As the U.K.’s new flexible working bill receives royal assent, Edward Majewski, partner at Ogletree Deakins International LLP, says similar legislation would benefit employers and employees in Canada. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, which received royal assent last month, sets out the right of employees to request variations to particular terms and conditions of […]
The U.S. Department of Labor is launching an employee ownership initiative to encourage more employers and employees to take advantage of these opportunities. The new initiative will fall under part of the SECURE 2.0 Act — which was passed by Congress in 2022 — and aims to empower workers through ownership arrangements and educate them […]
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are esteemed values held by many employers and are table stakes in the value proposition for employees and customers. However, in the context of DEI, ageism and the importance of supporting older workers is rarely mentioned. It’s a complex issue that can have significant consequences on a company’s performance and its […]
New U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission listing requirements that impact compensation clawbacks could create conflicts with domestic employment laws for Canadian companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. The rules are expected to take effect on Oct. 2, 2023, with compliance mandated by Dec. 1, 2023. They require all issuers on U.S. exchanges to adopt mandatory […]
The concept of employee benefits was established on a foundation built decades ago, when employees worked full time and long term with one employer. Those days are long gone. Temporary, part-time and gig work have become the norm, accounting for 60 per cent of job growth in advanced economies since the 1990s. Gig work is […]
Like other large employers, Ontario Power Generation Inc. has a diverse workforce that embodies the broader Canadian population across multiple demographics. The Crown corporation uses a variety of methods and measurements for gathering diversity, equity and inclusion data, including engagement surveys and focus groups to establish mental-health indicators by analyzing benefits usage, says Tanya Hickey, […]
At the beginning of April, the OPSEU Pension Trust made a change to a definition in its plan text that will have meaningful implications for plan members with disabled children who need to continue to rely on their parents into adulthood. The organization expanded the definition of a child eligible for survivor benefits to include […]
Community Savings Credit Union is reducing stigma around mental health in the workplace and the community through increased wellness support and advocacy work. The British Columbia-based credit union recently increased coverage for mental-health counselling to $2,000 per employee per year and renamed sick days to ‘health days’ to help employees feel more supported. “We wanted […]
Federally regulated workplaces are expected to begin offering free menstrual products to workers by the end of 2023. On Wednesday, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan announced changes to the Canada Labour Code that would ensure access to such products beginning Dec. 15. The changes would require federally regulated workplaces to provide menstrual products to workers at […]
A 2023 federal budget proposal to require employers to report dental coverage as part of the national dental-care program will be onerous on plan sponsors and still leaves more questions than answers, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. Since dental benefits are important to an individual’s mental health, the federal government […]