Forty-two per cent of Canadian employers are anticipating an increase in medical leaves related to mental-health concerns and illnesses, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada. The report, which surveyed 205 Canadian employers, found respondents are also expecting an increase in leaves related to cancer (15 per cent), musculoskeletal issues and injuries (13 per cent), […]
Many employers want to do everything they can to support employees dealing with cancer. But what are some of the most effective ways of offering support when it comes to employees returning to work? “We find that a lot of people that are diagnosed with cancer, they are very motivated to return to work,” said […]
From brain fog to fatigue, cancer patients face a range of challenges when it comes to staying at or going back to work. And with a significant number of cancer diagnoses happening to people during their prime working years, employers do have a role in supporting employees in dealing with their conditions, a speaker at Benefits Canada‘s […]
It’s a familiar situation: An employee is feeling ill at work but is too busy to leave for a medical appointment. Or perhaps the employee’s child wakes up with a sore throat and needs to see a doctor. New apps and services are emerging to aid in those situations. Video health conferencing and telemedicine allow […]
While many Canadian organizations continue to search for solutions to rising health-care costs, most are falling short. That’s why they must investigate any opportunity to find substantial savings and then take action. One health-related cost that hasn’t gained much attention is absenteeism. As issue often linked to mental-health issues, it’s costing Canadian organizations billions of dollars in payroll costs, […]
Plan sponsors looking to integrate pharmacogenetic testing into their benefits plan will soon have lots of information to consider as Canada’s biggest insurance companies roll out pilot projects and research begins to shed light on the return on investment. “The market is expanding. Insurers are piloting projects. You will hear a lot about pharmacogenetics over the next 12 months,” said […]
Rates of workplace absenteeism reached peak levels in 2016 compared to the last five years in both the public and private sectors, according to Statistics Canada. The public sector lost 13.5 days per employee on average, up from 12.5 in 2012. The private sector had been trending down from 8.3 days in 2012 but returned […]
Saskatchewan’s auditor says she is concerned about the number of sick days being taken, particularly by workers in the province’s health-care and gaming sectors. Provincial auditor Judy Ferguson highlighted employee absenteeism at the Heartland Regional Health Authority and Saskatchewan Gaming Corp. in her annual report released Tuesday. She said she zeroed in on both because […]
On Wednesday, the Ontario legislature passed the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. The highlights of the act include: Requiring equal pay for casual, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees when performing substantially the same job for the same employer as full-time workers. The changes also include equal-pay provisions for employees of temporary help agencies. The provisions come […]
While the discussions around the reasons employees need to miss work are getting more specific in many provinces, leave options remain fuzzy to non-existent from a government perspective for many emergency scenarios. On Wednesday, Ontario passed a new bill that includes expanding personal emergency leave to 10 days per year for all employees, with at least two paid […]