Like other large employers, Ontario Power Generation Inc. has a diverse workforce that embodies the broader Canadian population across multiple demographics. The Crown corporation uses a variety of methods and measurements for gathering diversity, equity and inclusion data, including engagement surveys and focus groups to establish mental-health indicators by analyzing benefits usage, says Tanya Hickey, […]
A 2023 federal budget proposal to require employers to report dental coverage as part of the national dental-care program will be onerous on plan sponsors and still leaves more questions than answers, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. Since dental benefits are important to an individual’s mental health, the federal government […]
Although a majority (83 per cent) of U.S. employers say their employees are satisfied with their current benefits offerings, fewer than two-thirds (61 per cent) of workers agree, according to a new survey by MetLife Inc. The survey, which polled more than 2,800 employers and more than 2,800 full-time employees, found the No. 1 reason […]
Tonya Johnson, age 39, is single, happy and freezing her eggs to buy a little more time before she starts a family. The procedure is costly — as much as $15,000 for one egg freezing cycle with medication — putting it out of reach for many. But Johnson works for one of a growing number of companies in Canada offering egg freezing as […]
Humi is supporting employees with an annual $500 employer match to its group registered retirement savings plan and fertility drug coverage. Andrea Bartlett, the human resources software company’s vice-president of people, says Humi hopes to change the match to a percentage of employees’ contributions in the near future. After announcing the match, the company saw […]
Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of U.S. employers say they offer hybrid work arrangements, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey, which polled more than 500 employers, found 55 per cent said they offer fully remote working arrangements while 57 per cent offer flexible work hours. In […]
Third-party administrators are key health benefits industry players that have grown in size and influence but are relatively unknown and sometimes misunderstood. The Third-Party Administrators’ Association of Canada represents the majority of TPAs in Canada, which together manage benefits plans for more than 5.3 million Canadians through 70,000 employers, says Mike McClenahan, the TPAAC’s president […]
In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach seven per cent in 2023, according to a new report by Mercer. The report, which analyzed responses from more than 200 insurers across 56 countries, found the global year-over-year cost is expected to increase to […]
Two-thirds (68 per cent) of global employers with high levels of employee engagement say they have a well defined diversity, equity and inclusion plan, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, which polled more than 1,200 benefits and DEI leaders in 55 countries, found while three-quarters (74 per cent) of employers have an […]
While 80 per cent of U.S. employees view mental-health coverage as critical, only 61 per cent have access to mental-health care as part of their benefits package, according to a new survey by Aflac Inc. The survey, which polled more than 2,000 employees and 1,200 employers in the U.S., found more than half (59 per cent) […]