WorkSafeBC (WSBC) has revealed that a worker who suffered burns on the job was criticized for reporting the incident and pressured by their employer to withdraw the claim by suggesting the injury occurred at home instead. The incident occurred in June 2025 at a Subway restaurant in downtown Quesnel owned by an independent franchisee, as disclosed through a freedom of information request obtained by CBC News.
Following the burn injury, the worker received first aid treatment at the restaurant and subsequently filed a claim with WSBC. Upon learning of the claim, the restaurant owner attempted to convince the worker to retract it, a move described in the report as “egregious,” emphasizing the importance of reporting all workplace injuries.
Despite the owner’s denial of the claim, recordings obtained by WorkSafeBC supported the worker’s version of events. An investigator highlighted that the owner had reprimanded the worker multiple times for reporting the injury and had tried to influence the worker into altering their statement to suggest the injury happened at home, which the report deemed as violations of the Workers Compensation Act.
The report, issued in March, resulted in a $2,500 fine for the employer. CBC News has contacted Subway Canada and the local Quesnel Subway for their comments on the matter.