About clearance
letters
What is a clearance?
Who needs a clearance?
Who are contractors/subcontractors and
principals?
Why am I responsible for my contractor's unpaid
premiums?
Can I get clearance information on more than
one contractor at a time?
When is a clearance required?
How long is a clearance valid? When does a
clearance expire?
I'm doing work in another province, will this
letter still apply?
Can I get a clearance letter that is not
addressed to a specific company?
As a contractor, can I request a letter to
be sent to multiple hiring companies at the same time?
Requesting letters online
What type of clearance letters can I request
online?
Is there a cost for a clearance letter?
How long does it take to receive a clearance
letter?
If a clearance is denied, what does that
mean?
How will I receive a clearance letter that I
requested online?
I don't have email access - can I get a
clearance letter?
Why does the system ask for my contact details
and mailing address?
I don't have a WCB account - can I still request
a clearance?
Technical questions
What are the system requirements to request a
clearance online?
How secure is it to request a clearance
online?
What are the hours of availability?
Getting a myWCB login
Why should I sign up for myWCB?
What are Automatic Clearance Notifications?
Support
I have more questions - who can I talk
to?
What is a
clearance?
A clearance is a letter from WCB-Alberta confirming a contractor's
account is in good standing; this clears you of liability should
the contractor default on premium payments to WCB. A clearance
should be obtained prior to a contractor starting work for you,
and also authorizes you to release final payment on a
contract.
Who needs a
clearance?
If the companies you hire have their own WCB-Alberta accounts, it
is your responsibility to ensure that the accounts are in good
standing. A clearance fulfills this responsibility, relieving you
of liability for your contractor's premiums.
If you hire companies you are responsible for their workers' compensation insurance unless they:
Who are
contractors/subcontractors and principals?
For the purposes of a clearance letter, a contractor (or
subcontractor) is the person or company who is performing the work
or services.
A principal is the person or company who hires the (sub)contractor and will be paying for the work or services.
Why am I responsible for
my contractor's unpaid premiums?
Holding you responsible for unpaid premiums ensures WCB-Alberta's
insurance fund is maintained at a sufficient level to pay worker
benefits. Using clearances ensures that each employer contributes
their fair share.
Your responsibility for insuring contractors and subcontractors depends on their status. Use the employer fact sheet "Your responsibilities for contractors and subcontractors" to determine whether you must provide coverage.
Can I get
clearance information on more than one contractor at a
time?
Yes, multiple contractors can be included on a single clearance
letter.
When is a clearance
required?
A clearance is required when you hire a company to confirm they
have a WCB-Alberta account. You should also obtain a clearance
prior to releasing any payments to the company.
How long is a
clearance valid? When does a clearance expire?
A clearance letter is valid for any work done up to the date of the
letter.
If you hire a company and make payments to them in installments, a
clearance letter should be requested on the date of hire and prior
to each payment.
I am doing work in
another province, will this letter still apply?
To determine your coverage requirements in other provinces or
territories, please consult with the Workers' Compensation Board in
that jurisdiction.
Use the employer fact sheet "Out-of-province
coverage" to find additional information.
Can I get
a clearance letter that is not addressed to a specific
company?
No. Clearance letters must be addressed to an individual or company
because it is clearing the specific individual or company from
liability.
As a
contractor, can I request a letter to be sent to multiple hiring
companies at the same time?
No. A clearance letter can only be addressed to one principal
at a time. Separate letters must be created for each to
specifically clear them from liability.
What type of
clearance letters can I request online?
'Labour' letters are the most common type of clearances (99% of
letters requested online are of this type). 'Sale of
Business', 'Finance and Security' and 'Sale of Primary
Timber' clearances are also available.
Is there a cost for a
clearance letter?
No. Clearance letters are free of charge.
How long does it take to
receive a clearance letter?
This depends upon the delivery method used. A guideline would
be:
Online: within seconds (viewed
online or saved to your computer)
Email: generally within minutes
Fax: generally within minutes
Mail: may take up to 10 business days
Normal system maintenance done during off-peak hours may slightly delay delivery of a clearance letter.
If a clearance is
denied, what does that mean?
Clearances can be denied because:
You can hold back payment from a contractor who is performing work for you until you receive a clearance. Please contact WCB to determine an appropriate amount to hold back.
How will I receive
a clearance letter that I requested online?
Clearance letters can be:
I do not have email
access - can I get a clearance letter?
Clearances can be viewed online and downloaded, or sent via fax or
Canada Post.
Why does the system
ask for my contact details and mailing address?
We ask for these details so we can address the clearance letter to
your company, as this is who is being cleared from liability.
I don't have a WCB
account - can I still request a clearance?
Yes, you can request a clearance for work being done by
others.
If you are doing, or planning to, work as a contractor and need a
clearance for yourself or your company, then you require a
WCB-Alberta account.
What are the system
requirements to request a clearance online?
To request a clearance online you will need the following:
How secure is it to
request a clearance online?
The WCB-Alberta understands that, for many companies, their
relationship with their subcontractors is confidential and
sensitive. It is important to us that your clearance requests
remain private.
The WCB-Alberta uses a 128 bit SSL (Secure Socket Link) V3.0 to encrypt your clearance transactions before they enter the public network.
Subcontractor lists and other data stored by registered users reside on a WCB-Alberta server. Lists can only be viewed by the person who created them and by the WCB. If you are changing access to myWCB within your company and need to move a list from one user to another, email us at ebusiness.support@wcb.ab.ca or call our support line at 780-498-7688.
If you are a registered user, please observe the following rules to protect the confidentiality of your myWCB User ID:
What are the hours of
availability?
The system is occasionally down for maintenance on an evening or
weekend.
Our support line is available weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
MST/MDT at 780-498-7688.
Email us anytime at ebusiness.support@wcb.ab.ca
Why should I sign up for
myWCB?
As a myWCB user, you will have access to a number of different
services offered by the WCB. Registered users also have access to
additional features and functions in the clearance letter system.
Some of these include:
In order to take advantage of these additional features you must
have an account with the WCB-Alberta and a myWCB User ID and
password. User IDs are available free of charge.
Register online now.
What are Automatic Clearance
Notifications?
An Automatic Clearance Notification (ACN) is a report that is
emailed to you each business day, identifying any changes in your
contractors' status that may affect your liability.
It eliminates the need to request ongoing clearances for the
companies you hire.
ACN notifies you only on those subcontractors with an actual or potential clearance problem.
ACN not only ensures daily clearances, but is the only way to ensure protection against liability for a proprietor, partner, or director who suddenly cancels their personal coverage. Once personal coverage is terminated, your relationship is no longer governed by the Workers' Compensation Act and your company becomes liable for any injury suffered while in your employ.
Although personal coverage ensures protection under the Workers' Compensation Act, personal coverage can be cancelled at any time. While they cannot prevent holders from canceling their coverage, Automatic Clearance Notifications will inform you by email the day after personal coverage has been cancelled.
I have more
questions - who can I talk to?
Online support is available in the clearance system by clicking on
the Help icons (i.e. blue circles with a question mark).
Technical phone support is available weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. MST/MDT, excluding statutory holidays. Call 780-498-7688
or toll free 1-866-922-9221.
Questions can also be forwarded via email to: ebusiness.support@wcb.ab.ca