Job option evaluation - suitability, accessibility and salary

Review if a viableA job lead is viable when it is accessible in the worker’s locale or within reasonable commuting distance and suitable by meeting a worker’s physical capabilities, vocational skills and psychological and social ability. job leadA job lead is evidence that a suitable occupation exists in the labour market and that employers recruit for this type of work. A job lead supports labour market accessibility and employability but does not guarantee immediate employment. A job lead must be accessible in the worker’s locale or within reasonable commuting distance (100 km) and suitable by meeting a worker’s physical capabilities, vocational skills, and psychological and social ability. was provided to support the job optionA job option is one suitable employment option that aligns with a worker’s physical capabilities, vocational skills and psychological and social ability. The start salary from a job option is used to estimate a worker's earnings capacity when employment has not been secured during the job search process. Job options are identified through ALIS or LMP profiles. is accessible. Refer to the Viable job lead for accessibility section.

Note: A job lead is required for the job option to be used when estimating the worker’s earning capacity. The only exception is that a job lead is not needed for retroactive wage‑loss supplements or when applying duty to cooperate. For these circumstances, continue to review based on the job option only. 

If a job lead was reviewed and found to be:

• physically, vocationally, psychologically or socially unsuitable, it cannot be used to support accessibility.
• physically, vocationally, psychologically and socially suitable, continue with the review to confirm it is accessible.

When a job lead is not accessible, ask the RE provider to identify another job option and job lead that is appropriate for the worker. 

Determine if the job lead is accessible

To determine that the job lead is accessible consider:

• Prior to October 1, 2026 - if the job was open for application during the job search and can be filled by the general public.
• After October 1, 2026 - if the job lead was identified during the 12-week supported job search period, including any extensions, or within the six months before the SJS start date.
• If the job is available in the worker's locale (or with relocation, if appropriate). Typically, the location to look for job leads is determined before the worker is referred for a triage assessment. Refer to the Geographical location and the RE services guidelines for out-of-province workers sections of the 7-1 Triage assessment referral procedure. When relocation is being considered, refer to Policy 04-05, Part II, Application 8: Relocation and the 7-7 Relocation assistance procedure.
• If the job is within 100 km of where the worker lived or worked at the time of the accident. Note: For rural workers, a commute of up to 100 km is typically reasonable; longer may be reasonable if consistent with the worker's pre-accident travel work pattern. Exception: If compensable restrictions limit driving/sitting tolerance, 100 km may not be reasonable. Refer to the Geographical location section of the 7-1 Triage assessment referral procedure.
• If the job lead hours are within the same range as the date-of-accident job or within the restricted hours the worker is able to work (i.e., equal to or less than their date-of-accident hours)? Refer to the Decide on hours to use for estimating earnings section. If a job lead:
  • indicates part-time hours, it cannot be used for estimating full-time earnings.
  • indicates full-time hours, it cannot be used for estimating part-time earnings.
  • hours are not specified; the job lead can be used to estimate for both full-time and part-time positions.

If the job lead supports the worker meets the accessibility requirements, the job lead is considered suitable. Continue to the Assessing salary section.

When the job option is suitable and there is a viable job lead that supports accessibility, review the verified salary source and select the appropriate starting salary. 

Note: A job lead is required for the job option to be used when estimating the worker’s earning capacity. The only exception is that a job lead is not needed for retroactive wage‑loss supplements or when applying duty to cooperate. For these circumstances, continue to review based on the job option only. 

As of February 1, 2023, ALIS became the primary source for starting wage information, as its province‑wide, research‑based salary data that ensures consistency and fairness for jobs in Alberta. When an ALIS profile is not available for the job option (such as a niche job or creatively defined solution), LMP information may be used instead.

When LMP is used for salary, continue to the next step.

When the salary is based on actual earnings, use the worker’s actual salary unless the worker is considered under-employedA worker is under-employed when they are working in a position that does not maximize their earnings capacity and is reasonably capable of earning a higher income in suitable employment, based on their skills, education, work history, functional abilities, and the current labour market.. If they are under-employed, consider using the earnings for the job option identified. If there is no job option or job lead, use the worker's actual earnings to determine the WLS.

When ALIS is used for salary

Generally, ALIS salaries are sufficient; however, job lead salary information should be reviewed together with ALIS to ensure its fairness. For example, if the job lead salary is lower than the ALIS starting range, consider using the job lead salary to reflect a realistic entry-level wage.

When reviewing the salary information in ALIS, select the average starting hourly wage. Review the sample chart below as an example for selecting the average salary.

Review ALIS along with the job lead to determine which salary to use for estimating earnings

Refer to the sample chart above as an example.

When the job lead has provided a salary range, use the lowest salary from the job lead for comparison.

When the job lead salary is:

• Within the low and high percentiles, use the average starting wage from ALIS.
• Is above the high percentile of the ALIS starting wage, use the average starting wage from ALIS.
• Is below the low percentile of the ALIS starting wage, use the job lead salary. 

For more information, refer to the ALIS to support vocational suitability and salary section.

When ALIS is used to estimate earnings move to step 3 to determine the hours of work.  

When the job option is suitable and there is a viable job lead that supports accessibility, review the verified salary source and select the appropriate starting salary.  

Note: A job lead is required for the job option to be used when estimating the worker’s earning capacity. The only exception is that a job lead is not needed for retroactive wage‑loss supplements or when applying duty to cooperate. For these circumstances, continue to review based on the job option only. 

As of February 1, 2023, LMP became available to use when an ALIS profile is not available. 

When the salary is based on actual earnings, use the worker’s actual salary unless the worker is considered under-employedA worker is under-employed when they are working in a position that does not maximize their earnings capacity and is reasonably capable of earning a higher income in suitable employment, based on their skills, education, work history, functional abilities, and the current labour market.. If they are under-employed, consider using the earnings for the job option identified. If there is no job option or job lead, use the worker's actual earnings to determine the WLS.

When LMP is used for salary

A LMP will typically provide three starting wages for the position. The general rule is to select the medianThe median is the mid-point or middle number in a sorted list of numbers. wage. 

Review the LMP along with the job lead to determine which salary to use for estimating earnings

When the job lead has provided a salary range, use the lowest salary from the job lead for comparison.

When the job lead salary: 

• Is within the lowest and highest LMP starting wage, use the median LMP wage.
• Is outside the range of the existing salary records (lowest or highest), add the job lead salary in as a new salary record and recalculate the median salary. When this results in an even number of salary records, identify the middle two salary records, and select the lowest of the two records to determine the median.
  • Example: If a job option was pre-approved based on the salary records of $20, $25 and $30, the median salary would be $25. If the worker is provided with a job lead with a starting salary of $15, the $15 must be added in as a salary record and the median starting salary adjusted. The salary records are now $15, $20, $25, and $30. The middle two records are $20 and $25. The lowest of the two is $20. The new median starting salary is $20.

When a LMP record has only two salary records and they have different starting salary, select the record with the lower starting salary. 

Note: The LMP report itself, does not expire, however the LMP salary information expires after 12 months. Ensure the salary information is current when a review is taking place to estimate earnings. 

For more information, refer to the Labour market profiles (LMPs) to support suitability and salary section.

When salary information is not available in the LMP

If sufficient salary information is not available through the LMP consider:

• Contacting the RE provider to discuss options for confirming salary information. Ask if the LMP can be updated with earnings or expired salary records exist for the position if there is an LMP for a similar position with earnings and whether those employers can be contacted again for updated salary information.
• Reviewing other sources beyond the LMP such as job ads, job offers, school placement/salary statistics (if retraining is being considered) or the worker's own salary research.
• Using minimum wage: If the LMP or the job lead, do not include salary/wage information, estimate earnings using the current minimum wage. As all jobs in Alberta pay at least minimum wage, it can be concluded that any suitable and accessible position would pay minimum wage.
• Discussing options with your supervisor.

When an LMP is used to estimate earnings move to step 3 to determine the hours of work.  

When the job option is suitable and there is a viable job lead that supports accessibility, review and determine the post-accident hours to use for estimating based on the claim circumstance as outlined below. 

Note: A job lead is required for the job option to be used when estimating the worker’s earning capacity. The only exception is that a job lead is not needed for retroactive wage‑loss supplements or when applying duty to cooperate. For these circumstances, continue to review based on the job option only. 

Before determining the post-accident hours to use, ensure the pre-accident hours align with the compensation rate currently in effect. For example, if the rate is based on a Section 61 rate, were the hours of work different than what was used for the Section 56 rate? This is typically confirmed before referring the worker for a triage assessment. Refer to step 2 of the 7-1 Triage assessment referral procedure. 

No restriction on hours of work - worker is capable of working pre-accident hours

Ensure the job lead hours are reasonably consistent with the pre-accident hours. 

Full-time employment is typically defined as working between 36 and 44 hours per week. If a full-time job lead involves slightly more hours than the worker’s date of accident hours of work, a reasonable increase may still be considered acceptable. For instance, a worker who previously worked 37.5 hours per week could reasonably be matched to a 40-hour position, as this falls within the standard full-time range.

In such cases, there must be documented discussion with the worker that clearly explains why the job option is appropriate, along with a corresponding explanation included in the wage loss proposal. However, the Wage Loss Supplement (WLS) will continue to be based on the worker’s date of accident hours.

If the job lead:

• is full-time and the hours are higher than the worker's pre-accident hours, consider if there is a reasonable variance in the hours of work.
• is part-time and the hours are higher than the worker's pre-accident hours, the job lead is not viable, and a new job lead should be obtained that meets the part-time hours or is silent on hours as identified below.
• hours are lower than the worker's pre-accident hours, use the hours from the job lead.
• provides a range of hours, use the hours that are the closest match to the pre-accident shift cycle.
• is full-time but silent for specific hours, use the worker's pre-accident hours.
• is part-time, but silent for specific hours, use the worker's pre-accident hours of work.
• includes specific part-time hours, use the hours from the job lead to estimate earnings.

Note: When a worker was employed beyond full-time hours at the time of their accident (i.e. beyond 36-44 hours per week), attempt to match the pre-accident hours. This may involve considering a full-time and a part-time position to estimate earnings. For these cases, both positions must be suitable, accessible (i.e. a job lead is provided for both jobs) and ones the worker could reasonably work concurrently (e.g., consider how much time the worker may need to get ready after one job before going to the next one). 

Restriction on hours of work - worker has permanent restriction on hours of work

When a worker has restrictions for the number of hours they can work, the date-of-accident hours cannot be used for estimating earnings. Generally, workers are not capable of full-time hours but are able to work reduced hours or days of work. For these cases, compare the job lead hours with the number of hours the worker is restricted to working.

Ensure the job lead hours are reasonably consistent with the hours the worker is restricted to working. If the job lead:

• hours are higher than the hours the worker is restricted to working, the job lead is not viable, and a new job lead should be obtained that meets the restricted hours or is silent on hours as identified below.
• hours are lower than the hours the worker is restricted to working, use the hours from the job lead.
• is silent for specific hours, use the number of hours the worker is restricted to working (the maximum part-time hours are 30 hours per week).

When the hours of work to estimate earnings is determined, continue to the next step.  

When the requirements for SAS are met, proceed to the appropriate procedure for the claim circumstance. 

If:

• The worker is currently participating in support job search, discuss job suitability with the worker and the RE provider and obtain pre-approval for the job option. Follow the 7-2 Supported job search procedure and return to the last completed step (i.e. steps 2 to 4).
• The worker is at the end of their job search, participate in the discharge case conference and discuss next steps. Follow step 7 of the 7-2 Supported job search procedure.
• The next step is to implement a wage loss supplement, follow the 8-1 Wage loss supplement (WLS) final approval procedure.
• A previous job-option decision is being reconsidered because it was not suitable and the new job option is suitable, follow the 1-7 Reconsider a previous decision procedure.
• The job option will be used to estimate earnings retroactively, follow the 8-2 Retroactive wage loss final approval procedure.

When the requirements for SAS are not met, the job option cannot be used. Another job option with a viable job lead that meets the SAS criteria must be identified. When a job option and job lead cannot be identified, address any are barriers that may be affecting the identification of a suitable job option or if the worker may be eligible for a WLS based on no post-accident earnings (zero-based). Refer to the 7-2 Supported job search, 8-1 Wage loss supplement (WLS) final approval or 8-2 Retroactive wage loss supplement final approval procedure.

The service provider includes a copy of the ALIS Occupational Profile with their report. 

Effective February 1, 2023, ALIS occupational profiles became WCB's primary source of labour market information to estimate earnings capacity. 

To estimate earnings prior to February 1, 2023, refer to the Retroactive reviews prior to February 1, 2023, section and follow the 8-2 Retroactive wage loss supplement final approval procedure.

ALIS is a Government of Alberta (GoA) website, independent of WCB, that provides 550+ occupational profiles and more than 12,000+ Alberta job postings for position across Alberta. Because ALIS is public and transparent, workers can easily access this research-based labour market information and actively participate in their job search.

The GoA updates the ALIS occupational profiles and wage data periodically and are independent from WCB. WCB considers ALIS information current and valid for WLS proposals. WCB uses the average starting wage from a current ALIS profile to calculate estimated earnings. Visit the ALIS website to see when the Alberta Wage and Salary Survey was last updated.

Provincial average starting earnings from ALIS are used as a baseline, with the expectation that regional earnings will be considered through an actual job lead rather than specifying a location in ALIS. When job lead earnings fall below the low percentile reported by ALIS, the job lead earnings are used to calculate wage loss instead of the average starting earnings. This approach ensures consistency by incorporating both vocational data and provincial salary information, supporting clear, transparent, fair and consistent decision-making when estimating earnings.

ALIS occupational profiles describe broad occupations which means the job lead title may not always perfectly match the profile (e.g., Receptionist covers job titles such as guest services, mail information clerk or appointment coordinator). Each occupational profile includes details about the job, such as salary, general job duties and education requirements. Many profiles link directly to job ads, that can be used during SJS. 

ALIS profiles do not contain physical requirements for the occupation. To determine physical suitability for the specific job (e.g., Self‑Serve Gas Station Cashier), use the EJDs as they include the critical tasks for the specific job. 

The service provider includes a copy of the EJD document with their report. 

Effective February 1, 2023, ALIS profiles became WCB's primary source of labour market information to estimate earnings capacity. Because ALIS profiles only describe broad physical requirements, EJD reports provide the detailed, job‑specific information needed to assess physical suitability.

EJDs are used in combination with ALIS Occupational Profiles. The ALIS profile supports the salary and the EJD supports the critical physical tasks for the job option to match a worker's physical abilities. EJDs are found in the Labour Market Information site on the internal Electronic Workplace (EW) under Business Tools.

A position is considered physically suitable when the EJD and the job lead are both consistent with the worker’s documented work restrictions. EJDs are not used when LMP is used to estimate earnings. In these cases, use the LMP’s physical demands.

An EJD document identifies the critical physical tasks required for a specific job. These are the duties a worker must be able to perform to be hired for that role. A job duty is considered essential when:

• The job exists to perform that duty
  Example: A firefighter’s job exists to extinguish fires.
• Only a small number of employees can perform it
  Example: Updating a company website when no one else is trained to do so.
• The duty requires highly specialized skills
  Example: Using a specific programming language.

Non‑essential duties are tasks performed infrequently or tasks that others could complete without changing the purpose of the job. For example, replacing a water cooler jug or bending to pick up a pen. Because these tasks are not fundamental to the role, they are not used when assessing physical suitability.

The service provider includes a copy of the LMP with their report. 

Effective February 1, 2023, ALIS became WCB's primary source of labour market information to estimate earnings capacity. LMPs are job‑specific research reports used to confirm physical, vocational suitability and salary criteria when ALIS does not have an occupational profile, typically for niche or uncommon jobs (e.g., bingo caller) and when creative solutions are needed. 

To estimate earnings prior to February 1, 2023, refer to the Retroactive reviews prior to February 1, 2023, section and follow the 8-2 Retroactive wage loss supplement final approval procedure.

LMPs are found in the Labour Market Information site on the internal EW under Business Tools.

LMPs contain starting wages only, consistent with ALIS. If wages are not available, consider other sources, such as job ads or offers, school placement or retraining salary statistics and the worker’s own salary research. If no other earnings information is available, use minimum wage.

The LMP record itself does not expire, but the salary records expire after 12 months. If expired, or about to expire in the next month, request a refresh. Researchers will contact one additional employer to confirm if the median starting salary has significantly changed.

LMP salary records should not be older than:

• 12 months from the publish date at pre-approval, and
• 24 months from the publish date at final approval. 

New salary records should not be obtained at final approval if the original salary records were published within the last 24 months.

For long‑term retraining (e.g., two‑year diploma), updated salary information may be required at program completion.

For additional information on LMP's, refer to the Supported job search library resources.

The service provider includes a copy of the job lead with their report.

A viable job lead is accessible in the worker’s locale or within reasonable commuting distance (100 km) and suitable by meeting a worker’s physical capabilities, vocational skills and psychological and social ability. If all criteria are not met, the job lead cannot be used to support accessibility. Refer to the Determine if the job option and/or job lead meet suitability section and the Assess the job lead for accessibility sections.

For additional information on job leads, refer to the Supported job search library resources.

Prior to February 1, 2023, the WCB used employability profiles (EP), labour market analysis (LMA) and LMP as labour market information to assess for suitability, accessibility and salary. 

The EP database was archived and is only accessed when retroactive labour market information is required (e.g., appeals). As of February 1, 2023, LMA and LMP were combined into one streamlined process so there will no longer be individual LMA records.

To estimate earnings retroactively, the salary records/LMA/EP for that specific year are used. For example, if the effective date of a WLS is May 2013, use LMA/EP that was valid in May 2013 (i.e. the research would have been completed in the year prior to May 2013).  

• Contact the RE Supervisor, Millard RE Support to obtain archived salary records/LMA/EP information.
• Contact Quality Assurance to obtain the archived procedure for the RE process in place for that specific year.