A St. Albert man and former Edmonton bus driver who was viciously beaten in 2009 has had his Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) benefits suspended after declining a proposal to have him begin job shadowing in a new occupation.
Tom Bregg was attacked while driving an Edmonton Transit Service bus in December 2009. His attacker, Gary Mattson, pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault. His dangerous offender hearing is still ongoing.
Bregg, who is represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union, was supposed to begin job shadowing as a transit dispatcher this week, according to union president Stu Litwinowich.
Litwinowich said Bregg felt uncomfortable moving toward that job, declining to get into any specifics.
“My understanding though, and I talked to Tom late yesterday, was that he has been cut off WCB.”
Pamela Kirkwood, director of labour relations with the City of Edmonton, made it clear Friday afternoon that despite previous reports, Bregg was never formally offered a job as a dispatcher and as such, never declined it.
She said the city still has every intention of finding him work.
“What we are looking to do on a gradual basis is to re-integrate him into the work force and find a position that would be commensurate with Tom’s abilities.”
Jennifer Dagsvich, a spokesperson for the WCB, said she could not specifically comment on Bregg’s case but said the board expects people to return to work when they are deemed medically fit to do so.
“My hands are tied in that there are some privacy laws that I have to adhere to, so I can’t speak to the specifics of the claim,” she said. “If that is declined when the evidence shows the person can return to work even on a modified basis, then the disability benefits would be in question.”
Dagsvich said workers are not suddenly thrust back into a job and are generally re-integrated slowly.
“When a worker is considered fit for work it is not something that they suddenly learn; it is not something that is a surprise.”
Litwinowich said the union intends to help Bregg get back to work but in an area he feels comfortable.
“Tom’s got some ideas. He hasn’t really shared them with me, I know what he wants and that is something we have to work out with the city,” he said. “We will have to go back to the table and try and find something that is acceptable and amenable to all of the parties involved.”
Kirkwood said re-integrating people back into a job can be difficult and the city is also committed to helping Bregg back to meaningful work.
“It is not a convoluted process, but it is certainly not black and white. You respond to each employee with the situation that is best for them.”
