Glossary of Terms
Acronyms
AC | ADP | ARC
| CPS | CSRC | DOA
| ELP | ELS | FCE
| FFW | IA | IME
| IPA | JFC | L/S
| MA | MVA | NELP
| OAA | OH & S | O/P
| P/C | PCA | PCI
| PDC | PPD | PTD
| REA | RSD | RSI
| RTA | RTW | TMJ
| TOJ | TPD | TTD
| VR | VRS | WA
| WCB |
WCB Review Bodies
AC
Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers' Compensation
ADP
Appeal Documents Package
ARC
Assessment Review Committee (Effective September 1, 2002, referred
to as a WCB review body)
CPS
Chronic Pain Syndrome
CSRC
Claims Services Review Committee (Effective September 1, 2002, referred
to as a WCB review body)
DOA
Date of Accident
ELP
Economic Loss Payment
ELS
Earnings Loss Supplement
FCE
Functional Capacity Evaluation
FFW
Fit for Work
IA
Independence Allowance
IME
Independent Medical Exam
IPA
Interim Program Allowance
JFC
Job Finding Club
L/S
Lump Sum
MA
Medical Advisor
MVA
Motor Vehicle Accident
NELP
Non-economic Loss Payment
OAA
Office of the Appeals Advisor
OH & S
Occupational Health and Safety
O/P
Overpayment
P/C
Personal Coverage
PCA
Personal Care Allowance
PCI
Permanent Clinical Impairment
PDC
Permanent Disability Compensation
PPD
Permanent Partial Disability
PTD
Permanent Total Disability
REA
Re-employment Assistance
RSD
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
RSI
Repetitive Strain Injury
RTA
Re-training Allowance
RTW
Return to Work
TMJ
Temporomandibular Joint (Syndrome)
TOJ
Training on the Job
TPD
Temporary Partial Disability
TTD
Temporary Total Disability
VR
Vocational Rehabilitation
VRS
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
WA
Work Assessment
WCB
Workers' Compensation Board
WCB Review Bodies
The first level of appeal, formerly known as the Claims Services
Review Committee (CSRC) or the Assessment Review Committee (ARC).
General Terminology
Appeals Commission (AC) | ARC
| CSRC| Office of the Appeals
Advisor (OAA) | Workers' Compensation | Workers'
Compensation Act (WCA) | Workers' Compensation
Board (WCB)
WCB review body
Appeals Commission (AC)
The Appeals Commission is the second, and final, level of appeal for workers
and employers who are dissatisfied with decisions made by the Workers' Compensation
Board. The AC is an administrative tribunal, and its decision-making is independent
of the Workers' Compensation Board.
ARC
Assessment Review Committee
The first level appeal division within the Workers' Compensation
Board dealing with assessment issues.
(Effective September 1, 2002, referred to as a WCB review body)
CSRC
Claim Services Review Committee
The first level of appeal within the Workers' Compensation Board
dealing with claim issues.
(Effective September 1, 2002, referred to as a WCB review body)
Office of the Appeals Advisor (OAA)
A department of the WCB that offers injured workers information about the appeal
process and represents injured workers. There is no charge for the service of
an Appeals Advisor.
Workers' Compensation
A disability insurance system set up under the Alberta Workers'
Compensation Act. It provides benefits, including money
paid for lost wages, health care and other related costs when workplace
injuries occur.
Workers' Compensation Act (WCA)
Legislation enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (provincial
government) that creates the workers' compensation system. Both
the Workers' Compensation Board and the Appeals Commission are bound
by the provisions of this legislation.
Workers' Compensation Board (WCB)
An independent organization that manages and administers the workers'
compensation insurance business based on legislation. The WCB is
not a provincial government department or crown agency.
WCB review body
The first level of appeal within the Workers' Compensation Board.
Key People
Appeals Advisor | Appeals
Officer | Appeals Officer - Intake | Appellant
| Board of Directors | Chief Appeals
Commissioner | Commissioner | Hearing
Chair | Hearing Panel | Interested
Party | Ombudsman | Party
|Representative | Respondent
Appeals Advisor
A WCB staff member (not an Appeals Commission employee) that offers injured workers advice, information and representation
in the appeals process. There is no charge for the service of an Appeals Advisor.
Appeals Officer
An Appeals Commission staff member who reviews the claim file and compiles the
related information into an Appeal Documents Package.
Appeals Officer - Intake
An Appeals Commission staff member who does the initial review of
an appeal request and ensures the appeal is ready to be assigned
to an Appeals Officer.
Appellant
A party that requests an appeal.
Board of Directors
The governing body of Alberta Workers' Compensation Board; appointed
by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Board of Directors determines
WCB policy, reviews and approves the programs and operating policies
of the WCB, considers and approves annual operating and capital
budgets of the WCB, and may enact by-laws and pass resolutions for
the conduct of the business and affairs of the WCB.
Chief Appeals Commissioner
The principal commissioner for the Appeals Commission for Alberta
Workers' Compensation.
Commissioner
An individual appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council who is a member
of a hearing panel that hears and decides appeals.
Hearing Chair
A commissioner who conducts hearings at the Appeals Commission and
is a member of panels that hear and decide appeals.
Hearing Panel
A group of commissioners assigned to hear and decide an appeal. Most hearing
panels consist of three commissioners: one hearing chair and two other commissioners.
Interested Party
A person who is, or may be, directly affected by an Appeals Commission
decision. An interested party is treated as a party to the proceeding.
[See Rules of Procedure, Interested Parties, page 4, Rule
4(e)]
Ombudsman
The Ombudsman of Alberta is given the authority by the Legislative Assembly
to conduct impartial investigations on receipt of written complaints from people
who believe they have been treated unfairly by agencies operating under provincial
legislation. The Ombudsman is independent of government and has broad powers
to investigate actions, decisions, practices and procedures of Alberta government
departments, boards, agencies and commissions.
The Office of the Ombudsman is a complaint mechanism of last resort. This means
the Ombudsman cannot become involved until all formal and informal appeals have
been completed by the individual who has a complaint.
Party
An appellant, worker or employer respondent, or any person declared by the Appeals
Commission to be an interested party to an appeal.
[See Rules of Procedure, Definitions, page 2, Rule 1]
Representative
Agent, solicitor, appeals advisor or other representative authorized, in writing,
to act on behalf of any person in a proceeding.
[See Rules of Procedure, Representative, page 2, Rule 1(k)]
Respondent
A respondent is the other party who has an immediate or primary
interest in the outcome of the appeal. An appellant may be a worker,
in which case the respondent is the employer. Likewise, if an employer
requests an appeal, the respondent who has the primary interest
in the matter is the worker.
Appeals Commission Terminology
Adjournment | Clarification |
Deemed Withdrawal | Decision |
Entitlement | FOIP (or FOIPP) |
Issue | Jurisdiction |
Order-in-Council | Queen's Printer |
Reconsideration | Tribunal | Withdrawal
Adjournment
Any postponement of an appeal, other than a withdrawal or deemed withdrawal.
[See Rules of Procedure, Adjournments and Cancellations,
page 9, Rule 12]
Clarification
The AC has the ability to issue a document that:
| · | Corrects a minor typographical error in an issued decision,
or |
| · | Provides explanation of information contained in an issued decision, or |
| · | Provides direction to the WCB regarding implementation of an AC decision. |
These clarifications become part of a hearing panel's decision
and must be read in conjunction with the original decision.
Deemed Withdrawal
Where no date is set for the hearing of an appeal within six months
of an adjournment and no further adjournment has been granted, the
appeal is deemed withdrawn.
[See Rules of Procedure, Adjournments and Cancellations, page 9, Rule 12(b)]
Decision
The written outcome of an appeal.
[See Rules of Procedure, Decision, page 11, Rule 14]
Entitlement
The right to a specific benefit or award.
FOIP (or FOIPP)
Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act
Legislation that protects the privacy rights of individuals while also allowing
right of access to information.
Issue
An issue is a concern rasied by an appellant regarding a decision
made by a WCB review body. Examples of issues:
| · | Reduction of permanent partial disability (PPD) award from 50% to 25%. |
| · | Denial of a repeat asssessment for marked life
disruption. |
| · | Denial of further temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. |
Jurisdiction
The exclusive authority to administer and apply legislation.
Order-in-Council
An official proclamation signed by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
appointing individuals as Appeals Commissioners for the Appeals
Commission for Alberta Workers' Compensation.
Queen's Printer
The Alberta Queen's Printer publishes, distributes and sells copies
of Alberta's legislation, selected federal legislation, standards,
codes, department publications and specialty items that feature
the distinctive symbols of Alberta.
Reconsideration
A request by a party to the original decision for the Appeals Commission
to rehear any matter, order or decision made by it. [See Rules
of Procedure, Reconsideration Application, page 10, Rule 13]
Tribunal
A decision-making body appointed to inquire into and make decisions on specific
issues of review or appeal.
Withdrawal
A documented choice on the part of the appellant not to proceed
with the appeal or part of an appeal.
[See Rules of Procedure, Adjournments and Cancellations, page 9, Rule 12(b)]
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