IWC news

Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic will hold its next Know Your Rights/Injured Workers Group meeting Wed. Oct 9. Featuring guest speaker Steve Mantis, co-author of Who Killed Sir William, you can attend in person or by Zoom/telephone.

As usual, the meeting will be split into two parts. The first half will be an educational with Q&S on the WSIB’s return to work and retraining policies and practices.

The second half will feature a book talk by special guest Steve Mantis, co-author of the recently published Who Killed Sir William?. You are welcome to join for just one section, or to attend both (Book talk will begin approximately 2 p.m.)

You will need to register if you want to attend online or by phone, and we also request that you register to attend in person as well so that we know how many people to prepare for.

If you’re not able to join us on October 9th, mark the next meeting (November 13th, 1pm to 3pm) in your calendars now, when we will discuss WSIB’s Psychological policies and have a special presentation on tips for maintaining mental health. 

(To receive IWC’s newsletter and updates on future events, sign up to IWC’s email list at tinyurl.com/IWCMailingList ).

Learn more about how the WSIB deals with recurring injuries. IWC’s John McKinnon will address issues of pre-existing condition, aggravation, recurrence or new injury and how to navigate the workers’ compensation process if you were not in perfect condition. Bring your questions and comments.

Zoom into the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers’ Support Group Tuesday online info & advocacy session. Contact tbiwsg@gmail.com to be on the mailing list to get notices and the Zoom link for TBIWSG sessions

Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic will hold its next Know Your Rights/Injured Workers Group meeting (which you can attend in person or by Zoom/telephone) on Wednesday September 11th from 1pm to 3pm.

On the agenda:
1pm – Educational Presentation – Workers Comp 101 (How to file and appeal WSIB claims; what benefits are available?)
2pm – Group Meeting – WSIB’s “age 65” problem (What happens to injured workers at age 65? Older worker poverty; group discussion on what can be done to improve outcomes)

REGISTER NOW

If you are attending online or by phone, information on how to join on Zoom or by phone will be emailed to you after you register.

(To receive IWC’s newsletter and updates on future events, sign up to IWC’s email list at tinyurl.com/IWCMailingList ).

Given the far-reaching scope of the review of the Board’s Independent Living policies and their potential impact, IWC submits that they require further in-person/online consultations with stakeholders, especially injured and ill workers, who will be the ones directly impacted by these policy changes. The submission details major concerns on the modified/draft policies with recommendations.

Read full submission in pdf or Word.

Our Know Your Rights/Injured Worker Group meeting will be held on Wednesday June 5th from 1pm to 2pm. We will be discussing a few different topics, including WSIB’s recent announcement that it will review how it cut benefits in a very limited number of migrant worker cases over the last few years. The decision could have longer term impacts on the conversation around deeming and determining in Ontario, so let’s talk about it.

The meeting is both available to attend either in person or on zoom. Please register here to get all of the information you need.

In recognition of decades spent on the legal frontlines advocating for injured workers and a more just workers’ compensation system, IWC’s John McKinnon recently received Osgoode Hall Law school’s  Dianne Martin  Medal for Social Justice Through Law.

In a career that began as a law student volunteer at Parkdale CLS, he has continued to focus on representing low-income and marginalized clients through Ontario’s community legal clinic system. After working as staff lawyer with Parkdale and  Central Toronto (Kensington-Bellwood) clinics, John joined Injured Workers Consultants in 1989, providing legal leadership as Executive Director. Co-chair for many years of the Ontario Legal Clinics’ Workers’ Compensation Network (OLCWCN), he continues to serve also on the executive team of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario (ACLCO) contributing to strategies to strengthen the clinic system and legal aid program.

As noted by a former co-worker, his approach in handling the appeal cases of individual injured workers is “a study in patience, empathy and persistence. Once the file is opened, John ensures that justice is sought as far as is possible.  A case which might seem hopeless, will spring to life in John’s hands.”  Dedicated also to making system-wide change through test cases and workers’ compensation law and policy reforms, with his customary humility John would attribute his many achievements to the power of collaboration and working in teams within the clinic and externally. This he continues to do  through active participation in legal networks such as OLCWCN and by supporting the injured worker community, including the  Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups, to undertake their own reform and self-advocacy initiatives.

John shares his encyclopedic knowledge of workers’ compensation law and its history through legal education, clinics training & support, as well as through regular information exchanges and workshops with the injured worker community. Injecting creativity and humour into the clinic’s popular education campaigns, he has successfully raised public awareness of problematic workers’ compensation issues. In addition to in-house analysis, he continues to support inclusive worker-focused research projects that value shared expertise and experiences, such as the six-year Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury (2006-2012) for which he was a partner lead.

John’s energy and commitment to access to justice combined with his intellect and curiosity has made him a highly respected member of both the Ontario legal clinic community and the injured worker/workers compensation world. He has quietly and  tirelessly dedicated himself to working for social justice through law.

The staff and Board of IWC warmly congratulate him on receiving this award.