date.

WorkSafeBC will consider the following to decide if you have a “temporary” injury:

  • Reports from your doctor saying that you cannot go back to work.
  • Reports from your doctor describing the kind of treatment you are getting.
  • Reports from your doctor saying that you are significantly improving or getting worse as a result of the treatment you are getting.
  • The opinion of a WorkSafeBC doctor that your injury will get significantly better or worse in the following 12 months. Sometimes the WorkSafeBC doctor (called a Medical Advisor) will examine you.

For more information visit WorkSafeBC.

Health card

For example:

  • valid health card with no photo, name and address
  • valid health card with photo, name and address
  • MCP (Medical Care Plan) number
  • Valid ambulance/dental services card
  • Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour identification number
  • Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour file number (Income Support Card).

Proof of  residency in Province

For example:

  • lease agreement
  • rent receipt
  • household bill
    • gas
    • electricity
    • cable television
    • telephone
  • driver's license
  • vehicle registration or car insurance
  • membership in social or professional organization
  • Other:
    • bank information
    • employment information

Social Insurance Number

For example:

  • confirmation of SIN letter
  • plastic SIN card (non-expired)

You will need to report your workplace injury or disease to be considered for wage loss benefits. You will need the following information to file a claim:

  • Contact information for yourself and your employer
  • The date of your injury and how it occurred
  • Who you reported your injury to (your employer, health care providers)
  • What, if any, days or shifts you’ve missed from work
  • Information about any additional employers you may have
  • Names and phone numbers of your health care providers (doctor, physiotherapist, etc.)
  • Your social insurance number
  • Your personal health number (from your BC Services card or CareCard)
  • If you've missed time from work, you'll also need to tell us your earnings from your most recent paystub and the past 12 months

There are four ways to report a workplace injury to WorkSafeBC:

  1. Teleclaim (recommended if you've missed work): 1-888-WORKERS (1.888.967.5377)
  2. Create an account with WorkSafeBC
  3. Report without creating an account. You can complete our fillable PDF, Application for Compensation and Report of Injury or Occupational Disease (Form 6), and mail or fax it to us.

You will be assigned a claim number when your report of injury is received. After filing a claim, you can go online to check the status at Check Claim Status or call the Claims Call Centre.

WorkSafeBC encourages filers to sign up for direct deposit.

Last updated: January 14, 2024