When illness or disability strikes an employee, it can disrupt the whole team. It’s important for every employer to put an integrated structure and sound disability policy in place, so there’s no ambiguity around the process and the claimant can receive care promptly and integrate back into the workforce quickly. When it comes to handling […]
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 […]
With mental health as an aspect of workplace disability on the rise in the electricity sector, Electricity Human Resources Canada has introduced an online portal to highlight the importance of accommodating employees with both mental and physical disabilities. “We know we need more workers, we need more diversity and we need awareness and knowledge,” says […]
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 B.C. municipality will get another chance to make its case for terminating three employees on long-term disability with no hope of coming back to work following a new ruling from the province’s labour relations board that deals with the tricky question of non-culpable absenteeism. Earlier this month, board vice-chair Elena Miller issued a ruling on […]
In a reminder to employers to be diligent about using their own disability management processes before terminating an employee, an Alberta arbitrator has ruled against a company that fired a worker suspected of being dishonest about his condition. The case, Tolko Industries Ltd. v. United Steelworkers, Local 1-207, involved a lumber mill in High Level, Alta. that […]
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 […]
At just 32 per cent, plan sponsors continue to underestimate the presence of chronic conditions among their employees, according to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. In fact, more than half (57 per cent) of plan members surveyed reported being diagnosed with at least one chronic disease or condition. That number increases to 72 per […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is seeking public feedback on its plans to support employees who suffer from work-related chronic mental stress. The organization’s consultation on chronic mental stress follows up on the government of Ontario’s proposed legislation in its 2017 budget to expand the entitlement for injured around for compensation for work-related chronic mental stress. […]