A new occupational health and safety reform plan in Quebec, Canada could potentially affect assistance for thousands of provincial residents with hearing difficulties, according to an article on the CTV News website.
Bill 59, sponsored by Labour Minister Jean Boulet, is an attempt to reign in the costs of occupational deafness, which Boulet says have increased from $40 to $160 million CAD ($31.8 to $127.13 USD), according to the article.
The Lobe Group is lobbying for Bill 59’s amendment, which it estimates will result in denials of coverage for 1 in 6 requests for compensation, totaling about $21 million CAD ($16.7 USD).
According to the article, workers are currently eligible for compensation based upon a doctor’s recommendation, and may hinge on their interpretation of “difficulty experienced,” a term that is variable depending on the individual, some of whom may not necessarily meet “official requirements” for deafness. The bill would introduce new thresholds for coverage, according to the Group.
To read the article in its entirety, please click here.
Source: CTV News
