WCAG Lunch and Learn Resource Page
About the Workers’ Compensation Advocacy Group (WCAG)
The Workers’ Compensation Advocates Group (WCAG) is an independent network of worker advocates supported by the BC Federation of Labour. The WCAG advocates for improvements to BC’s workers’ compensation system, and facilitates information sharing and education on compensation issues. The WCAG is currently chaired by Kevin Love, a lawyer with the Community Legal Action Society (CLAS) and Megan Scott, the BC Federation of Labour’s (BCFED) Director of OHS.
WCAG Lunch & Learns
Since the fall of 2024, the WCAG has organized a monthly lunch and learn series. The sessions are aimed at offering practical information and advice for worker advocates. Below are the available recordings, presentation slides and related materials from our lunch and learns so far.
Interested in catching the next lunch and learn? Email bcfed@bcfed.ca for information on how to connect!
Want to learn more about workers’ compensation? Check out the Injured Workers’ Research and Advocacy Project (IWRAP) website.
2024 Lunch & Learns
Chronic Pain & Return to Work: October 2
Presented by Janet Patterson
Tips on Getting Medical Evidence: November 6
Presented by Janet Patterson
Lunch & Learn Wrap Up: December 11
Presented by Janet Patterson
This session was a wrap-up of the fall Lunch & Learn series and included discussing practice issues raised in the workshops, with an opportunity for feedback on the series.
2025 Lunch & Learns
Tips on Advocating for workers with Psychological Injuries: February 12
Presented by Sarah O'Leary
WCAT challenge to the Age 65 policy - An Update: March 12
Presented by Michelle Poulsen, HEU
When is RTW really 'benefit suppression'? Issues and tips: April 16
Presented by Rolf Harrison, BCBT
- See Rolf’s IWRAP article.
Challenging Disclosure of Medical Records to Employers - One Worker's Success: May 14
Presented by Julie Fairweather
This session was a presentation by Julie Fairweather, an amazing self-advocate who won a groundbreaking case at WCAT and successfully challenged the disclosure of her detailed medical records in the process.
Claim Suppression in BC: June 10
Presented by Paul Petrie
New ASTD Policy: September 2
Presented by Michelle Poulsen, HEU
This session reviewed the policy changes and new practice directive and discussed how these changes may affect the claims of injured workers.
What to do when things go wrong: October 7
Presented by Sarah O’Leary and Megan Scott
This session focused on what options are available when an advocate encounters an unfair practice issue or a practice which affects the mental or physical health of a worker. Sarah addressed some options for redress in individual cases, including complaints to the case manager (CM), the CMS, the Issue Resolution Office (IRO) and the Fair Practices Commission (FPC). She also introduced a new confidential list-service, resurrected by Craig McLachlan, for WCB Advocates to share their questions and experiences. Megan reviewed some avenues for addressing systemic practice issues at the Board and elsewhere.
Pilot project - a “RTW planning tool”: November 4
Presented by Tom McKenna, CUPE
This session focused on keeping advocates up to date with the Board’s approach to RTW. In August 2025, the Board rolled out an online "Return to Work Planning Tool" for use by employers and workers, after a work injury (and often even before a claim is filed). Tom reviewed the RTW tool in detail and what issues may arise with its implementation, and then opened the discussion about the use of this tool in current workplaces.
Dealing with Missed Deadlines: December 2
Presented by Risha Sidhu, GKS Law Firm
The presenter for this session was Risha Sidhu, a lawyer from GKS Law Firm, a law firm focused on worker-side WCB advocacy. This session reviewed some critical deadlines in compensation claims and what may be done when a deadline is missed. The session included the countdown for filing a claim for an occupational disease (“date of disablement”) and factors that may help a worker who has filed a claim more than a year after the injury. Risha also reviewed the EOT process at the Review Division and WCAT and what type of evidence and submissions are helpful to success.
2026 Lunch & Learns
Long COVID: Issues in Compensation Claims : January 14
Presented by Gregory Rabin, BCNU
- Recording
- PowerPoint
- Covid and Compensable Consequences BCNU Policy Submission (PDF)
- CUPE Long Haulers Guide by Tom McKenna (PDF)
Fatal Claims: Every Life has Value: February, 3, 2026
Presented by Jim Parker, BCNU
Jim presented how a worker's death is treated in the compensation system, proposals for change and many other important considerations for handling fatal claims.
Updates and Flash Points: March 3, 2026
Presented by Janet Patterson
Janet summarized some recent changes and developments in policy and practices in the last year and identified some key cases and resources, as well as providing a focus on issues going forward.
Concussions and Post-Concussion Syndrome for Advocates: April 7, 2026
Presented by Lori Stewart, UBCP/ACTRA and Janet Patterson
Lori and Janet focussed on how advocates can best help workers with these types of injuries or mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI).