Advisor, Health & Safety

VIA Rail Canada • Montreal, QC

4d • CA$77,112 - CA$90,720 • Remote

About The Position

As a Health and Wellness Advisor, you will play a strategic role in the proactive management of absence, disability, and CNESST/WSIB cases for various employee groups across Canada. You will actively contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of programs, practices, and processes related to absence management, return to work, occupational health and safety, and employee well-being.

In this role, you will ensure thorough, compassionate, and coordinated case management, working closely with management, union representatives, workers’ compensation boards, insurers, and other relevant stakeholders. Your objective will be to support effective absence management and facilitate a timely, safe, sustainable return to work that meets both employee and organizational needs.

You will also ensure compliance with applicable legislation, company policies, and the duty to accommodate, while helping to minimize operational impacts, support consistent management practices, and deliver a healthy, safe, and caring employee experience.

Requirements

• University degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Occupational Health, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Specialized training in absence management, disability management, return to work, or occupational health (e.g., NIDMAR or other relevant certification);
• Strong knowledge of applicable legislation related to absence management, disability, occupational health and safety, duty to accommodate, and workplace injuries;
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in absence management, disability management, CNESST/WSIB claims, return to work, or a related role, ideally in a unionized, multi-site environment;
• Excellent ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities;
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess complex situations with rigor and objectivity;
• High level of accuracy in administrative and documentation follow-up;
• Sound professional judgment to recommend appropriate solutions;
• Ability to simplify and communicate complex concepts to managers;
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders (management, HR, unions, insurers);
• Ability to build and maintain trust-based relationships;
• Team-oriented mindset with a solutions-focused approach;
• Strong sense of urgency and ability to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage and coordinate all absence, disability, and CNESST/WSIB cases for various employee groups across Canada, in partnership with managers, union representatives, workers’ compensation boards, and the insurer;
• Act as a key resource for management and union partners on matters related to accommodation, return to work, and practices that promote consistent, rigorous, and compliant case management;
• Assess employees’ functional abilities and guide next steps to support reassignment to temporary duties or suitable positions;
• Coordinate workplace assessments, identify risks, and recommend safe, sustainable, and practical accommodation measures that support employee retention or return to work.
• Provide guidance and advisory support on absence management, disability, CNESST/WSIB cases, occupational health, workplace injuries, and safety-related risks, in order to support informed decision-making, ensure consistent application of practices, and promote proactive case management.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, promotion, and evaluation of programs, practices, and processes related to proactive absence management, disability, CNESST/WSIB cases, return to work, occupational health, and employee well-being, taking into account the operational realities of diverse employee groups across Canada;
• Act as a liaison with Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers and other relevant partners to help ensure support services are tailored to the needs of employees and their families, with a focus on overall well-being and prevention.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level