Workers' compensation rates for trucking industry to increase 2% in 2012

www.chinatrucks.com: The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has announced that workers' compensation premiums for the trucking industry will increase by 2% in 2012. Rates jumped by 11.1% in 2011.

Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) says the decision is a positive indication that its lobbying efforts - including urging the WSIB to do a better job of cost control instead of increasing payroll taxes on employers - may be working.
"Any increase in these economic times is unwelcome and while a 2% is better than the double-digit increase of last year, it is not clear what the long-term performance or burden of the WSIB will be," said Ontario Trucking Association president David Bradley.

The 2012 rate will be the last ad hoc premium rate setting before the Funding Review is completed and a new rate setting model is implemented, according to officials.

Last year, OTA went so far as to suggest that the "deal" between employers and the Government of Ontario that led to the establishment of the provincial workers' compensation program a century ago was no longer working or valid and that private options needed to be considered.

In 2012, the General Trucking (rate group 570) rate will increase from $6.43 to $6.56, the Courier Services (rate group 577) rate will increase from $2.89 to $2.95 and the Warehousing (rate group 560) rate will increase from $3.28 to $3.35.

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