At Benefits Canada headquarters, the holiday spirit has been high for a few weeks, beginning with a holiday lunch at the end of November, enthusiastic employees decking out their desks in a bid to win a decorating contest and a holiday baking exchange featuring a treat-laden table in the office. While there are a variety of ways employers […]
While some employees consider the holidays the most wonderful time of the year, others find it fraught with tricky questions, such as whether or not to give gifts to colleagues or how to survive the office Christmas party. A recent survey by staffing and recruitment firm Ranstad polled more than 1,200 American employees to learn […]
Quebec-based packaging company Cascades Inc. has launched a pilot electric vehicle project to encourage employees to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The company, which produces and sells packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibres, is offering a $2,000 financial incentive for all employees who acquire an electric vehicle in the next year. […]
Looking to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Vancouver? That’ll set you back more than $3,000 a month, according to recent reports. If it’s time to buy, recent figures put the price of the average detached house in the Vancouver area at a cool $1.6 million. Understandably, many people can’t make those prices work, which can […]
More than two years ago, an Oakville, Ont.-based startup — a small technology company with nine employees — was looking to implement a benefits plan. Eager to attract and retain the best talent, its founder decided to go all out with a generous plan that saw the employer paying the full cost for 100 per […]
While mental health is often a sensitive area, the Co-operators Group Ltd. aimed to bring the issue into the open by introducing an online Yammer group as a safe place for employees to talk, share information and support one another. “It’s a way for us to have those organic conversations crop up from our staff,” said Stacey Kennedy, […]
Changes are coming for employment insurance and leave allocations for some Canadian employees later this fall. The leave changes, which received royal assent in June, affect the part of the Canada Labour Code that includes employees in the banking, telecommunications and transportation industries, as well as Crown corporations and some workers on First Nations reserves. The changes to employment insurance […]
It has been a confusing week for employers following tax guidance from the Canada Revenue Agency aimed at helping them interpret their tax obligations around employee discounts. While initial reports suggested the government would be taxing employee discounts, a spokesperson for National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier said Wednesday afternoon the government was pulling back the new language pending further […]
With the increase in the Bank of Canada rate back in July and the second in September, there’s a looming possibility of an impact on prescribed rates. If they rise, what will that mean for employee loans? Fortunately, prescribed rates won’t rise this year, as is evident in the calculations below. Still, an increase is inevitable. While […]
At Mars Inc., every day is a take-your-dog-to-work day. The food manufacturer allows employees to regularly bring their dogs into its three office locations in Canada and provides several benefits to pet owners. The company’s headquarters in Bolton, Ont., have a courtyard where dogs can run and play, and employees can take eight hours of […]