Postmedia Network Inc. has told Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Sun staff that it will lock out union employees starting Monday if they reject or refuse to vote on its final contract offer Sunday. Chris Krygiel, vice president of human resources and labour relations at Postmedia, said in a letter Thursday to staff that a lockout […]
The escalating cost of drugs and benefits plans are among the top priorities for Canadian employers, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, which polled nearly 200 Canadian plan sponsors about their priorities related to group benefits and their workforces, found rising drug costs, in general, escalating specialty drug prices, in particular, and the increasing cost of extended health are the […]
Canadian participation rates in workplace wellness programs are extremely low, with just 11 per cent of employees participating on a regular basis and 23 per cent participating only occasionally, according to the 2015 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. But one workplace wellness program is reversing this trend. Global health organization Merck Canada Inc. launched its program […]
New regulations in New Brunswick providing paid leave for victims of domestic, intimate partner or sexual violence took effect on Sept. 1. The new regulations allow up to 10 days of leave to be used intermittently or continuously, and up to 16 weeks to be used in one continuous period, of which the first five days will […]
The federal government has published its findings from nearly a year of consultations on federal labour standards with Canadian citizens, unions, labour organizations, employers, employer organizations and other stakeholders. “We heard one strong message throughout the consultations: the way Canadians work has changed, but federal labour standards have not,” said Patty Hajdu, minister of Employment, Workforce […]
Two-thirds (69 per cent) of working parents have either left or considered leaving a job due to lack of flexibility, according to a survey by FlexJobs. The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 working parents in the United States with children under age 18, also found 84 per cent of respondents said they look for work-life balance when considering […]
When my fiancée and I decided to get a puppy in July, one of the first decisions we faced was whether or not to get pet insurance. In the past, I had a dog with a number of medical issues, so insurance appealed to me. However, after looking at the cost breakdown and the fact that a lot […]
Only 40 per cent of Canadians who are classified as precarious workers have access to pension plans or registered retirement savings plans, compared to 85 per cent of those who are identified as secure professionals, according to a new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The report, which surveyed 1,000 Canadians, found 78 per cent are secure professionals, while […]
Getting his daily exercise in at his workplace’s fitness centre did more than help Citigroup Inc. employee Jag Singh shrink his waist by a full pant size. It also helped bring a sense of clarity and freshness to his workday. “That’s really what’s changed for me,” said Singh, who works as a senior application programmer […]
Aurora Cannabis Inc. is rolling out a new employee benefits plan that includes coverage of medical marijuana. The plan, which will be administered by Sun Life Financial Inc., will cover the drug for Aurora’s employees and their dependents. “The speed with which Canada’s largest insurers are moving to cover the costs of medical cannabis reflects the increasing […]