Case Summary : Decision-Making Process

Processing travel expenses

A worker called the Commission with a complaint about the process for submitting and processing mileage claims. In 2005, the worker submitted three years of travel expense forms for his trips to attend his doctor’s appointments. The claims adjudicator approved the expenses after receiving a letter from the doctor. The claims adjudicator advised the worker to keep his appointment cards and submit the travel expenses once a year.

When the worker submitted his travel expenses for 2006-07, a new claims adjudicator said the worker would need another letter from the doctor. The worker questioned this need in light of the direction he had received from the prior adjudicator and was told that a new process applied. The worker spoke to the manager who said he would look into the matter, but the worker did not hear back from the manager.

The Commission contacted the manager who said the new claims adjudicator was following the correct protocol. The manager agreed, however, that the worker should have been advised of the change in practice. The manager processed the 2006-07 expenses without the doctor’s letter and provided full notice to the worker of the change in practice and the information needed to process future expenses.

(December 2007)