News & Events

Change in Role for Prof. Dr. Joachim Breuer, Board Member of PCU-WHS

On June 27, an event was held in Berlin to celebrate the retirement of Prof. Dr. Joachim Breuer as Director General of the DGUV (Germany’s national occupational accident insurer), and to acknowledge his 17 years of service in that role. Although this was a “retirement”, it does not signify the “retirement” of Prof. Dr. Breuer who continues in a special consulting role with the DGUV and who is also now offering his expertise through a Professorship at the University of Luebeck. Prof. Dr. Breuer also continues in his capacity as President of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) of Geneva.
Wolfgang Zimmermann, President of PCU-WHS, delivered the Keynote address at the special event which was attended by approximately 200 individuals from across the globe. In the photo from L to R Back Row: Edmund Cheong, Deputy Director of the SOCSO Rehabilitation Center and Dr. Mohammed Azman, CEO of SOCSO Malaysia. L to R Front Row: Wolfgang Zimmermann, President of PCU-WHS and Prof. Dr. Joachim Breuer, Board Member of PCU-WHS.

MOU Signed with CIESS for Promotion of Disability Management to its Members

In late January, a MOU was signed between the Inter-American Center for Social Security Studies (CIESS) and the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) and the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR).

The CIESS, headquartered in Mexico City has developed programs of activities that address priority aspects of social security for their region which encompasses the Americas and the Caribbean, covering 36 countries and a membership of more than 80 institutions.

The MOU creates the opportunity for the adoption of educational programming and the best practice professional and program standards in Return to Work and Disability Management for the member organizations of the CIESS, and expands the global membership in the International Disability Management Standards Council (IDMSC) to 64 countries.

It is hoped that the further adoption of best practice standards in Disability Management and Return to Work will help change the narrative with regard to detrimental outcomes when an individual with a disability does not have a return to work option and is forced into poverty, homelessness, addiction or potentially worse scenarios.

We congratulate the CIESS on their leadership.
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New Board of Directors of CSPDM Holds First Meeting

The newly selected Board of the Canadian Society of Professionals in Disability Management (CSPDM) held its first Board meeting in Toronto at the offices of the WSIB, under the leadership of CSPDM Board Chair, Evie DoCouto, WSIB Vice-President for Return-to-Work.

Recognized in the International Social Security Association’s Best Practice Guidelines on Return-to-Work as the gold standard in professional competence, CDMPs and CRTWCs now reflect a global professional community of over 4,000 individuals in 13 countries across all continents and expanding at a brisk pace with almost 700 across all Canadian provinces and territories.
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IFDM 2018 Videos Available for Viewing

Videos are available for viewing on the IFDM 2018 website. They include opening and welcome videos by Master of Ceremonies Wayne Wouters; Federal Ministers Carla Qualtrough and Patricia Hajdu; Premier of BC John Horgan, and presentations by Yazmine Laroche, DM for Accessibility, Government of Canada; Dr Joachim Breuer, Director General, DGUV, Germany; Francois Perl, Director General, INAMI/RIZIV, Belgium; and the handover to Belgium for IFDM 2020.
To view videos, please click on the following link: Video Library

International Forum on Disability Management – Towards IFDM 2020 – Brussels

During the conclusion of IFDM 2018 held in Vancouver, Canada, October 15-17, attended by 400 delegates from 30 countries, organized by the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS), the handover took place to Brussels, site of the 10th International Biennial Congress on Disability Management and Return to Work – IFDM 2020 – to be hosted by the Belgium Federal Social Security Organization, INAMI. To view the bulletin with further details, please click on the following link: More information

Prior to the handover to Belgium, the Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Chancellor of PCU-WHS and Master of Ceremonies for IFDM 2018, read the IFDM 2018 Canada Declaration, which sets out a series of challenges and opportunities for relevant stakeholders on a range of key initiatives which could be undertaken and contribute towards achieving much improved and sustained social and economic outcomes for disabled workers, employers, and our society at large. The Canada Declaration is available for downloading and viewing on the IFDM 2018 website at: www.ifdm2018.com

Over 80 Presentations were delivered by experts from 20 countries during the conference. These have been uploaded to the IFDM 2018 website. Please click on the tab marked Program on the website and click on the links provided in the titles of the Plenary presentations as well as of the Concurrent Workshop presentation titles.

To view the Gallery of Photos taken at IFDM 2018, please visit the IFDM 2018 website and click on the tab marked Gallery of Photos.

To view the Welcome videos from Federal Ministers Carla Qualtrough and Patty Hajdu and BC Premier John Horgan, please click on the tab marked Video Library on the website.

International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 Third Update

We are extremely pleased to advise that an agreement has been reached, and will be signed during the Opening Session of IFDM 2018, between the International Social Security Organization (ISSA) a UN affiliated, Geneva based organization, with over 330 members in more than 150 countries, and Canada’s National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), effecting the legal transfer of IFDM associated intellectual property, currently held by NIDMAR to ISSA.
For further details, please see the attached Third Update

IFDM 2018 – Second Update

Keynote Address: Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Yazmine Laroche, Deputy Minister, Public Service Accessibility, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, will be the opening keynote speaker taking place on Monday, October 15, 9:00 am – 10:00 am. Ms. Laroche was appointed to this position by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on August 7, 2018 with a mandate to lead the Government’s public service accessibility agenda. For further details, please see the attached Second Update.

International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – Update

 

We are pleased to confirm the participants for the IFDM Plenary Panel taking place Tuesday, October 16, at 8:45 am – 10:15 am in the Plenary entitled:

The Disappearing Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Compensation Systems

This distinguished Panel will be chaired by Dr. Joachim Breuer, Director General of the German Federal Workers Compensation System – DGUV of Berlin, and President of the International Social Security Association – ISSA of Geneva.

For details regarding the Panel members, please see the attached Update.

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS)
Host of the International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018
Taking place in Vancouver, Canada
October 15-17, 2018

G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting: Statement identifies significant disability related objectives

The G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting, held in Mendoza, Argentina, Sept 6-7, 2018, released a Statement which identifies significant disability related objectives, starting on page 8, Article No.8, under the heading, “Promote Decent Work for persons with disabilities“. Dr. Joachim Breuer, member of the Board of Governors of Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS), who is CEO of the German Federal Workers Compensation System and President of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), a United Nations affiliated agency in Geneva, was one of the participants of the G20 meeting. Dr. Breuer will also be delivering a keynote address during the opening morning session of the 9th International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – taking place in Vancouver, Canada – October 15 – 17, 2018.

To read the Statement to the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meetiing, please click on the link below:
https://www.g20.org/sites/default/files/media/l20declarationen.pdf

To view the Program for IFDM 2018, please visit the website:
https://www.ifdm2018.com/program/

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) is the host for IFDM 2018
Web: www.pcu-whs.ca

Honourable Seamus O’Regan visits PCU-WHS Campus

The Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) was most pleased to host the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s Federal Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence at its campus today. The Minister was very interested to learn more about the broader area of Return to Work / Disability Management, both in Canada and around the world. For further details, please see newsletter attached.

As a result of the visit, the Minister issued several tweets on his Twitter account, which can be viewed on the PCU-WHS Twitter account at: https://twitter.com/pcuwhs

Welcome Messages to IFDM 2018 from Key Leaders

9th World Congress on Return to Work and Disability Management

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) is pleased to host the International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – taking place in Vancouver, Canada

We are excited to bring you personal welcome greetings from some of our distinguished leaders and supporters which can be found on the website at the following link and include the following:
https://www.ifdm2018.com/video-library/
– Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Federal Minister of Science, Sport and Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the Federal Government of Canada
– Hon. Scott Fraser, BC Minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation on behalf of the Province of BC (Minster Fraser’s riding is home of the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences)
– Dr. Joachim Breuer, President, International Social Security Association, Geneva, Switzerland
– Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Founding Chancellor, Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences
– Mr. Ken Neumann, National Director, United Steelworkers and Labour Co-Chair, PCU-WHS
– Mr. Dean Winsor, Vice-President, HR, Teck Resources and Employer Co-Chair, PCU-WHS

IFDM 2018 will build on the history of innovation, leadership and best practice solutions through 78 stimulating workshop sessions and 3 plenary panel presentations with representatives from approx. 20 countries.

The three plenary panels on critical challenges include:
– The Disappearing Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Compensation Systems, Chaired by Dr. Joachim Breuer, CEO, German Federal Workers Compensation System
– Disability and Proverty: Breaking the Cycle, Chaired by the Hon. Wayne G. Wouters, PC, OC, Chancellor, PCU-WHS
– Meeting the Challenge of Mental Health in Today’s Workplace, Chaired by Ms. Jody Thomas, Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence and PCU-WHS Deputy Minister Champion

Sheridan College – PCU-WHS Agreement Creates New Opportunities for Business Students

An agreement signed between the Pilon School of Business at Sheridan College and Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) allows students who have completed the diploma program in Human Resources to transfer their credits from Sheridan towards the Bachelor of Disability Management at PCU-WHS.

The Bachelor of Disability Management is the first – and only – degree of this nature and level internationally. It provides graduates with the underpinning of knowledge, skills and competencies to assist absent workers to return to work and employing organizations to promote and protect the health of workers.

“In my opinion a significant piece of the future of human resources will involve disability management and return to work,” says Shady Hana, a Professor and HR Program Coordinator at Sheridan College. “This is especially true with aspects of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) coming into play within the next three to five years here in Ontario. The partnership with PCU-WHS provides a priceless opportunity for our students to learn about this growing field.”

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Official Ryerson Press Release regarding Daphne Taras Board Member of PCU-WHS

On behalf of the Board of Governors of PCU-WHS, Co-Chairs Dean Winsor (Employer Co-Chair & VP-HR, Teck Resources) and Ken Neumann (Labour Co-Chair & National Director, United Steelworkers), we extend sincerest congratulations to PCU-WHS Board Member Daphne Taras, PhD, on her recent appointment as Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, Toronto. For complete details, please refer to the link below.

Invitational Video to Attend IFDM 2018

The Honourable Wayne G. Wouters, PC OC, Founding Chancellor of Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS), has provided an invitational and welcoming video to attend IFDM 2018 – and he identifies the challenges of different kinds of disabilities, the changing workplace, the importance of return to work, and the opportunity to learn from each other and to share best practices from around the world.

Come to Vancouver – October 14-17, 2018

 

Honourable Kirsty Duncan announces funding for IFDM 2018

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, announced funding for the International Forum on Disability Management – IFDM 2018 – through the Disability Component of the Social Development Partnerships Program, at a news event held April 12 in Victoria.

Also attending the event was BC’s Minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, the Honourable Scott Fraser who is MLA, Mid Island-Pacific Rim, in the riding where the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) and NIDMAR are located.

The IFDM is designed to promote innovation, leadership and practical policy and program solutions, and will provide knowledge and tools on an integrated approach to disability management in the workplace. For further details on IFDM 2018, please visit the website: IFDM 2018

To view the news release, please click on the link below.
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Ken Neumann sworn in as Canadian National Director of USW

Congratulations to long-time PCU-WHS and NIDMAR Board of Governors Labour Co-Chair, Ken Neumann, on his March 1 swearing in ceremony at USW International Offices in Pittsburgh.

Ken was acclaimed for a fourth consecutive term as Canadian National Director for the United Steelworkers, and we are very appreciative of the tremendous support for our collective goals of achieving better socio-economic outcomes for injured / disabled workers, employers and society at large that he has demonstrated during his 11 year tenure as Co-Chair.