fee increase

At the September 2009 Board of Directors meeting, a decision was made to increase the NLASW registration fee. This decision was not made lightly. Members can be assured that expenditures were carefully scrutinized and revenue streams were thoroughly analyzed. After considerable review, it was clear that the level of revenue received by the NLASW was not adequate to meet current demands nor to maintain and improve service and program delivery. The frequently asked questions (FAQs) that follow are designed to provide members with an overview of the fee increase and answer key questions about the increase.

What will the annual registration fee be after the increase comes into effect?

The annual registration fee will increase by $100 in total and will be $400 as of March 1, 2012. For members, this translates to a $3.84 increase on a bi-weekly bases. It is important to remember that as professional registration is a requirement for practice in this province, these fees are tax deductible.

How will the fee increase be implemented?

The $100 increase will be implemented over two years in two separate steps of $50 each. Effective March 1, 2011, the fee will increase from $300 to $350. On March 1, 2012, the fee will increase from $350 to $400. Social workers who have fees collected through payroll deductions would have seen a change commencing in January 2010 as employers deduct fees one year in advance for payment in the subsequent year.

Why did the NLASW Board of Directors decide to implement the fee increase over a 2 year period?

The decision to raise fees was not taken lightly. The impact on members was front and foremost and prompted the Board to implement the increase over two years.

Why does the NLASW need a fee increase?

The Board of Directors and staff reviewed the financial status of the organization and determined that the level of revenue received was not sufficient to enable the NLASW to carry out its regulatory responsibilities and effectively serve its members. There were numerous factors which influenced the need for a fee increase. These included:

the forthcoming increase in CASW fees. CASW fees represent a significant expenditure for the NLASW. For the fiscal year ended Feb. 28, 2010, the expenditure for CASW fees was close to $50,000.
additional costs arising from the implementation of the organizational review recommendations. The organizational review conducted in the spring of 2008 highlighted the need to expand the capacity of the organization. The NLASW responded by adding one permanent part time social work position in the past two years.
an increase in the overall cost of operations. The number of social workers has doubled since the implementation of regulation and this has resulted in a corresponding increase in operating costs as the NLASW needs to keep pace with the growth.
an increase in the number and complexity of complaints against practice. Discipline expenditures more than tripled from the fiscal year ended February 28, 2009 to February 28, 2010.
the cost of administering the new Social Workers Act. The new act will dictate the need to revisit and revise all existing regulations, by-laws, policies and procedures to ensure compliance. This will be a very resource intensive process.

What sources of revenue are available to NLASW?

The main source of revenue for the NLASW comes from registration fees. In fact, registration fees accounted for 90% of our total revenue stream for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2010.

There was a previous fee increase in 2008. Why are the fees increasing again?

In 2008, registration fees increased by $25. This increase was insufficient to meet the demands placed on the NLASW, specifically in terms of the rising regulation and operational costs.

How has information regarding the fee increase been communicated to members?

In addition to this FAQ section which was specifically designed to communicate information about the fee increase, other avenues of communication have also been utilized. The November 2009 Update, which was distributed electronically to all NLASW members, outlined the two step increase and communicated that the change would first be noticed by social workers availing of payroll deduction in January 2010. A separate notice was then mailed to payroll departments throughout the province. The January 2010 edition of Connecting Voices also contained a detailed article from the Executive Director. The article, entitled ‘The Cost of Growth’ provided a more in-depth look at the reasons behind the fee increase.

How do NLASW fees compare to other provincial regulatory bodies and professional associations?

The fees of other organizations are outlined below. The numbers clearly show that even when the fee increase is fully implemented, NLASW fees will still be the lowest.

Organization	Fee Total
NLASW	$350 (2011) $400 (2012)
ARNNL RN Nurse Practitioner	$480 (2011) $536.50 (2011)
Dietitians	$641
OT Assoc& Board	$600
Pharmacy Board & Association	$968.10
Physiotherapists Board & Association	$520
Psychology Board & Association	$1050
Medical College & Association	$2908