Employers

PRIME


PRIME is WorkplaceNL’s employer incentive program. Through PRIME, employers can lower their assessment rates by meeting the PRIME practice requirements and managing claim costs through early and safe return-to-work programs.

Under PRIME, employers can receive two types of financial incentives:

  • PRIME Practice Incentive: Employers may receive a five per cent practice refund on their average annual assessments by having good OHS and return-to-work programs in place.
  • PRIME Experience Incentive: Employers who manage their claims costs through early and safe return-to-work programs can receive an experience refund, while employers with high claim costs may receive an experience charge. You must first qualify for a practice refund to be considered for an experience refund. However, employers will always be subject to experience charges if applicable.

Submit your annual employer statements to WorkplaceNL online through connect by the end of February each year to be eligible for a PRIME refund. 


2024 PRIME Requirements

To quality for a PRIME practice refund, your requirements are:

*The four Employer Categories are:

  • Path 1: OHS Education:
    • UPDATED for 2024: You pay less than $10,000 in average base assessments and have less than 20 workers at each worksite (updated from 10 to 20 workers in 2024 due to an amendment to the OHS Act on the required number of workers for an OHS Committee),
    • NEW for 2024: You pay less than $10,000 in average base assessments and have 20 or more workers at any one worksite (with added committee and minutes check), or
    • NEW for 2024: You pay $10,000 or more in average base assessments and less than 20 workers at every worksite
  • Medium Employer: At one or more worksites, you employ 20 or more workers and you pay greater than or equal to $10,000 and less than $48,000 in average assessments.
  • Large Employer: At one or more worksites, you employ 20 or more workers and you pay $48,000 or more in average assessments.

The number of workers at each site includes all managers, non-managers and owners or operators.

Employers in the construction industry must be CORTM certified with a valid Letter of Good Standing from the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association to be considered for PRIME refunds.

For more information on how to qualify for a PRIME refund for Path 1 Employers, click here.

Note: OHS Act amendments that came into effect on March 1, 2024, modify the worker threshold with respect to occupational health and safety committee requirements. As a result, the number of workers for provincially regulated employers that will determine the category for PRIME has changed from 10 to 20 workers.
This change will impact the categorization of employers under PRIME. Further information on the impact will be communicated as information becomes available.

Resources

Creating Opportunities for Safer Workplaces: A Review of WorkplaceNL's PRIME ProgramLabour Market Re-entry, Early and Safe Return to Work, and PRIME Programs – Consultation SummaryPolicy PR-01 PRIME OverviewPolicy PR-02 PRIME CalculationsPolicy PR-03 PRIME AdjustmentsPolicy PR-04 PRIME Employer GroupingsPolicy PR-05 PRIME ReportingPolicy PR-06 PRIME Practice Incentive for Provincially Regulated EmployersPolicy PR-07 PRIME Practice Incentive for Federally Regulated EmployersPolicy PR-08 PRIME Practice Incentive for Provincially Regulated Construction EmployersPolicy PR-09 PRIME Practice Incentive for Federally Regulated Construction EmployersPolicy PR-10 PRIME Audit for Non-Construction EmployeesPolicy PR-11 PRIME Transitional PolicyPolicy PR-13 PRIME Audit for Construction EmployersPolicy PR-14 Practice Incentive Path 1 – OHS Education

Certificate of Recognition (COR)

The Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA) administers the Certificate of Recognition (CORTM) program, an industry-specific OHS program. Companies that fall within a construction Newfoundland Industrial Classification (NIC) code are required to be CORTM certified with a letter of good standing to qualify for refunds under PRIME.

You are a construction employer if your NIC code is classified between 4011 and 4499, or 4591.

For more information about the CORTM program please contact the NLCSA at 1-888-681-SAFE (7233) or visit www.nlcsa.com.