Source: Ontario Federation of Labour

Advisory: OFL, Injured Workers and Medical Professionals to Release Report Exposing WSIB Interference in Medical Care

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 4, 2015) - On Thursday, November 5, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) and the Ontario Network of Injured Workers' Groups (ONIWG) will be releasing a damning report exposing interference on the part of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in the medical care of injured workers.

At a Queen's Park media conference hosted by the OFL and ONIWG, medical professionals will come forward to raise alarm about the WSIB's management of medical care and medical evidence as it relates to WSIB benefits recipients. They will also share stories about the WSIB's failure to heed medical advice regarding readiness to return to work, insufficient treatment, blaming 'pre-existing' conditions for ongoing illness, and using independent medical reviews which proclaim patients to be healed, despite the evidence of treating practitioners. The net effect is a system that re-victimizes the very injured workers it is mandated to compensate and protect.

WHAT: Media Conference with Medical Professionals
WHEN: Thursday, November 5 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Queen's Park Media Studio, Toronto
WHO: OFL Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Hutchison and Registered Psychologists, Dr. Keith Klassen and Dr. Giorgio Ilacqua

The full report, called "Prescription Over-Ruled: Report on How Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Systematically Ignores the Advice of Medical Professionals," will be posted online to the OFL website at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2015, in advance of the media conference: www.OFL.ca.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow the OFL on Facebook and Twitter: @OFLabour.

Contact Information:

Joel Duff
OFL Communications Director
416-707-0349
jduff@ofl.ca
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