The coronavirus pandemic is dramatically affecting workplaces, employers and employees across Canada, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. While a third of surveyed employers said they already offered telehealth or telemedicine before the pandemic, an additional 19 per cent said they added it during the crisis and another […]
Health and productivity is affected by a lack of access to care, according to Dr. Hanif Jamal, Canadian medical director at Teledoc Health, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada. Referring to a recent survey by the Canadian Medical Association, he noted 73 per cent of Canadians said they believe virtual care will improve access, followed by more […]
Employers are increasingly interested in seeing more support for chronic disease and chronic pain management in their benefits plans, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. The vast majority (88 per cent) of plan sponsors said they want their health benefits plan to do more to support plan members living with chronic diseases, up from 82 […]
The Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the way for Uber drivers to take the next step in their fight to be recognized as employees. In a ruling Friday, the high court upheld an Ontario Court of Appeal decision that opened the door to a possible class-action suit aimed at securing a minimum wage, vacation […]
Global Montreal employees have overwhelmingly rejected a final offer from their employer Corus Entertainment to renew their collective agreement, over concerns around their pay, benefits and pension plan. According to a release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, nearly 90 per cent of members from Local 4502 participated in the electronic vote, with 91 per […]
On May 12, Benefits Canada hosted a webinar to discuss the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts during the coronavirus crisis, as well as some key policy issues for Canadian insurers and their potential impact from the private-payer perspective. Since the end of April, 139 coronavirus treatments have been under investigation and Health Canada has approved several clinical trials […]
The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans has appointed Alyssa Hodder as director of education and outreach for Canada. In the new role, she’ll be responsible for designing, developing, maintaining educational programs, as well as their overall implementation. Read more People Watch news She joins the organization after more than four years as a senior […]
Sun Life is making a mental-health navigator available to plan members, aiming to help them find support during the coronavirus pandemic. The navigator, provided by Teladoc Health Inc.’s Best Doctors, connects plan members with a case manager who will assess their health history, set up a consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist and keep in touch to make […]
The leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is calling on the provincial government to implement binding arbitration to end the months-long lockout and pension dispute between Federated Co-operatives Ltd. and its refinery workers. “This lockout has gone on far too long. The premier needs to show leadership and bring it to an end,” said Ryan Meili, […]
Addressing employees’ well-being will be a critical component of returning to the workplace as isolation and closure measures start to loosen. “Our greatest assets [are our] people,” said Wendy Poirier, global well-being leader at Willis Towers Watson, during a webinar last week. “How do we keep them healthy and well, but [also] how do we make them resilient so […]