If you contract COVID-19

If WorkSafeBC can link your case to an exposure at school, you are entitled to have most of your sick days reimbursed by WorkSafeBC.  The exact amount of reimbursement will depend on your salary.  The district will use your sick days to cover time not covered by WorkSafe BC such that you do not lose any salary.  

Most importantly, you need to call WorkSafeBC Claims Call Centre at 604 231 8888. If you don’t call, they don’t know about your claim. They will give you a claim number to put on your Form 6A. 

Please fill out Form 6A if you get Covid.  

Send the completed Form 6A to your principal, the district at District at healthservices@surreyschools.ca, and the STA at hs@surreyteachers.org.   

Your principal may be confused by the 6A as the district uses a different form, but this is the form BCTF members are to use.   

You do not need to fill out both forms: the principal should use the 6A to complete the district form. 

If you have been denied a claim by WorkSafeBC when you have been diagnosed with COVID, please contact the STA at hs@surreyteachers.org so that we can advocate on your behalf. 

The updated guidance from the PHO now confirms that a positive test (PCR or otherwise) is not required for WorkSafeBC to adjudicate a COVID-19 claim.  

If the PCR test was not done, the adjudicator will then ask the claimant what other evidence they have of a COVID-19 infection and weigh that evidence to determine if the worker has a COVID-19 claim.  

This includes evidence of a different type of positive test, a medical diagnosis, or other evidence that supports that the worker has contracted COVID-19. This could be from another staff member or student with a diagnosed COVID-19 infection.   

If you believe you contracted COVID-19 at work, we strongly encourage you to file a claim with WorkSafeBC. Filing a claim is important in the short term to protect your sick leave provisions. It’s also important should you experience longer lasting effects related to contracting COVID-19.