Case Summary : Delay

Multiple adjudicators

A worker complained that the number of different adjudicators handling his claim resulted in no one responding to his concern about the suitability of his labour market re-entry program (LMR). The worker reported increasing physical and psychological problems over a 10-month period to each of the six adjudicators and to his two LMR service providers. The worker felt his restrictions were not being accommodated and his depression was deepening to the point of despair. He was only able to attend school for an hour and a half each day and was afraid that he would lose his loss of earning (LOE) benefits.

The Commission learned that the worker’s claim had just been transferred to another adjudicator in a new district office. The managers of the old and new district offices both agreed with the Commission that the nurse case manager in the old office was most familiar with the worker’s circumstances and the claim should return to a senior adjudicator in that office.

The responsible manager called the worker to listen to his concerns and explain the next steps. The worker was immediately referred for treatment and was advised to cease his LMR program until the outcome of treatment was reviewed.

(August 2006)