Employer Services FAQ

All businesses operating within Nunavut and the Northwest Territories who have workers must report their payroll to WSCC.

Temporary employers cannot register with the WSCC. An employer is defined as temporary if all five of the following criteria are met (if any one of the below criteria is not met, the employer must register):

• the chief place of business of the person or entity is outside the Northwest Territories (NT) and Nunavut (NU);
• the person or entity does not employ persons who are ordinarily resident in NT or NU;
• the person or entity only employs persons whose usual place of employment is outside NT or NU;
• the person or entity carries on business in NT or NU for a total of 10 or fewer days per year;
• the person or entity has workers’ compensation coverage or other similar coverage under the law of another jurisdiction that extends to events that occur in NT or NU.

Yes - through WSCC Connect you can log-in and request a Bidding Clearance letter. You can print or e-mail the letter immediately.

WSCC accepts payments by:

• Visa, MasterCard or Discovery paid through logging in to WSCC Connect 
• Online payment through your financial institution
• Cheque/Money Order
• Debit Card
• Cash
• Email money transfer to payments@wscc.nt.ca

Late payments receive legislated penalties of 2% per month.

Yes. Through WSCC Connect request a Letter of Good Standing at the beginning of the year with an estimated contract value. At the end of the year, through WSCC Connect request a Final Clearance Letter with an actual contract value.

When the contract is complete, and before you release final payment to your contractor, log-in to WSCC Connect to request a Final Clearance Letter. This letter releases you from liability and allows you to make final payment on that contract. 

At the beginning of a contract you can request a Letter of Good Standing. This letter advises that the hired company is in good standing. To obtain a Letter of Good Standing log-in to WSCC Connect and navigate to the “obtain a clearance” tab.  

It’s the law. The WSCC provides a form of collective liability, which is common across the insurance industry. This means all employers, across an industry subclass, share the risk. Registering and paying assessments to the WSCC protects your company against lawsuits from injured workers. If a worker is injured or contracts an occupational disease while on the job, the WSCC covers the worker’s medical and wage-loss costs.

No, you don’t have to register, but you can if you need proof of registration for bidding purposes. Non-employer operations, including independent operators and prospective bidders may register with the WSCC and receive an account number prior to establishing or commencing business.

In order to register and receive a WSCC account number, a non-employer operation must pay a $200 annual administrative fee. A non-employer operation registering for the first time must pay the full administrative fee regardless of how many days remain in the calendar year.

With payment of a $200.00 administrative fee you receive:

• A certificate of compliance (Nunavut only)
• A Proof of Registration letter to submit when bidding for contracts in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut

This fee does not provide you, as an owner or director, automatic coverage under the Workers’ Compensation Act(s). If you wish to obtain coverage as an owner or director, please apply using our Personal Optional Coverage form.

Under the Workers’ Compensation Act(s) you are liable for any outstanding assessments related to work performed on your behalf under a contract for service. 

If your contractor is not in good standing, you can withhold the amount of the assessment you now must pay to the WSCC, related to the contract. 

You are liable for any assessments your contractor owes relating to the work they perform on your behalf until you receive a Letter of Good Standing and/or a Letter to Release Final Clearance. If your contractor does not register, you must report the labour portion of their contract under your company. This also means you assume any claims of your contractor.  

Yes, you can revise your payroll anytime during the year by providing your revised figure in writing to the WSCC.

Include your account name, address, employer number, and a brief explanation of why you are revising your payroll figure. 

The WSCC calculates the rate you pay based on your payroll and industry subclass.

You have 10 days from closing your business to notify the WSCC in writing with your actual payroll figures.

The WSCC assigns employers subclasses based on the business they conduct, rather than their employees’ occupations. Employers are classified in subclasses that best reflect their overall business.

To determine assessment rates, Governance Council consults with independent actuaries on an annual basis. It sets rates by considering the current and future cost of claims, as well as the cost to administer the WSCC. The rate setting process promotes fairness and accountability and ensures that today’s employers pay the full cost of today’s claims, securing future benefits for injured workers.

We apply your subclass rate to every $100 of your assessable payroll.

When you register, the WSCC bases your assessment on your subclass rate and payroll estimate. You must keep a complete and accurate account of all your workers’ wages and earnings. You also need to keep records of amounts paid to contractors, subcontractors, and self-employed operators.

Your assessment covers compensation costs to injured workers or their dependents; payment of pensions, medical aid, and rehabilitation; and administrative costs.