The union representing employees at Glencore’s Raglan Mine in Nunavik, Que. has ratified an agreement that includes benefits gains and increases in paid disability leave. Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of the members of United Steelworkers Local 9449 voted in favour of the five-year agreement, which includes short-term disability coverage of 70 per cent of […]
After living through a prolonged global pandemic, Canadian benefits plan sponsors are facing a professional environment that’s almost unrecognizable to pre-2020 years. The coronavirus pandemic affected employees at a personal level and is also being felt by employers and their workplace benefits plans, said Jason Kennedy, general manager of virtual pharmacy for TELUS Health, during […]
AGA Benefit Solutions is acquiring Vancouver-based Aptus Benefits Inc., a group benefits and retirement consultancy with expertise in collectively bargained plans and executive disability programs. Private equity firm Novacap will finance the acquisition, which is expected to expand AGA Benefit Solutions’ reach into Western Canada, according to a press release. Read: AGA Benefit Solutions acquiring J&D Benefits […]
According to conservative estimates, 100,000 Canadians may suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with an estimated prevalence of about one in every 200 to 500 individuals, said Dr. Bobby Heydari, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Patients’ mean […]
An article on a ruling against the Blue Cross Life Insurance Co. of Canada and how it could affect long-term disability premiums was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Ruling against Blue Cross Life Insurance could affect LTD premiums: lawyer 2. Brown and […]
A recent court ruling that awarded a plaintiff $1.5 million in punitive damages against the Blue Cross Life Insurance Co. of Canada — in connection with its more than six-year denial of long-term disability benefits — could result in increased costs for employer-sponsored benefits plans. “If this sets a precedent, then higher awards will be […]
An article on Public Health Sudbury’s violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code following an employee’s termination over a vaccine refusal was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Arbitrator finds employer violated Ontario Human Rights Code for termination over vaccine refusal 2. More […]
While more than a third of disability claims under Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plans in 2022 were due to mental-health reasons, just two-thirds (63 per cent) of organizations are addressing this risk effectively, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 100 organizations globally, found more than half (55 per cent) […]
In the age of the #MeToo movement, the coronavirus pandemic and the global outcry for social justice, Canadians workers have been glued to their phones or tablets. Doomscrolling — the ongoing consumption of negative news — is taking its toll on their mental health. Doomscrolling is on the rise in Canada and employers need to […]
The IWA–Forest Industry pension plan and long-term disability plan are appointing Mark Guiton as chief executive officer. Guiton (pictured left), who has been the organizations’ general counsel since 2017, is replacing outgoing CEO Derrick Johnstone. Prior to joining the IWA, he was director of legal services for the British Columbia Safety Authority for more than nine years. […]