Worker's Compensation Advisor

Air Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading airline company based in Toronto seeks a Disability Management Specialist to oversee and manage Workers’ Compensation claims and appeals. This role involves supporting employees during their recovery from occupational injuries while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience in disability case management and strong communication, analytical, and decision-making skills. Bilingualism in English and French is required, and familiarity with the aviation industry is considered an asset.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years direct disability case management experience.
• Strong analytical and critical decision-making skills.
• Mature initiative-taker with ability to work independently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to build and sustain meaningful relationships.

Responsibilities

• Review and validate new occupational injury/illness claims.
• Assert ownership of workers’ compensation claims from start to closure.
• Communicate regularly with employees and managers regarding claims.
• Develop action plans for managing each claim.
• Collaborate with stakeholders for early return to work.

Skills

Analytical skills

Decision-making

Communication skills

Initiative

Relationship building

Education

Post-secondary degree or diploma

NIDMAR Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

HRIS

Claim management systems

Job description

Overview

Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation. Working as part of the Disability Management team, the purpose of this role is to oversee and manage Workers’ Compensation claims & appeals related employee occupational injury and illness. The role focuses on ensuring all employees are supported with care & class throughout the duration of their occupational injury or illness absence, while applying consistent and integral practices to facilitate employee recovery and return to safe & sustainable employment.

Responsibilities

• Review, investigate and gather all relevant information to validate each new occupational injury/illness claim and report to appropriate provincial WCB within regulated reporting timelines.
• Assertive ownership of assigned workers’ compensation claims from the onset to closure of the claim. Including cost analysis and oversight.
• Champion stay at work options to mitigate claim costs and reduce lost time days.
• Communicate regularly to employees, managers, and WCB to assist in progressing claim, monitoring treatment plans, and determine return to work opportunities.
• Strategically develop a clear action plan for managing each claim, including communication touch points and dedicated follow-ups.
• Challenge claims using WCB policies and legislation, based on concerns about validity, status, and/or duration via intent to object forms, reconsideration requests, and medical reviews.
• Initiate and represent Air Canada in secondary or reconsideration reviews, appeals and medical arbitration within legislative deadlines at Provincial Tribunals and Appeal Commissions.
• Understand, analyze, mitigate, and challenge claim costs where necessary on each claim from loss of earnings, treatments plans, and other related services and fees.
• Initiate and support the reversal of erroneous claim costs.
• Manage claims ethically and in strict adherence compliance with all privacy laws, all other relevant laws, policies, and agreements.
• Thoroughly investigate, understand, and provide all necessary information to workers’ compensation boards and/or disability insurance providers to enable them to make accurate and informed decisions on each claim based on operational policies and stakeholder concerns.
• Proactively collaborate with all Air Canada departments, insurance providers (as applicable), and workers’ compensation boards to orchestrate, implement and expedite early and safe return to work, prioritizing employee welfare and safety.
• Subject matter expertise on WCB operational policy and legislation.
• Other duties as assigned by Manager, Disability Management.

Return to Work and Employee Accommodations

• Maintain an orderly claims portfolio with accurate data, up-to-date files, and caseload reports that accurately reflect the status of each claim.
• Duty to Accommodate subject matter expertise and applied knowledge in each return-to-work planning.
• Gather and evaluate standard medical guidelines determined by WCB and current medical restrictions.
• Collaborate with the RTW Advisor and all relevant stakeholders to support early return to work opportunities and strategies that are unique to each claim, to develop return to work plans to ensure an employee is returned to work in their own or accommodated role, either temporary or long-term.
• Ability to identify, solve and manage non-medical barriers.
• Prioritize Stay at Work opportunities by working closely with Air Canada stakeholders to remove return to work barriers.
• Provide support and education on Air Canada Workers’ Compensation practices to internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three (3) years direct disability case management experience with a workers’ compensation board or handling of workers’ compensation claims
• Strong analytical and critical decision-making skills
• Mature initiative-taker with ability to work with minimum supervision
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to build and sustain meaningful relationships with internal and external partners
• Strong focus, task oriented, non-judgmental and understand clear boundaries/scope of practice
• Demonstrated ability to motivate others
• Experience of the aviation industry and its operations an asset
• High level of computer skills, including keyboarding, navigation, data entry and experience with Microsoft Office products
• Experience using a HRIS and claim management systems
• Working knowledge of relevant policies, legislations and principles related to workers' compensation and accommodations

Education

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Human Resources, Occupational Health, Kinesiology, Nursing, Social Science, Social Work, Business Administration or another related academic program. Alternatively, a combination of education and work experience that is equivalent in terms of relevance and rigor may also be considered.
• National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) Certification is considered an asset.

Conditions Of Employment

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest, at the time any offer of employment is made and seeking any required work permits/visas or other authorizations which may be required is the sole responsibility of the candidates applying for this position.

Linguistic Requirements

Bilingual (English and French)

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees’ unique contributions to our company’s success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve.

Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.