Carriers W.S.I.B.

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needtoknow

Member
Apr 3, 2008
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We did an update on our carrier list and found that 30% of carriers had lapsed their WSIB. Our Carrier list is about 80 agents. We have begun to hold back the WSIB portion on all our brokered freight. Two years ago we got hit with a $16,000.00 invoice from WSIB because of carriers not having an up to date certificate.
 
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They let it lapse or WSIB's new system has more glitches than microsoft says they have? We have paid ours - they will admit to it on the phone but still can't get the damm system to let us print it off.
 
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We had a WSIB audit 2 years ago but had eveyone's clearance certificate. The auditor could not speak English well enough, so I asked for one who could. I was called a racist. It is my business so I should have been able to understand the person who is trying to find fault with it.

Long story short he could not find anything wrong. So after 3 weeks of him wasting my time and money I let loose with a tirade that would make Andrew Dice Clay blush. His response was "I now have a list of everyone you do business with. I can now audit them."

Your tax dollars at work.
 
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Hello need to know


This WSIB issue. How did that happen? Are you a broker? Please advise as you have my interest peaked now about the problems that can arise from lapsed WSIB.


Thanks

Hockeylover
 
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We are a carrier who also "brokers" a little freight now and then.
We were audited last year. It was 2 full days of Q&A's.
Fortunatly we had "clearance certificates" on file for all of our owner operators and "clearance certificates" on file for the outside carriers they asked to see. (good thing they didnt ask for all).
There were no fines but we were written up for not having a current inventory listing of our first aid kit in the office, and a couple of other minor issues. Also we had a couple of commission sales people who worked for many differant carriers and invoice us for their $$. The highest paid guy made $1900.00 last year but WSIB wanted a clearance certificate from both of them to prove that they were not full time employees. Both sales guys refused to get with the program because they feared that they may not be "deemed independant" and will start having to pay WSIB.
Bottom line is that WSIB is almost broke and their Audit department's main focus is to now look for revenue rather than looking for unsafe work practices. Too bad.
 
Are you being audited as a broker or carrier? I was under the impression that the shipper was required to have an updated clearance of WSIB.

Would a broker also need to have current clearance? Also, how were you penalized $16,000 from WSIB - were you paying off their dues?

Great thread!.... Probably a few more things about WSIB that I didn`t know, but will now.
 
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It is my understanding, that as a broker, you have to have current WSIB clearance certificates for all of the carriers you contract with, similar to a building contractor ensuring that all of his sub-contractors are covered (plumbers, electricians, etc.). As indicated earlier, WSIB is cash strapped and is looking to gather money from every possible source.
 
loaders said:
It is my understanding, that as a broker, you have to have current WSIB clearance certificates for all of the carriers you contract with, similar to a building contractor ensuring that all of his sub-contractors are covered (plumbers, electricians, etc.). As indicated earlier, WSIB is cash strapped and is looking to gather money from every possible source.
Click to expand...

Does WSIB only apply in ON?

Sorry for my ignorance but I've never heard of having to have a WSIB certificate
 
Manitoba Moose,

WSIB is the worker's compensation (WCB) board for the province of Ontario. I believe the other provinces have their own boards.

In Manitoba, it's called the Worker's Compensation Board of Manitoba.

I too am interested in the $16,000 penalty one of the other posters mentioned. I was audited by WSIB as well, but they were more interested in making sure we reported all our employee's income and paid the premiums on it. No problem for us as we have always paid these premiums, as expensive as they are...
 
wsib

I beleive that WSIB is Ontario's version of the workmen's compensation board.
We in Quebec have the C.S.S.T. which is equivalent if not worse.

Unfortunatly the CSST does not give out letters of good standing.

Although I know of no hold back system inj Quebec, that compares to what often happens in Ontario, where employers of sub contarctor's hold back up to 20% if the letter of good standing is not provided.

I would imagine every Province has their equivalent board.
 
WSIB is an "arms-length" department of the Ontario government. I believe all the other provinces have similar Boards. My mind boggles at a scenario where an Ontario based broker contracts a Manitoba based carrier to pick-up a load in Quebec destined for Alberta. The driver slips and falls, injuring himself at a truckstop in Saskatchewan. It is latter discovered that the Manitoba carrier is not registered with the Manitoba Workers Compensation Board. Has the Ontario broker exposed himself to problems from the Manitoba or Saskatchewan Board? Due diligence demands that brokers should request clearance certificates from all carriers regardless of where they (the broker or the carrier) are domiciled. Phew, what a business!
 
Just one last thing. Don't forget that if are an Ontario based broker, you must be registered with WSIB and pay premiums for all your staff.
Granted, the rate is low compared to trucking companies, but heaven help you if WSIB catches you operating without being registered! Can you spell, 3 year retroactive penalty?
 
We were audited about 4 years ago. We were levied a fine of 30% of our brokerage income on any brokered load with an Ontario carrier that we did not have a clearance for (thankfully there was only one missing!). I forget how they came up with the 30%
Currently we collect clearances (or letters from the provincial body with an account number) for all Canadian companies or have them sign our "Hold Harmless" letter that we received the wording for from the WSIB officer.
Not sure if this will keep us safe in another audit.
 
Try Newfounfland - I recently gave some freight to a NL carrier going home from Ontario, asked for there version on workers comp. I now find that I am reponsible to report to NL annually, and can be held responsible if the carrier goes out of business before the annual reporting date. Opened a can of worms I should have left closed.
 
WSIB has a great website...you can go online to get any carrier's clearance certificate within seconds.
 
New website sucks!!!!

Freight Broker said:
WSIB has a great website...you can go online to get any carrier's clearance certificate within seconds.
Click to expand...

Yes it is a great little website and after 2 days on the phone 5 different people telling us they do not understand why we can not get a new certificate because we are current they finally were able to get it fixed so we can. Whoo hoo much better than just phoning them and 30 seconds later the cert was coming off the fax machine!:mad:
 
Every time we go on the "system is temporarily unavailable" Typical Bureaucratic BS. Gov't says "use this site" before the site is fully operational! it's a joke right now but will be way better when it is fully functional.
 
I've had no problems with it...every time I need a clearance certificate I punch in the info and I get my clearance certificate within seconds.

It is also good because you can see right away who is delinquent in their payments...so I stay away from those carriers.
 
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