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Student Unpaid Work Placement Insurance Programs

OVERVIEW

As part of the educational experience, several of the University’s programs provide students with the opportunity to gain practical and meaningful work experience through unpaid work placement, as part of their university program. The University is committed to ensuring these experiences are both safe and enjoyable for students.

This section of the Risk Management website provides important information, and guidelines for the University’s students, faculty and staff relating to Unpaid Work Placements.

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) - formerly known as MAESD - provides insurance coverage for workplace injuries or illness incurred by students participating in an Unpaid Work Placement as part of their academic program.  The approved work placement may be part of an ELECTIVE or CORE course.

The Government of Ontario, through the MTCU, pays for the cost of coverage which exists through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and Chubb Insurance (formally ACE-INA Insurance).

The Government of Ontario provides such coverage to encourage the participation of employers in providing Unpaid Work Placements for Student Trainees as part of Ontario publicly assisted postsecondary education and training programs.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Placement Employer:  the employer with whom the Student Trainee is placed by a Training Agency to receive training as part of the requirements of his or her Approved Program. Other relatable terms under this definition are Clinical Site and/or Community Partner.

Student Trainee: a postsecondary student engaged in an Unpaid Work Placement with a Placement Employer.

Training Agency: a postsecondary educational institution. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is an approved Training Agency. The Placement Coordinator would be considered the representative of the Training Agency.

Approved Program: a postsecondary program offered by a Training Agency that is funded through the Ministry's operating grant.

Unpaid Work Placement: An Unpaid Work Placement that is required as part of an Approved Program offered by a Training Agency.

Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU): Ontario’s publicly funded Colleges and universities (Training Agencies) for students participating in Unpaid Work Placements. MTCU manages students Unpaid Work Placements in accordance with WSIB policy and procedures as well as with MTCU guidelines. MTCU provides two mutually exclusive channels of coverage, which a Student Trainee may be eligible for based on their work placement conditions.

WSIB: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Chubb Insurance Company of Canada: Chubb Insurance is a private insurance company retained by the Government of Ontario, previously this coverage was provided by ACE-INA Insurance. 

  • UNDERSTANDING MTCU WSIB vs. MTCU CHUBB INSURANCE

    WSIB: Available to Student Trainees enrolled in a publicly supported education program in Ontario where the Unpaid Work Placement is at a Placement Employer governed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA), either compulsorily covered or voluntarily applied.  

    Chubb Insurance: Available to Student Trainee whose Unpaid Work Placement is taking place outside of Ontario (international or other Canadian jurisdictions). This insurance is also available to students when completing an Unpaid Work Placement with a Placement Employer who is NOT required for compulsory coverage under the WSIA.

    Reporting requirements and forms differ depending on which coverage applies.

    ELIGIBILITY

    In order to be eligible for MTCU WSIB / Chubb Insurance coverage, the following criteria must be met:

    1.    *The placement must be unpaid;
    2.    The placement must be part of an Approved Program/course at the University;
    3.    The placement must be approved by the University and the Placement Employer;

    *Student Trainees are still considered unpaid, and eligible for coverage if they receive one or more of the following types of payment:

    • Social assistance benefits (e.g., through the Ontario Works Program)
    • Training allowances
    • Honoraria
    • Reimbursement of expenses
    • Stipends or any money paid to the Student Trainee by the University

    Students are not eligible for MTCU WSIB / Chubb Insurance coverage if the following applies:

    1. Student Trainees in Unpaid Work Placements which have been arranged or organized by the Student Trainee, which do not count towards earning academic credit.  Such placements are considered volunteer and not a requirement of their program.
    2. Student Trainees who are paid a salary.  A Student Trainee on a placement who receives payment or wages from the Placement Employer is a worker and must be provided with WSIB insurance coverage paid for by the Placement Employer as is any other worker employed by the Placement Employer.
    3. The University’s Student Trainees whose work placement is with the University (UOIT).  This includes Student Trainees who, as part of their Approved Program, do unpaid research for the University.
    4. Student Trainees who are in the classroom portion of their training program.  Coverage extends only to the work placement portion of the training program.  There is no coverage for the in-class portion of the training programs.
    5. International Student Trainee(s) attending the University are not covered if their placement resides in the country of their primary residence.
    6. *Placements outside of Ontario (international and other Canadian jurisdictions), in the case of Ministry covered WSIB Benefits. Exception: A Student Trainee in this situation would still be eligible for the Ministry-covered costs with Chubb Insurance.

    *It is encouraged to those Student Trainees which carry OHIP coverage, to confirm what coverage is available while outside of Ontario and whether additional conditions must be met to continue with coverage.

    OHIP Coverage Across Canada

    OHIP Coverage while Outside Canada

    Or visit your local Service Ontario Centre for more information.

  • REQUIREMENTS TO ESTABLISH WORKPLACE INSURANCE COVERAGE UNDER MTCU WSIB AND CHUBB INSURANCE

    In order to obtain MTCU coverage AND prior to a Student Trainee attending placement, the Placement Coordinator will require the following four (4) forms to be completed:

    1. A Student Declaration of Understanding Letter is required to be signed by the Student Trainee who is planning to participate in the Unpaid Work Placement. This letter informs the Placement Employer that the Student Trainee is covered by MTCU, and informs the Student Trainee that they are required to report any incidents or injuries to their Placement Employer and Placement Coordinator;

    2. The University's Placement Coordinator sends a Letter to the Placement Employer informing them that the Student Trainee is covered under the MTCU program, and their WSIB standings will not be affected. This letter also informs the Placement Employer that they are responsible to provide safety training to Student Trainees, for any hazards related to the job. In addition, the letter outlines their responsibility for reporting when an incident occurs. This letter will establish whether the Placement Employer carries WSIB coverage;

    3. Pre-placement Due Diligence Checklist, to be used by the Placement Employer for health and safety purposes, and to demonstrate the Student Trainee has received adequate training for health and safety risks in the workplace.

    4. Pre-Placement Safety Orientation Checklist is a per-Student Trainee checklist which may be saved as a safety training record to identify unsafe exposures in the facilities/locations of where the Student Trainee may be required to work.
  • AD&D INSURANCE COVERAGE AVAILABLE FOR PLACEMENTS NOT COVERED UNDER MTCU WSIB / CHUBB INSURANCE

    The University Of Ontario Institute Of Technology has purchased supplemental insurance, to extend coverage in cases where a Student Trainee is not eligible for benefits under the MTCU WSIB / Chubb Insurance program. This coverage is not a direct reflection of the coverage available by MTCU WSIB / Chubb Insurance and does carry some limitations and restriction to benefits. Coverage available through this AD&D Insurance policy is limited, and it is recommended the Student Trainee(s) ensure they carry adequate group/individual insurance coverage. Expenses paid under this policy are in excess of any Provincial Hospital Insurance Plan and any group/individual insurance policy the Student Trainee(s) would be eligible for.

    Eligibility 

    This policy provides coverage to active Ontario Tech University students, participating in a university approved work placement or volunteer setting and are not covered under Workers' Compensation, WSIB, or Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU) coverage. 

    Coverage is applicable to any accident while participating in paid or unpaid work placements or volunteer setting arranged or approved by the University, including while traveling to and from the work placement (most direct route).

    The policy provides coverage worldwide.

    This policy extends to include the following range of placements:

    • elective programs
    • Internships
    • volunteer work placements
    • co-op placements
    • Work placements as a graduate student
    • Bridge Programs
    • Work or Volunteer Placements that occur on University Premises
    • Practicums for which there is no evaluation component is covered
    • Students gathering information for research (where the student is not employed by the university)
    • Courses and programs that are not funded by the Government agency through operating grants are covered
    • Graduate students participating in field placements or site visits for the purposes of skill development
    • Student Trainees whose work placement is within the same University that trains them
    • Job Shadowing
     What Isn't Covered 

    Coverage is not provided for International Student Trainees who are on work placement outside of Canada and such work placement occurs within the Student Trainee’s country of primary residence. However, coverage does apply for International Student Trainees who are on work placements outside of Canada, other than their country of primary residence.

    For additional information on this coverage please contact the Office of Risk Management at 905.721.3201, or by email at orm@ontariotechu.ca

  • IN THE EVENT OF AN OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS OR INJURY TO A STUDENT TRAINEE DURING PLACEMENT, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS
    MTCU WSIB:
    1. We ask that the Student Trainee immediately notify their Placement Employer and their University Placement Coordinator or faculty contact. The Placement Employer may have internal requirements of the Student Trainee for reporting injuries.

    2. The University Placement Coordinator/contact must complete the Accident Injury Form on behalf of the injured Student Trainee.  Injuries should be reported within 24 hours which is in accordance with the University’s Illness or Injury Reporting Procedure. Please continue to Step 3 if the injury/illness meets any of the circumstances listed below. Otherwise, there is no further communication or follow up required. The Accident Injury Form completed in Step 2 will be filed for record purposes only.
      1. Requires medical attention by a health care professional for which there is a fee for service (this could include a physician, dentist, chiropractor, hospital, etc.);
      2. Results in lost time from work beyond the date of the work-related accident;
      3. Requires modified work for more than seven calendar days; and/or
      4. Results in exposure to a communicable disease.

    3. If any of the above-listed circumstances apply, the University Placement Coordinator/contact shall coordinate with the Placement Employer and Student Trainee to complete and sign the following: MTCU Postsecondary Student Unpaid Work Placement Workplace Insurance Claim form.
      Completion of the Form 7 Employers Report of Injury/Disease is the joint responsibility of the Placement Employer and the Training Agency. 
    4. The University Placement Coordinator/contact must complete the top portion of the Letter of Authorization to Represent Placement Employer and have the Placement Employer complete the bottom portion. All signed and completed forms must be sent to the attention of Director, Risk Management via email: orm@ontariotechu.ca or by fax: (905) 721-3076, within three (3) days of the incident date.
    5. Once the above-completed forms are received, Risk Management will proceed to complete the remainder of the WSIB mandated Form 7, and submit all documentation to WSIB, the Ministry, and the Student Trainee.

    Attention to detail at the time of reporting helps eliminate later difficulties and unnecessary delays resulting from WSIB’s need to request routine information. There are penalties levied against the University in cases where the claim forms were not received within seven (7) days of the injury/illness occurring, incomplete information, incorrect/missing forms or using the incorrect forms provided by WSIB or MTCU.

    Following the submission of a claim, WSIB will determine whether the accident is work-related and whether benefits should be paid to the affected Student Trainee. 

    • Once a claim is approved, the Student Trainee will continue to receive benefits until they have recovered to the point where they can return to the Approved Program.  The Student Trainee may still be in receipt of benefits after they return to the Approved Program if there is any ongoing impairment.

    • Any benefit entitlement paid by WSIB to Student Trainees as a result of claims submitted utilizing the firm numbers assigned to Training Agencies will be charged to the Ministry and the Ministry will pay such invoices centrally.

    • All communications regarding the claim will be forwarded to the identified contact(s) in the Training Agency as per usual WSIB processes.

    • The Training Agency assumes the role of the Placement Employer for the Student Trainee’s claim.

    • Either the Student Trainee or the Training Agency as the authorized agent of the Placement Employer can appeal any decision made by WSIB.  Information on the appeal process is available from WSIB at www.wsib.on.ca.

    • Information on the completion of other WSIB forms and processes can be found in WSIB’s Operational Policy Manual available from WSIB online at www.wsib.on.ca.

     

    MTCU CHUBB INSURANCE:

    1. We ask that the Student Trainee immediately notify their Placement Employer and their University Placement Coordinator or faculty contact. The Placement Employer may have internal requirements of the Student Trainee for reporting injuries. 

    2. The University Placement Coordinator/contact should complete the Accident Injury Form on behalf of the injured Student Trainee.  Injuries should be reported within 24 hours which is in accordance with the University’s Illness or Injury Reporting Procedure. Continue to Step 3 if the injury/illness meets any of the circumstances listed below. Otherwise, there is no further communication or follow up required. The Accident Injury Form completed in Step 2 will be filed for record purposes only.
      1. Requires medical attention by a health care professional for which there is a fee for service (this could include a physician, dentist, chiropractor, hospital, etc.);
      2. Results in lost time from work beyond the date of the work-related accident;
      3. Requires modified work for more than seven calendar days; and/or
      4. Results in exposure to communicable disease.

    3. If any of the above-listed circumstances apply, the University Placement Coordinator/contact must coordinate with the Placement Employer and Student Trainee to complete and sign the MTCU Postsecondary Student Unpaid Work Placement Workplace Insurance Claim form. The completed form must be sent to the attention of Director, Risk Management via email: orm@ontariotechu.ca or by fax: (905) 721-3076, within three (3) days of the incident date.

    4. Upon receipt of the completed forms, Risk Management will share with the Student Trainee and University Placement Coordinator any additional forms required by Chubb Insurance.

    5. Upon claim submission to Chubb Insurance, Chubb will determine whether there is coverage available based on the circumstances and communicate directly to the Student Trainee regarding benefits paid. Risk Management will act as the central point of contact for the University, and MTCU on matters relating to the claim. The Student Trainee is responsible for communicating directly with Chubb Insurance, the Placement Employer, and the Placement Coordinator regarding their claim(s).

    Determining which loss reporting process to follow can be confusing, due to the different eligibility and conditions of each bucket of coverage. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Risk Management for assistance or clarity – at 905.721.3201, or by email at orm@ontariotechu.ca

    Additional Information on insurance coverage and eligibility can be found in the Ministry's Guidelines for Workplace Insurance for Postsecondary Students of Publicly Assisted Institutions on Unpaid Work Placements, posted on the Ministry’s website:

    http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/placement.html 

     

  • RESOURCES AND APPLICATION LINKS

    Resources at a Glance:

    • Student Declaration of Understanding Letter
    • Letter to Placement Employer
    • Pre-placement Due Diligence Checklist
    • Safety Orientation Checklist

    Reference Links at a Glance: