U.S. employer-sponsored health insurance and well-being programs are expected to yield an average return on investment of 47 per cent this year, according to a new report by Avalere Health, commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It found the key drivers of this ROI are improved employee productivity (US$275.6 billion), reductions in direct medical […]
The union representing roughly 100 employees at Pilkington Glass in Whitby, Ont. has ratified a three-year agreement that includes benefits and pension gains. Members of Unifor Local 222 voted 84 per cent in favour of ratifying the agreement, which includes a short-term disability weekly benefit of $400 and two paid personal emergency leave days per […]
An article on the possible surge of disability claims linked to long-haul coronavirus and remote work injuries was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Employers can expect surge of claims linked to long-haul coronavirus, remote work injuries: lawyers 2. 74% of employers say […]
Employees are experiencing more pain than ever before, with nearly half of the workforce diagnosed with some form of chronic pain lasting more than three months, according to Dr. Ayla Azad, chief experience officer at the Canadian Chiropractic Association, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Benefits & Pension Summit on June 1. Citing several different […]
As the pandemic winds down, employers can expect to see an increase in disability claims related to long-haul coronavirus infections and compensation claims resulting from injuries incurred while working remotely, says Joshua Goldberg, a Toronto-based personal injury lawyer. The most common long-haul coronavirus symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and muscle and joint […]
The coronavirus pandemic has marked a sea change in how Canadians receive health care. While just four per cent of primary care visits were conducted virtually pre-pandemic, that rose to roughly 60 per cent after the onset of the global health crisis. This represents an opportunity to reshape how health care can be delivered and, in […]
Living with Type 1 diabetes is like having a full-time job on top of managing a day job and life commitments — one that involves making constant risk assessments and difficult decisions throughout the day. “‘How many carbs did I eat? How much insulin do I need for that? Am I going to exercise later […]
When Kristy Dickinson’s health took a turn eight years ago and she was diagnosed with a rare and complex disease, she stepped away from her role in recruitment. Managing her chronic illness — from the appointments with her specialist, the information-gathering and sharing across three hospital jurisdictions and the medications and expenses — was too […]
A typical patient’s journey takes plan members from the doctor to the pharmacy for medication and then leaves them on their own. But employees’ lives aren’t static, with factors like age, mental and physical health, stress and activity level having the potential to impact how effectively those medications work, said Frederic Simard, co-founder and chief […]
The United Way British Columbia and the union representing the organization’s employees have reached an agreement to increase extended mental-health coverage. The coverage, which has been increased to a combined maximum of $1,200 per person annually, can be used to access psychologists, registered clinical counsellors, social workers and online cognitive behavioural therapists, according to a press […]