June 1 is Injured Workers Day in Ontario, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the rights, compensation, and dignity of workers who have been injured or made ill while on the job.
A local advocacy group in Hamilton celebrated this day on the steps of city hall.
Usually, the Hamilton and District Injured Workers Group goes to Queen’s Park to connect with other injured workers from across Ontario. However, due to mobility challenges, they chose to hold their event nearby this year.
“I had two failed back surgeries. I had a lower spinal fusion. Unfortunately, the results were not good because it did not get me back to my regular self,” said Marvin Mulder who was hurt at work.
It was just another workday lifting furniture for a moving company when Mulder’s back suddenly gave out. After multiple surgeries and treatments, his doctor informed him that he would never work again.
“I’ve been fortunate my wife stayed with me and sometimes I wonder why,” Mulder said.
Mulder also shared with CHCH News that besides his physical injury from work, he has struggled with severe depression. This type of workplace injury is often overlooked and hard to prove, according to paralegal Chris Grawey.
“I would say definitely report it, even if you’re unsure whether it’s considered a work-related injury or not. And if you think it is, you can seek legal help,” Grawey said.
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Since 2003, the Hamilton and District Injured Workers Group has been recognized as a vendor by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
The group claims that the WSIB provided them over $92,000 annually for free education and claim assistance. However, group president Victoria Daniels says that’s no longer the case.
<p“One hundred percent of our operational funding to provide frontline services to injured workers-claim assistance, peer support-all of that funding will be gone,” Daniels stated.
The Hamilton and District Injured Workers Group believes they can keep providing support services until September but are actively searching for new funding sources before then.
CHCH News reached out to WSIB regarding their decision to cut funding. They explained that this program started over 25 years ago when processes were more complicated: “Today, people in Hamilton can access over 400 local health providers and can easily log in to our website and submit a claim, see the status of their claim and payments made, their health care eligibility or send us a message 24/7. We also have a team ready to help answer any questions over the phone.”
The Hamilton and District Injured Workers Group remains hopeful about continuing their mission while exploring potential funding options.
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