Health Coverage For Seasonal Workers - A Recent Case From Ontario Of Note

The following will be of interest to those in the agri-business who employ seasonal workers:

In Ontario (General Manager, Ontario Health Insurance Plan) v Clarke, a decision released March 31, 2014, the Ontario Divisional Court considered whether two seasonal workers were entitled to continued coverage under the publicly funded provincial health insurance plan ("OHIP").

The workers were employed by an Ontario company as part of the federal government's Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program ("SAWP"). The workers suffered serious injuries after being involved in a motor vehicle accident as they were being transported to work in the employer's van.

WSIB paid the workers compensation benefits and funded the cost of the needed medical care. However, the workers required continued medical treatment following the expiration of their work permits. As such, they applied to the Federal government to be granted visitor status and to the Ontario government for an extension