With Canada’s population ageing and research and development looking to produce medications that are beneficial for this evolving demographic, drugs are becoming more expensive, according to Mitch Frazer, partner and chair of the pensions and employment practice at Torys LLP. In fact, among all the countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada has the third […]
It’s no surprise that FreshBooks takes its employees’ financial literacy seriously. The Toronto-based accounting software firm regularly holds lunch-and-learn workshops and hosts subject manner experts on a wide range of financial wellness topics, including investing basics and ethical investing, mortgages, building up savings and several aspects of tax preparation during tax season. It also offers […]
As social media becomes increasingly pervasive, employers should consider adding the tool to their communications arsenal. Indeed, David McArthur, principal and creative director at Morello Communications Inc., says it’s too big a phenomenon for plan sponsors to ignore. “It’s something we’re certainly seeing a lot more of,” notes Cameron McNeill, senior vice-president and Canadian business […]
Police in Kingston, Ont. are warning the public about a new email phishing scam that uses employee benefits enrolments and annual pay raises as bait. Posing as representatives from company human resources departments, the scammers are sending emails about topics such as employee benefits surveys and salary increases. The emails include dangerous attachments or links that bring […]
Only eight per cent of Canadian women who are eligible for a vaccine that covers nine strains of the human papillomavirus are actually receiving it. While one barrier is a lack of knowledge among health-care professionals and patients alike, another is the lack of coverage in group benefits plans, said Dr. Angel Chu, an infectious diseases physician at Foothills Medical Centre, […]
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 comes to engaging employees on matters of financial and personal wellness, it’s increasingly clear one size no longer fits all. In a roundtable in Toronto on Oct. 17, the 2019 Workplace Benefits Awards finalists focused their discussion on how to make sure their various programs and communication efforts were resonating with the multiple generations and […]
WSP Canada Inc.’s innovative communications plan to increase employees’ awareness of its benefits plan enhancements netted it the benefits plan communications award at Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 17. In addition to standard email and intranet articles, the professional services firm’s communications plan included using its chief executive officer’s weekly email missives to […]
Benefits Canada recognized winners across seven categories at the 2019 Workplace Benefits Awards on Thursday. At a luncheon and awards ceremony at the Arcadian Loft in Toronto, more than 100 leaders in the benefits, pension and investment industries gathered to see awards presented to Canadian employers that are proactively and passionately making a difference in their employees’ financial, […]
As Canadian employers seek to attract and retain top talent, the majority (66 per cent) are focusing on making salaries more competitive, according to a new survey by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. However, the survey’s respondents are aware salary isn’t everything. One-third (34 per cent) of employers said they’re upgrading their well-being initiatives to attract talent […]