The process teachers follow, and the compensation available to them, when they are injured on school property can be complicated. Teachers injured at work are encouraged to contact the Local 38 office for advice and assistance.

Teachers need to be aware that the CBE maintains an insurance policy for teachers injured at the workplace under the Urban School Insurance Consortium’s Enriched Blanket Student Accident Insurance. Teachers will recognize this company from the optional extended student insurance coverage forms handed out to students at the start of each year. Teachers are covered by the CBE through this policy as part of a Risk Management strategy. This is in addition to the coverage available to teachers through their Group Benefits plan. The summary of this coverage is available here.

Non‐WCB Injuries

Most teachers will follow the non-WCB injury process. If an injury occurs in the workplace:

1. Administer first aid and seek any necessary medical assistance.
2. The teacher (or, if the teacher is incapacitated, the school administrator) must file an accident report through PublicSchoolWORKS within 24 hours of the incident.
3. After your physician recommends treatment, obtain the medical services and pay for them.

• According to the terms of the Blanket Student Accident Insurance Coverage (under which teachers are covered for accidents occurring on school sites), reimbursement of medical service costs (e.g. physiotherapy) must first be processed through the teacher's SunLife group benefit plan.
• Any excess amounts not covered by SunLife can be claimed through the Blanket Student Accident Insurance coverage. We suggest waiting to claim excess amounts on your Health Spending Account until such time as the Blanket Accident coverage provides reimbursement.
• If the full reimbursements have been provided under both SunLife and the Accident Insurance coverage, a teacher might then wish to claim unpaid amounts under their Health Spending Account.  

WCB Injuries

Only select teachers are covered under WCB provisions. Those teaching in the Career & Technology Studies stream are covered by WCB in the performance of duties while teaching a CTS class as well as in some other scenarios. CTS includes the traditional industrial education and home economics classes but also includes practical arts classes that have been replaced by CTS (ie: horticulture, graphic arts, beauty culture, fashion studies, etc.).

Substitute Teachers are covered by WCB only if they are hurt while teaching/covering for classes in the Career & Technology Studies stream. Administrators are covered by WCB during the performance of administrative duties or while teaching a CTS class. If any teacher is teaching another class that does not match the descriptors above, and becomes injured, they would not be covered by WCB.

WCB injuries necessitate a different process:

1. Administering first aid/medical care
2. As with non-WCB injuries, the teacher (or, if the teacher is incapacitated, the school administrator) must file an accident report through PublicSchoolWORKS within 24 hours of the incident.
3. If your injury requires medical attention or you lose time from work refer to the "WCB Hurt at work 1, 2, 3 poster" or go to WCB Alberta website. You will be requested by the WCB to complete and submit a WCB Worker Report of Injury or Occupational Disease.
4. The teacher should access and exhaust benefits through the WCB before utilizing the CBE Group Benefits plan provisions. Follow-up for these claims are done through the Employee Health Resource Centre’s WCB Coordinator, (403-777-7788).

Provisions for Substitute Teachers Injured on School Sites

Substitute teachers who are unable to work as a result of injuries sustained while performing his/her duties for the Board shall be paid the per diem rate for up to 20 consecutive teaching days immediately following the injury upon the provision of acceptable medical documentation.

Damaged Property

Teachers suffering damage or destruction to clothing, eye-glasses or personal property as a result of maintaining order and discipline among students are covered under clause 19.11.2 of the Collective Agreement.  Property damaged in the course of regular duties or by accidents is not covered.  Contact Local 38 for advice related to accessing restitution under this clause of the collective agreement.

Special Provisions for Teachers on "Sick Bank" System (Accumulative Sick Leave)

Teachers on the accumulative sick leave system who are injured at work or while performing duties in which the teacher is acting on behalf of the school authority shall be eligible to receive additional sick leave so that there will be no interruption of salary for the remainder of the elimination period for the Extended Disability Plan.

Last updated 2018 March 20