Service NL
December 21, 2016
Strengthening the Workers' Compensation Appeals Process
Provincial Government Appoints Three Review Commissioners to the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division
The Provincial Government has appointed one full-time and two part-time review commissioners to the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division. The appointments were made through the merit-based appointment process established by the Independent Appointments Commission Act and are effective immediately.
“These candidates bring considerable experience to their positions as review commissioners and they will play an essential role in adjudicating appeals filed through the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division. In the interest of promoting regional balance on the Panel of Commissioners, the recruitment process will remain open as we seek candidates from the central and western areas of the province to fill two more positions. I encourage candidates from across the province to apply.”
- The Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister Responsible for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division
Erin Delaney has been appointed as a full-time review commissioner, while Evan Kipnis and Philip Sheppard have been appointed as part-time review commissioners.
The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division is a quasi-judicial body established under Section 21 of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act that considers appeals arising from decisions of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.
Biographies for the review commissioners are provided in the backgrounder below.
QUICK FACTS
- One full-time and two part-time review commissioners have been appointed to the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division, effective immediately.
- The appointments were made through the merit-based appointment process established by the Independent Appointments Commission Act.
- The process to recruit additional review commissioners remains open as government seeks to fill two more positions with additional candidates from central and western areas of the province.
- The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division is a quasi-judicial body established under Section 21 of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act. It considers appeals, from workers and employers, arising from decisions of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.
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Media contact:
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Gina MacArthur Media Relations Manager Service NL 709-729-4748, 730-2977 ginamacarthur@gov.nl.ca |
BACKGROUNDER
Below are the biographies of newly appointed Review Commissioners to the WHSC Review Division:
Erin Delaney
Erin Delaney holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick. She has appeared before the Supreme Court and Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories on behalf of the Territorial Government, and appeared in labour arbitrations, collective agreement negotiations and mediations related to employment matters for the territorial government. More recently Ms. Delaney served as a Formal Complaints Reviewer and a Complaints Resolution Officer with the Law Society of Alberta. Since moving to the province she has worked for the Newfoundland and Labrador Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities on the Order for the 2013 Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Amended General Rate Application hearing.
Evan Kipnis
Evans Kipnis earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University in 1978 and was admitted to the Newfoundland Bar in 1979. He has worked as General Counsel for Newfoundland Telephone, later NewTel Communications, then Aliant Telecom and now Bell Aliant, including serving as a Director of AMI Offshore, an Aliant subsidiary. Mr. Kipnis is a general practice lawyer with the law firm of Perry & Power and his education includes labour relations, employment law, negotiation and mediation, and training as a labour arbitrator.
Philip Sheppard
Philip Sheppard holds Bachelor degrees in Arts and Education and a Masters in Educational Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University. He studied Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Windsor and is currently a sole practitioner in his own law firm; Philip Sheppard PLC Inc. Mr. Sheppard is a former high school teacher and has served as Chairperson of the Eastern Residential Tenancies Board.
2016 12 21 11:40 a.m.