Alongside Fluor Canada’s recent move to a flexible benefits plan, it also introduced a managed drug formulary, which includes generic substitution, prior authorization, lifetime maximums and an annual out-of-pocket maximum. While the organization was hesitant to make the change, it knew it was necessary to help control drug costs, said Michelle Ginter, senior human resources […]
When it came to asking his employer to add continuous glucose monitoring to its benefits package, John Whitehead, a level-two food server at Niagara Casinos, went all in. He’s had type 1 diabetes for years, and lived through many technological developments to help manage his condition. While he says blood glucose monitoring represented a major improvement, it […]
With around 270,000 individuals currently affected by irritable bowel disease, Canada has the highest prevalence in the world, according to Mina Mawani, president and chief executive officer of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Halifax Benefits Summit on Sept. 24. “And this is going to increase significantly. We’re going to be […]
Since diabetes is a progressive disease, it’s important to get treatment in the middle, according to Dr. Thomas Ransom, endocrinologist at the Nova Scotia Health Authority, during Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Halifax Benefits Summit on Sept. 24. If diabetes is under-treated, blood sugars go up and stick to things — eyes, kidneys, nerves, feet, he said. And if it’s […]
Scotiabank is providing its eligible Canadian employees with an additional two paid personal days to support their mental health. Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the bank’s Canadian workforce will have a total of five personal days and the flexibility to take them as needed, in addition to existing sick and vacation days. “Our people are our […]
Financial stress is preventing employees, employers and the economy from reaching full potential, according to a survey by the Canadian Payroll Association. The survey found 43 per cent of workers are so financially stressed their performance at work is suffering. It noted the costs of increased absenteeism, turnover and benefits claims, as well as decreased job satisfaction and […]
When an employee with diabetes is working in a safety-sensitive role experiences severely low blood sugar, what are the ramifications for employers? This question was addressed at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Chronic Disease at Work conference in Toronto in June. “For you, as an employer, what if this was your employee on their way to meet […]
Workplace programs to promote healthy food choices could improve employees’ eating habits, according to a study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. A two-year study at the hospital examined the purchasing habits of almost 5,700 employees before and after researchers put in place a “traffic light labeling and choice architecture program.” […]
As Canadians face increasingly competing financial priorities while juggling busy lives at work and home, the overlap between financial worry, stress and employee health is becoming more intense. In 2018, a study published in the U.S.-based Journal of Social Service Research found employees without paid sick leave are more prone to feel stressed about their […]
Compared with people who don’t access employer-provided employee assistance programs, Canadians who use the services have increased workplace engagement, as well as reduced presenteeism and distress at work, according to a study published last month in the U.S.-based Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health. The study, which looked at the causal effects of Arete Human Resources Inc.’s EAPs on mental […]