In case you missed it, last month we announced some exciting news for New Brunswick’s employers – WorkSafeNB will inject $180.6 million into the province’s economy through a performance refund.

For the first time ever, WorkSafeNB will issue performance refund cheques to eligible employers. This performance refund is made possible by a significant surplus in our funding—thanks to strong workplace safety, early return-to-work outcomes and sound financial management. 

Eligible employers should have received a notice regarding their eligibility this month and will receive their cheques around mid-December.

The overfunding also resulted in a further reduction in the average assessment rate to $1.10, down from $1.18 in 2024. This marks the lowest rate in New Brunswick’s history and continues to keep us at the second lowest assessment rate in the country.

WorkSafeNB is committed to ensuring workers, pension and survivor benefit recipients, employers and service providers experience as little inconvenience as possible during the ongoing postal service disruption.

If you're receiving payments from WorkSafeNB by mail, signing up for direct deposit and registering with MyServices are the best and most efficient ways to ensure there is no disruption.  Through MyServices you can communicate with us, submit invoices and expense forms and update banking information electronically from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

WorkSafeNB will hold written mail communication, and will communicate by phone and secured email until the postal disruption is resolved. 

Kirk Westfield dedicated his career to helping others, serving as a paramedic and firefighter, where he encountered critical, often traumatic situations that ultimately led to his diagnosis of PTSD. Kirk is looking forward to his involvement with WorkSafeNB’s Injured Worker Advisory Committee. 

By sharing this journey, he aims to bring awareness to the critical need for mental health support within workplaces and to help shape meaningful change for future injured workers.

WorkSafeNB is looking for more members to serve on the committee! 

As the cold winter months settle in and we spend more time indoors, we need to be mindful of what we’re breathing in at work and at home. November is both Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Radon Awareness Month, reminding us that an invisible threat may be present in many New Brunswick workplaces—radon gas. 

Testing for radon is the only way to know if it's present at dangerous levels in your workplace. Radon levels can vary from day to day and season to season, often being highest in winter when buildings are sealed tightly against the cold, trapping more gas inside. It's the perfect time to start testing for radon – in your home and in your workplace.

As temperatures drop and snow flies, the number of injuries due to slips, trips and falls increases. Workers can suffer bruises and abrasions, broken limbs, cracked ribs, serious back and head injuries from slips, trips and falls, often resulting in time off work. 

Fast-changing weather patterns are a factor. It's common for temperatures rise from below zero to single or even double-digits by the afternoon. This freeze-thaw cycle can create hazards around parking lots, sidewalks, entrances, driveways, loading docks and school bus parking lanes. When it's slippery out, walk like a penguin to help avoid injuries!

Going back to work not only brings financial stability but also keeps workers active, provides a renewed sense of purpose and can help speed up the healing process. Employers also reap the benefits of return-to-work programs - they keep productivity up, retain skilled and experienced workers, reduce the costs of recruiting new talent and lower claim costs which can lead to lower assessment premiums.

For staff of iClean, the “job site” changes often. Entering different homes and businesses from day to day can bring unexpected hazards for these cleaners.

When the pandemic hit, general manager Valerie Lutes knew her team needed more guidance than she could offer on the usual risks. Like many businesses when COVID-19 hit, Lutes reached out to WorkSafeNB in 2020 to ensure iClean was doing everything to prioritize the health of both the staff and their clients.

But the help she got navigating COVID-19 risks sparked the beginning of an important milestone working with WorkSafeNB and our free consulting services; it led to the creation of a comprehensive health and safety policy looking beyond pandemic measures to thoroughly address all risks.

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WorkSafeNB's health and safety officers and occupational hygienists are given legislative authority to write orders under the OHS Act, to improve safety and prevent workplace injuries in New Brunswick.

When these orders are not complied with, or when an incident has taken place as a result of a violation of the Act and/or its regulations, WorkSafeNB may recommend charges to the Department of Justice.