The union representing 450 employees at Domtar Corp. in Dryden, Ont. has ratified three collective agreements that include benefits and pension gains. The agreements include several group benefits enhancements, including $100 for vision, a $200 increase for dental and orthodontics, a $10,000 increase in life insurance, $1,000 for eye surgery and improvements in short- and […]
Approximately three million Canadians live with asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects airways, limits airflow and makes breathing difficult, said Dr. Erika Penz, associate professor in respirology, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by GSK in November. Asthma, which affects people of […]
While short- and long-term disability leaves can be challenging and disruptive for both employees and employers, reviewing trends data can help plan sponsors begin to better support workers who are struggling. Ontario Power Generation uses data on disability claims drivers, employee assistance program usage and leave durations to influence its programs, said Tanya Hickey (centre), […]
Canada has one of the highest incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease in the world. “We don’t know why, but Canada is one of the hotspots,” said Dr Mark Silverberg, gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Takeda Canada in November. IBD […]
The increasing use of high-cost medicines is the primary cost driver for all Canadian drug plans, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It found drug costs for public plans rose by 5.3 per cent in 2019/20, with high-cost medicines accounting for 6.3 per cent of the increase. Among private […]
In March 2020, Bill Gosling Outsourcing’s benefits plan was facing unsustainable costs, as well as a deficit due to incoming premium increases. The coronavirus pandemic, which was declared at the same time, presented an opportunity for the organization to make significant changes. “During the pandemic, people were housebound, so they weren’t going to the dentist […]
Fluor Canada Ltd.’s manager of Indigenous relations and DEI discusses the post-coronavirus pandemic workplace, employee resource groups and fishing. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: Employee engagement can be challenging in the post-[coronavirus] pandemic hybrid working model. We’ve come out of a strictly work-from-home circumstance to a hybrid model and, […]
Imagine that a few pills a day could transform an employee’s life — that they could get back to work, perform better, have fewer sick days, be more present and avoid continuously deteriorating health. Now, what if this life-changing medicine is for a rare disease that isn’t covered under the employee’s benefits plan because of […]
Ontario education workers are striking over extended benefits, short-term disability leave and wage increases, among other requests by the workers’ union the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The CUPE is asking the provincial government to provide additional funds to cover the increasing costs of medications and health and dental services, according to the CUPE’s Ontario […]
Alongside the return of the live, in-person Healthy Outcomes Conference on Oct. 18, Benefits Canada announced the winners of the 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards. During the full-day conference in Toronto, 26 finalists gathered to learn about the big topics around employee health and well-being, with winner announcements across 11 categories announced throughout the day. All […]