WCB Appeal Intake Instructions

Changes to the way appeals are received by WorkSafe BC and WCAT have allowed us to update how the Union helps you file and pursue new appeals.  Here is the information you need to know to move forward with your appeal. 

Deadlines for filing Appeals 

The deadline for appealing WorkSafeBC (WCB) claim decisions to the Review Division is 90 (calendar) DAYS FROM THE DATE APPEARING ON THE DECISION LETTER. The deadline for appealing Review Division decisions to WCAT is 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE APPEARING ON THE REVIEW DIVISION DECISION. The appeal period runs from the date of the decision letter (not the day the letter is received). 

If an appeal is nearing the 30-DAY OR 90-DAY APPEAL DEADLINE please contact the Union's Member Benefits services in the Compensation Appeals department immediately by calling the Union at 604-291-9611 or Toll-Free at 1-800-663-1674 and asking to speak with Support Staff Trina Patchett or Andrii Kholiavko. Leave a voice mail message and someone will contact you as soon as possible. 

Late Appeals 

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist members with a late-filing request to the Review Division or to WCAT. 

However, if you have missed the 90-day appeal deadline date for the Review Division (or the 30 day appeal deadline for WCAT), you can apply in writing to the Review Division (or to WCAT) for an extension of time to appeal, and explain your reasons for the late application. 

Once you have received an extension of time from the Review Division (or WCAT), we may assist you with your appeal, and you should without delay complete the BCGEU’s WCB Appeal Package and send it in immediately to the Union. Please do not send the Appeal Package to the Union until you have received a letter from the Review Division (or WCAT) confirming you have received an extension of time. 

BCGEU’s WCB Appeal Package 

You must provide ALL of the following documents & information: 

• Intake Form

• Representative Authorization Form (signed) 

• Medical Authorization Form (signed) 

• Copy of the decision letter being appealed (all pages) 

• Personal Access Number (PAN) – sent to you from WCB when you opened your claim. 

Personal Access Number (PAN) 

You MUST provide your Personal Access Number (PAN) on the Intake Form so that the Union can obtain a copy of your WCB claim file(s). 

Your PAN is provided to you by WCB in a separate letter after you file a WCB Claim. Instructions for locating or obtaining your PAN are also attached to the Intake Form or you can contact WCB to obtain it. 

Phone: 604-231-8888 or Toll-free: 1-888-967-5377. 

Instructions for Completing the Appeal Package 

You must at a minimum, as best you can, complete the highlighted areas on the Intake Form. Please be sure to explain why you disagree with the decision in question, point out any incorrect information contained in the decision letter, and tell us what you think the decision should have been. 

Normally, we ask that you do not submit your appeal documents until you have written down your PAN on the Intake Form. 

• Please note that each decision letter you wish to appeal requires its own intake form, so if you have more than one letter containing a decision(s) you want to appeal, please make sure you complete and submit a separate intake form for each letter. 

Authorization Forms 

You also need to sign the Medical Authorization form and complete and sign the Authorization of Representative form. If you do not sign and provide us with these authorization forms, neither the WCB nor any doctor will communicate with us about your case, and we will be unable to represent you in the appeal. 

If the Appeal Deadline is Close, Do Not Delay If You Cannot Find Your PAN 

If you cannot locate and have been unable to obtain your PAN, and the deadline for filing the appeal is close, please do not delay in sending the appeal package to us. Just complete the highlighted areas of the Intake Form and send it along with the Medical Authorization form and the Authorization of Representative form to the Union as soon as possible. You can then follow the instructions for obtaining and sending us your PAN as soon as possible after that.

Submitting a WCB Claim Appeal Package to the Union: 

• Using Regular Mail 

You can download, complete and sign the Intake Form and Authorization forms and mail them, along with a copy of the letter containing the decision you want to appeal, to: 

British Columbia General Employees' Union 
Workers Compensation Appeals Department 
4911 Canada Way Burnaby, BC V5G 3W3 

• Using a Scanner 

If you have access to a scanner, please scan the contents of the completed Appeal Package, including decision letter(s) to [email protected] and mail the original documents to the WCB Department at the address noted above. 

• Using Digital Photo 

If you do not have access to a scanner, you can print, complete and sign the documents in the package, then take a digital photograph of each page (including the decision letter) and e-mail them to [email protected], and then mail the original documents to the WCB Appeal Department at the address noted above. 

• Using a Fax Machine 

If you have access to a fax machine, please fax the contents of the completed Appeal Package, including all pages of the decision letter(s) to 604-291-7514 and mail the original documents to the WCB Department at the address noted above. 

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we try to maintain our ability to assist you with your appeals of decisions that affect your entitlement to workers’ compensation. 

In case deadline is imminent: 

In a case where the deadline for filing the Request for Review at the Review Division, or a Notice of Appeal at WCAT, is imminent, and there is not sufficient time for us to do it for you, you should file it yourself by following the instructions found in the links below: 

Instructions for submitting your own Request for Review form to the Review Division are here: 

https://www.worksafebc.com/en/review-appeal/submit-request

Instructions for submitting your own Notice of Appeal form to WCAT are here: 

https://www.wcat.bc.ca/home/forms/

If you do, because of the shortness of time, submit your own appeal form to the Review Division or to WCAT, please let us know you have done so when you send your WCB Appeal Package to us. 

Questions?

If you have any questions about preparing and submitting an Appeal Package, please e-mail our very knowledgeable Compensation Appeals Department support at [email protected].