Legislative change: An overview of Bill 8 - Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act

The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act was passed into law on December 2, 2021 and provides a modern, cohesive framework for the primary goal of preventing workplace injuries and caring for injured workers.

On behalf of the Government of Yukon, Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) carried out a public engagement in late 2019 and early 2020 to hear from stakeholders and the public about the acts that govern YWCHSB’s business: the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Workers’ Compensation Act was last updated in 2008 and although many issues were identified at that time, only select issues were addressed. The Occupational Health and Safety Act has remained largely untouched since it was first drafted in 1984.

The changes in the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act aim to enhance worker safety, reduce workplace injuries, streamline the appeals process and improve return to work practices.

Additional information and resources will be available on our website. This will include updated web pages that reflect the changes in the new legislation.

In early 2022, the Board will also be engaging with the public on the policies that govern the boards business.
Stay tuned to our Facebook page to learn more about the upcoming changes to the website and for more information about the upcoming policy public engagement.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act can be accessed as a PDF document on the O page of the Acts and Regulations section of the Yukon Government website. The existing January 2022 Workers' Compensation Act is available on the Government of Yukon’s legislation web page as well as the new Workers' Safety and Compensation Act which is effective July 1, 2022.