Injured and Disabled Workers' Centre
NOT a new organization in town!
In 1971, a concerned group of injured workers joined together to form the Injured Workers Association of Manitoba (IWAM). The purpose of the association was for injured workers to help each other understand Workers Compensation or other insurance decisions and deal with difficulties that arise after a work place injury. The workers who founded the association found that meeting with others helped them with their own situations and offered a supportive setting in which injured workers could discuss their problems freely.
After many successful years supporting and assisting workers, a recommendation was made to streamline the services of IWAM. As a result of that recommendation, the agency evolved to better meet the needs of injured workers. After refocusing services the name of the organization was changed in 2003 to the Injured and Disabled Workers' Centre, a division of IWAM.
The revamped organization responds to inquiries concerning Workers Compensation or other insurance company decisions. The staff at the centre assists individuals by reviewing their insurance file and helping them understand the decisions made. They point out some of the problems that arise in receiving insurance benefits and advise the worker of options and methods for appealing decisions made and alternative financing that may be available.
The assistance provided to injured and disabled workers includes filling out applications for Canada Pension Plan disability benefits, Employment Insurance sick benefits and forms from private insurance carriers. If an individual is ineligible for these benefits, the centre's staff will assist the worker in applying for Employment and Income Assistance.
Once the worker's finances have been secured, the Injured and Disabled Workers' Centre works with individuals on any other issue's they face as the result of serious injuries. The centre's aim is to refer clients to support services that can assist them with pain management, re-education and re-employment as quickly as possible.
The services provided by the Centre are free, private, and confidential. There's no need to be referred to the centre by another organization - their services can be obtained by calling, emailing or just dropping into the centre. The centre will either provide the needed assistance, or refer the worker to an agency that can provide the needed assistance.
The Injured and Disabled Workers' Centre is located at 734 Polson Avenue in Winnipeg. People can drop in anytime without an appointment anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Their phone number is 586-8183, or toll-free 1-800-550-2968 from outside Winnipeg. You can also email the centre at injrdwkr@mts.net, or fax them at 586-0404. They have a web site at http://www.injuredworkers.mb.ca, but is only viewable with Internet Explorer.