Canadian workers and employers will enjoy a slight decrease in employment insurance premiums in the new year, resulting in about $1.1 billion in total reductions in 2020. Starting on Jan. 1, the premium for individual workers will be $1.58 per $100 of insurable earnings while their employers will pay $2.21 per $100 of the workers’ […]
On the health benefits front, readers were focused on paid leave, legislative changes, medical cannabis and a range of other issues in 2019. Benefits Canada rounds up the industry’s most popular health and benefits stories of the year: 1. Employers urged to prepare for incoming EI parental sharing benefit 2. WSIB policy on medical cannabis takes effect 3. Scotiabank adds extra paid personal days […]
The Saskatchewan government is amending its provincial employment act to add eight additional weeks of parental leave. The additional weeks of leave will be available to employees entitled to the province’s new shared parental employment insurance benefit. In a press release, the government said the extra weeks will give employees job protection while they access the […]
Over the weekend, the Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the provincial government intends to examine the ramifications of disentangling Alberta from multiple federal cost-sharing programs. At a conference in Red Deer, Alta. on Saturday, he announced the formation of a panel that will consult on subjects such as whether the province should start its own pension system and […]
The Liberal Party announced a number of campaign promises this week, including making maternity and parental benefits tax-free, introducing a 15-week leave for adoptive parents, strengthening the old-age security benefit and increasing the Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan survivor’s benefit. If re-elected, the Liberal government said it will work to establish guaranteed paid family […]
With the federal election about a month away, Canada’s political parties are rolling out their election platforms, making a host of promises to improve health care, employment insurance, the minimum wage and pension legislation. If elected, the Liberal Party of Canada, New Democratic Party and Green Party of Canada are all promising to implement a national pharmacare program. […]
Manitoba’s New Democratic Party and Liberal Party announced a host of worker-friendly campaign promises over the Labour Day weekend, with both parties committing to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The province’s minimum wage, one of the lowest in Canada, is currently $11.35 an hour. It’s set to increase to $11.65 on Oct. 1, […]
The federal Conservative Party is promising to make employment insurance maternity and parental benefits tax-free. The party is proposing a 15 per cent tax credit for any income earned under the two EI programs. “Parents should be able to put their energy toward those critical first few months, and not have to worry so much […]
The federal government is reforming the tribunal that handles appeals related to employment insurance, Canadian Pension Plan and old-age security payments. Currently, Canadians who disagree with decisions by Employment and Social Development Canada or the Canada Employment Insurance Commission relating to these payments, as well as CPP disability benefits, can appeal to the tribunal’s general division. […]
The union hoping to represent Foodora Inc.’s Toronto couriers has filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board, alleging the company is attempting to scare couriers into voting against unionization. Couriers are set to vote on whether to join the Canadian Union of Postal Workers on Friday. In a press release, the […]