Executive Council
February 18, 2013

Premier Announces Senior Appointment

The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that Marlene A. Hickey has been appointed Chief Review Commissioner with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division. The appointment is effective immediately.

Ms. Hickey moves from the position of Director of the Workplace Health, Safety, and Compensation Review Division, a role she has held since 1992. She replaces Bruce Peckford, who has moved to the role of Review Commissioner.

The Chief Review Commissioner has historically been a part-time position. However, with Ms. Hickey’s appointment, the position is now full-time in order to reduce the backlog of appeals and make the review process more efficient. The costs of the Review Division are paid by the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

“I offer congratulations to Ms. Hickey on her new role and wish her well as she continues her important work with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division,” said Premier Dunderdale. “I would also like to thank Mr. Peckford for his work as Chief Review Commissioner and I look forward to his ongoing contributions to the division as a Review Commissioner.”

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Media contact:
Tracey Boland
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
709-729-4304, 697-3128
traceyboland@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Biographical Information

Marlene A. Hickey
Marlene Hickey has been a member of the provincial public service since 1987, and the Director of the Workplace Health, Safety, and Compensation Review Division since 1992. She was also the Director of Policy and Planning with the Labour Relations Agency from July 2005 to 2006.

Ms. Hickey possesses over 20 years of experience as an administrator with the Workplace Health, Safety, and Compensation Review Division. She has extensive knowledge of the workers’ compensation system and has numerous certifications in tribunal administration, quasi-judicial decision writing, and principles of administrative law. She has also coordinated and implemented review commissioner training since 1994. In 2006, she facilitated the efforts of the Statutory Review Committee on the Workplace Health, Safety, and Compensation Act.

Ms. Hickey has studied at Memorial University and is a graduate of the College of Trades and Technology. She holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management from Memorial University and York University. She has also completed the Public Sector Leadership and Management Development program at Memorial.

She is originally from Ship Harbour, Placentia Bay and currently resides in Mount Pearl.

E. Bruce Peckford
Mr. Peckford is a retired provincial public servant who has held several senior positions, including Deputy Minister of Social Services, Deputy Minister of Works, Services and Transportation, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Executive Director of Finance and Administration with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. Mr. Peckford is the past Chair of the Eastern School District and former board member of the Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and a former board member of the Canadian Cancer Society, Newfoundland and Labrador Division. He has served as Chair of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission Statutory Review Committee and was originally appointed as a review commissioner in 2008. He was named Chief Review Commissioner in 2011.

2013 02 18                         5:00 p.m.