Latest news in Health benefits

What dental benefits topics should plan sponsors be considering?

What dental benefits topics should plan sponsors be considering?

With prescription drugs and paramedical benefits taking up an increasingly large portion of employers’ benefits spend, dental benefits often avoid the spotlight. But consultants and…

How employers can help staff take care of aging parents

How employers can help staff take care of aging parents

Nola Miller remembers the day she received 19 calls from her mother at work. As a group home co-ordinator for Winnipeg Child and Family Services,…

Q&A with IBM Canada’s Katherine Faichnie

IBM Canada Ltd.’s director of HR talks data and analytics, holistic employee health and playing the piano Q. What top challenges do you face in…

Starbucks serving up free mental-health benefits to U.S. staff

Starbucks serving up free mental-health benefits to U.S. staff

Starbucks Coffee Co. is offering eligible employees in the U.S. access to 20 free mental-health sessions per year beginning April 6. Through provider Lyra Health…

  • By: Staff
  • March 19, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00
U.S. employers maintaining health benefits, considering other cost-cutting measures: survey

Coronavirus pandemic means ‘new normal’ for employers, employees

All Canadian employers should assume at least one employee will test positive for the coronavirus, said Dr. Wendy Smeltzer, medical director at virtual health-care company…

Feds introduce $82 billion in coronavirus emergency support for workers, businesses

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an $82 billion stimulus package to underpin several new policies aimed at supporting Canadian workers and employers during the coronavirus…

Lower income workers likely to see least paid time off as pandemic swirls: report

Lower income workers likely to see least paid time off as pandemic swirls: report

Paid leave from work is the first financial line of defence during a crisis preventing employees from coming to work. For one, it guards against…

  • By: Staff
  • March 18, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:15

APTN introducing counselling with Indigenous elders into EAP

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is working to make counselling from Indigenous elders available to employees in several provinces through its employee assistance program. The…

Ontario, Alberta providing new leaves for employees impacted by coronavirus

Ontario and Alberta are making changes to provincial employment legislation to protect workers who are affected by the coronavirus. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford and…

Survey shows strong support for flexible, remote working post-coronavirus

Employers moving to remote work to help ‘flatten the coronavirus curve’

Canadian politicians, public health officials and chief executive officers have all urged Canadians to practice social distancing in a bid to “flatten the curve” of…

Green Shield Canada launches benefits plan analytics tool

Green Shield Canada launches benefits plan analytics tool

Green Shield Canada is launching a benefits plan analytics tool to help plan sponsors take a closer look at their offerings. The tool, DATAleap, looks to provide…

  • By: Staff
  • March 16, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:30
Considerations around employee safety, privacy, leave during the coronavirus crisis

Considerations around employee safety, privacy, leave during the coronavirus crisis

As employers prepare to prevent against the spread of the coronavirus, issues of workplace and public safety will likely take precedent over privacy concerns. Employers…

Letters to the Editor: Alternative views on paramedical coverage

Since the point of an editorial is to create a discussion on the trends and issues affecting our industry, I was glad to see my…

  • By: Staff
  • March 13, 2020 December 3, 2020
  • 09:00
80% of U.S. employers set to have financial wellness program by 2023: survey

80% of U.S. employers set to have financial wellness program by 2023: survey

While fewer than half (42 per cent) of U.S. employers are currently offering financial wellness programs, that number is set to almost double to 80 per…

  • By: Staff
  • March 12, 2020 November 11, 2020
  • 15:30
How are insurers working with plan sponsors amid coronavirus pandemic?

How are insurers working with plan sponsors amid coronavirus pandemic?

The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has been conducting weekly calls with its members since mid-January to discuss issues around the ongoing coronavirus crisis,…

How will Ontario’s new CBT offerings impact benefits plan sponsors?

Ontario’s new publicly funded cognitive behavioural therapy program is likely to complement, not replace, the CBT offerings that are currently available through group benefits plans, say experts. …

Half of Canadians working from home regularly: survey

Half of Canadians working from home regularly: survey

More than half (56 per cent) of Canadians work from home on a regular basis, according to a new survey by Epson Canada Ltd. Among this group, 61…

  • By: Staff
  • March 9, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:15

Canada Life to make virtual health care standard in group benefits plans

Canada Life is working with Dialogue Technologies Inc. to make virtual health care a standard benefit for its group benefits plans with up to 400 plan…

  • By: Staff
  • March 5, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 15:15

IKEA Canada rolls out wellness days for employees’ personal needs

IKEA Canada is giving wellness days to its employees to support their work-life balance. The wellness days, introduced in January, can be used for when employees…

  • By: Staff
  • March 4, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 15:15

B.C. introducing legislation for paid domestic, sexual violence leave

British Columbia is tabling legislation that would grant up to five days of paid leave for workers affected by domestic or sexual violence. The leave…

  • By: Staff
  • March 4, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 09:45

Scotiabank expanding parental leave top-up, adding virtual health care

Scotiabank is expanding its maternity and parental leave top-up pay for Canadian employees and providing access to a virtual health-care program. Eligible employees will receive…

  • By: Staff
  • March 3, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 09:15

Morneau Shepell selling benefits consulting business to Hub

Morneau Shepell Ltd. is selling its benefits consulting business to Hub International Ltd. The benefits component of Morneau Shepell’s consulting business, which represents about three…

  • By: Staff
  • March 2, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 09:55

Canada Life partnering with League for flexible benefits plan

Canada Life is entering into an agreement with League Inc. to offer the health technology company’s digital benefits platform alongside its group services. The partnership aims…

  • By: Staff
  • February 27, 2020 August 10, 2021
  • 15:30
Majority of Canadian employers offering non-insurance benefits

Majority of Canadian employers offering non-insurance benefits

The majority (90 per cent) of Canadian employers now offer at least one non-insurance benefit such as paid time off, employee assistance programs or flexible working, according…

  • By: Staff
  • February 26, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 16:00
Four tips for self-care while attending a conference

Four tips for self-care while attending a conference

In any industry, conferences are a great opportunity for continuing education and connecting with others — such as the 20-plus conferences hosted by Benefits Canada each…