Forty-two per cent of Canadian employers are anticipating an increase in medical leaves related to mental-health concerns and illnesses, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada. The report, which surveyed 205 Canadian employers, found respondents are also expecting an increase in leaves related to cancer (15 per cent), musculoskeletal issues and injuries (13 per cent), […]
More than three-quarters (78 per cent) of American employers believe their employees are satisfied with the current benefits offering, but just 52 per cent of employees report being satisfied, according to a survey by business research organization LIMRA. When broken down by generation, the survey, which polled more than 1,000 U.S. employers and 2,500 employees, found generation X employees are […]
Plan sponsors looking to integrate pharmacogenetic testing into their benefits plan will soon have lots of information to consider as Canada’s biggest insurance companies roll out pilot projects and research begins to shed light on the return on investment. “The market is expanding. Insurers are piloting projects. You will hear a lot about pharmacogenetics over the next 12 months,” said […]
Long-term disability rates are expected to increase by 4.7 per cent in 2018 compared to the previous year, driven by a strengthening Canadian economy, according to new research by RBC Insurance. The annual research, which demonstrates how long-term disability claims are linked to gross domestic product growth rates, shows a significant change from last year’s research, which predicted an uptick in […]
When an employee returns to work after a disability, it can be a stressful and overwhelming time for the employer, the employee and the team as a whole, as they navigate the challenges of their new reality. Employers may be anxious to have the employee back at work making up for lost time or productivity, or […]
To get people back to work after being off with a mental illness, the whole system — including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and insurers — need to engage in a collaborative effort to ensure individuals get the correct diagnosis and treatment with a focus on returning to the workplace. That’s the message Carmen Bellows, a psychologist […]
Many Canadian workers who experience a mental illness face barriers and obstacles when it comes to diagnosis, treatment and returning to work. But new virtual programs show there are steps employers can take to help employees get well and back to work. Julie Gaudry, senior director of group of business markets at RBC Insurance Services […]
A migraine is more than just a headache. The third most common disorder in the world, migraine is a chronic disease of the brain that’s prevalent, frequent and disabling, said Elizabeth Leroux, a clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary’s department of clinical neurosciences, during a session at the Calgary Drug Trends Summit on […]
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has dismissed injured veterans’ pension claims against the federal government because they had “no chance of success.” “It’s difficult to understand the claim at all, at least not without completely reimagining our constitutional framework,” says David Rankin, an associate in Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Toronto office. “The decision […]
From lack of sleep to post-traumatic stress disorders, employees facing a range of challenges that can have an impact on their work. What are some of the causes of mental-health issues and how can employers recognize when an employee is having difficulties? At the 2017 Mental Health Summit in Toronto on Nov. 7, experts provided […]