The use of obesity medications among Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plan members has grown substantially, with claims increasing 42 per cent in 2023 and roughly 92 per cent since 2020, according to a new report by Manulife Financial Corp. The report, based on aggregate claims data, found more women are using obesity drugs than men (79 […]
The federal government’s pharmacare bill is headed to the Senate after passing third reading in the House of Commons. The bill was the result of careful and lengthy negotiations between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party as a key element of their political pact to prevent an early election. Read: Liberals table bill paving way […]
The union representing more than 460 employees at Nestlé in Toronto has ratified a three-year collective agreement that includes pension and benefits gains, ending a strike that began on May 5. The agreement includes a $1 increase each year in the defined benefit pension plan for non-skilled trades and $2 each year for skilled trades. […]
An article on legal challenges filed against the federal government’s hybrid work mandate for public service employees was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Unions representing federal public service workers file legal challenges against hybrid work mandate 2. Expert […]
Nine in 10 (92 per cent) U.S. employees say they need additional financial resources in their employer-sponsored benefits plan, up from 79 per cent in 2022, according to a new survey by BCHR Holdings and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The survey, which polled more than 250 employers and roughly 700 employees, found one in […]
While the concept behind the federal government’s universal pharmacare plan is well intentioned, the program would make a larger impact for employers by focusing on high-cost and specialty drugs, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. In theory, the way that the government is rolling out the program in small […]
More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of U.S. workers believe the primary motivation for return-to-office policies is so that employers can exert more control over the activities of their workers, according to a new survey by MyPerfectResume.com. The survey, which polled more than 4,000 workers, found 40 per cent said their employer wants to increase office […]
BNP Paribas in Canada’s 2023 Workplace Benefits Awards win is reinforcing the company’s goal of expanding its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, says Flavie Motte, the financial company’s head of human resources. The organization’s extensive efforts to embed DEI policies into its business practices led to its win in the DEI program category of the awards. In […]
An article highlighting CGI Group’s initiatives for Mental Health Awareness Month was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. CGI Group promoting mental-health support through compassion tool, employee recognition 2. Gen Z reports worsened communication skills due to remote working, […]
Nearly two-thirds (62.3 per cent) of Canadian employees rarely or never access mental-health services and more than three-quarters (78.6 per cent) say they’d access these services at least twice a year if cost wasn’t a factor, according to a new survey by Humi. The survey, which polled nearly 650 employees, found roughly a quarter aspired […]