The context
- A person worked at a bank. Over the years, several armed robberies occurred while the person was on the job. After every event, the person went back to work immediately.
- During the same period, the person saw health professionals for various physical problems.
In 2019, the person’s health declined. The bank worker made a doctor’s appointment for various tests. The physician diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder related to the repeated robberies. - For the first time, the worker made the connection between his/her health problems and the events experienced.
- In June 2019, the person contacted the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) about compensation based on the medical report.
- The claim was refused because it was considered to have been filed too late.
The complaint
Dissatisfied with the CNESST’s response, the person complained to the Québec Ombudsman.
What the investigation showed
According to the CNESST, the deadline to consider had to be calculated as of the time of the robberies. However, it was only in 2019 that the medical diagnosis confirmed the correlation with the events. As a result, the person could not approach the agency before then.
The outcome
After the Québec Ombudsman intervened, the CNESST analyzed the file again and finally agreed to compensate the person.
This case was taken from our 2019-2020 Annual Report.
The Québec Ombudsman ensures that your rights are upheld in your dealings with Québec public services. Are you dissatisfied with the services of a Government of Québec department or agency? Or with those of a health and social services network institution (2nd level of recourse)? File a complaint with the Québec Ombudsman by calling 1-800-463-5070 or use our online complaint form.
