A Core Proposal – Alberta’s Certificate of Recognition (COR) Program

posted in: Employment

If you are an owner or manager of a business in Alberta, the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program may be of great benefit to you and your company.

What is the Certificate of Recognition (COR)?

A COR is proof that a certified auditor has evaluated a business’ health and safety management system and found that it meets provincial standards. These standards are established by Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).

How Do you Obtain COR?

To obtain a COR, a company must develop health and safety policies that meet provincial standards. Once a company develops their policies, and once a certified auditor reviews these policies for compliance, a company receives COR status. The COR is valid for three years from the date of issue, provided the company meets all maintenance requirements. To maintain a COR, you must conduct a maintenance audit in each of the two calendar years following the compliance audit.

What Are the Benefits of COR?

Once an employer has a COR, they can apply to participate in the Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) program. PIR is designed to help employers lower their WCB premiums by encouraging injury prevention and the development of effective workplace health, safety, and return-to-work plans.  All employers can participate in the program and be eligible for refunds of up to 20% by maintaining a COR.

It is important to note that some industries require that employers maintain COR status in order to be eligible to bid on jobs, particularly in the oil and gas industry.

Most importantly, your COR ensures that your business has health and safety policies in place to identify hazards and prevent workplace injuries, so everyone can work safely and go home at the end of the day.

How Can KMSC Law Help You Obtain COR?

KMSC Law can help by drafting the policies you need in order to achieve a COR. Having workplace policies drafted by legal counsel ensures that you are complying with OHS laws, which will help your business to meet COR requirements and to avoid future liabilities down the road.

If you are interested in developing the workplace policies necessary to obtain COR status and to reduce your WCB costs, contact the Employment Team at KMSC Law today. Our Employment Lawyers have experience in drafting workplace policies tailored to individual workplaces.