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ARTICLE · 15 SEPTEMBER 2016

Ontario's Nurses Deserve PTSD Disability Presumption

Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP
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The Ontario government recently passed legislation relating to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics, etc).

CanadaEmployment and HR
Renée Vinett
Renée Vinett
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The Ontario government recently passed legislation relating to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics, etc). Bill 163, Supporting Ontario's First Responders Act, creates a presumption that a PTSD diagnosis in first responders is work-related, thus allowing for faster access to benefits.

The legislation, which amends the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) and the Ministry of Labour Act, has been welcomed by advocacy groups such as the Canadian Mental Health Association because it means first responders seeking disability benefits no longer have to prove their PTSD is the result of their job.

However, there is one major problem. The presumption does not include nurses among first responders. The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) noted it was "dismayed with the exclusion of nurses in Bill 163" and rightly so.

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