Alerts - 2004

Fishing Industry Notice

Effective June 15, 2004, equal appeal rights have been extended to workers, dependants and employers in the fishing industry. This corrects a drafting oversight in the legislation which created WCAT. This amendment is contained in Bill 18, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2004, which received 3rd reading on April 27, 2004.

Commencing June 15, 2004, there will be a 30 day period for filing an appeal for decisions made by the Review Division from March 3, 2003 up to that time. In other words, for those Review Division decisions involving the fishing industry which were not previously appealable to WCAT, appeals may be filed for 30 days. The appeal period is 90 days for appeals of a reopening decision made “on application”, or a decision concerning a discriminatory action complaint under section 153.

If an appeal is received by WCAT within the 30 or 90 days after June 15, 2004, the appeal will be “in-time” and no extension of time to appeal will be required. WCAT will accept appeals now to be held by WCAT until the amendment comes into force on June 15, 2004. Appeals which were filed earlier will be reactivated on June 15, 2004.