The WSIB’s chronic mental stress policy is “discriminatory, exclusionary and narrow,” said Chris Grawey of Injured Workers’ Consultants (IWC) “…essentially a get-out-of-compensation-free card for WSIB and employers.” While 2018 reforms expanded eligibility for workers’ compensation to cover long-term stress on the job that accumulate over time (gradual onset), such as that caused by workplace harassment, abuse and excessive pressure, a Toronto Star report based on WSIB data obtained for the period 2018 to Dec. 2025 shows that 77% of adjudicated claims were denied.
While a slight improvement on the 90% denial rate reported in 2023, injured worker advocates point to discriminatory, restrictive requirements that discourage workers from filing claims in the first place. Article cites Chris Grawey (Injured workers Community Legal Clinic), researcher Stephanie Premji and IAVGO lawyer Maryth Yachnin on the barriers encountered and the higher test required for chronic mental stress claims: rather than using the “significant contributing factor” test as for physical injuries, for psychological injuries workplace factors must be the “predominant cause”.
Read the full article: Alsharif, Ghada. 2026 Oct. 1. “Ontario expanded WSIB benefits for chronic on-the-job stress. Why most claims are denied.” Toronto Star
