More workers have been calling in sick when they aren’t actually ill, according to a new survey by human resources company CareerBuilder. The survey, which polled more than 2,200 full-time hiring managers and human resources professionals and almost 4,000 full-time employees in the United States, found 40 per cent of workers had called in sick when they weren’t […]
In one episode of the television show The Office, salesman Stanley Hudson has a heart attack during a workplace fire drill. A few days later, he’s back at his desk, with only a doctor’s orders to “relate more positively” to his surroundings. Many employers can only dream of such an easy return to work. In […]
Once simply considered a dismissive solution to life’s woes, “just walk it off” can become a message with a proactive purpose, as well as a way to resolve conflict in the workplace. A benefit to both physical and mental health, walking is ideal for any fitness and commitment level. Employers would be wise to promote […]
Sun Life Financial will be offering plan members on short- and long-term disability leave for depression or anxiety the chance to take part in a study on the impact of pharmacogenetic testing. The insurer is participating in a study that examines the effectiveness of the technology in partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental […]
Many employees falsely believe that a disability means they can no longer engage in meaningful work, as their condition is now a defining aspect of their life that renders employment all but impossible. Disability case managers see that perception as one of their biggest challenges. Without goals, disability can result in a substantial and sustained […]
A recent decision by the Superior Court of Ontario has confirmed that working notice doesn’t count when an employee is away from work due to medical factors. The case, McLeod v. 1274458 Ontario Inc., dealt with Keith McLeod, who had worked as a mover at Frontier Sales in Scarborough, Ont., since 1998. In September 2015, he […]
An independent review panel has provided the Alberta government with a report that includes 60 recommendations to restructure the province’s Workers’ Compensation Board and its processes. The panel spent nearly two years compiling its review of the board. It examined previous reviews and spoke with employers, injured workers, unions, employee advocates and safety organizations. “It […]
Does your absence management strategy, pension plan or health and wellness program deserve to be recognized? Benefits Canada’s annual Workplace Benefits Awards is now open for nominations. The 2017 program includes three new categories: pension performance, diversity program and drug/benefits plan innovation. Markers for success in the pension performance category include cost containment, increased participation […]
In its response to the Ministry of Labour’s Changing Workplace Review, Ontario announced it will prohibit employers from demanding doctors’ notes for the first 10 personal emergency leave days they take each year. Read: Ontario’s response to workplace review includes paid personal leave Supporters of this policy argue that requiring sick notes for a few days off disrupts […]
Julie Holden would like nothing more than to see doctor’s notes for short-term absences confined to the dust bin of history. And it’s not just the notoriously bad handwriting of medical professionals that Holden, a senior vice-president at SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc., has a problem with. “Even if you could make out what’s […]