Ontarians who suspect they caught COVID-19 at work can make claims with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board even without a positive result from a PCR test.
But the board says people should seek out a rapid test or medical professional’s diagnosis now that the gold-standard PCR tests aren’t widely available.
Scott Bujeya, Chief Operations Officer of the board that provides support to injured workers, says the board will still look into claims if the person doesn’t have proof of an infection.
That process involves taking statements from the worker and employer and looking at risk factors on the job.
He says people with complications like long COVID-19 can come back if they have a claim in the system but it would be more challenging to do without an initial claim.
Michael Hurley with the Canadian Union of Public Employees says employers have contested people’s claims that they caught COVID-19 on the job throughout the pandemic.
He says it would be reasonable to presume that people who work in public-facing jobs were infected at work.
Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.