As employers prepare to prevent against the spread of the coronavirus, issues of workplace and public safety will likely take precedent over privacy concerns. Employers have duties under provincial occupational health and safety laws to take all reasonable precautions to protect workers, communicate information about potential hazards and train employees on how to deal with […]
The federal government is rolling out a $1 billion funding package to help provincial health-care systems cope with the increasing number of new coronavirus cases and to help Canadian workers who are forced to isolate themselves. The Liberals are loosening restrictions on employment insurance payments for people who are off work due to illness by […]
Ontario’s new publicly funded cognitive behavioural therapy program is likely to complement, not replace, the CBT offerings that are currently available through group benefits plans, say experts. Last week, the Ontario government announced it will invest $20 million to launch Mindability, which it will roll out in the spring and further expand in the fall. The program will provide […]
Amid growing concern over the coronavirus, North American employers are taking steps to protect their employees, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The initiatives include launching employee communication campaigns, reviewing human resources policies, expanding the number of employees working remotely and restricting travel to and from countries deemed to be high risk. […]
Canada Life is working with Dialogue Technologies Inc. to make virtual health care a standard benefit for its group benefits plans with up to 400 plan members. When the change takes effect this summer, employees who are covered by the insurer’s group benefits plans will have access to Dialogue’s bilingual virtual health-care platform through a mobile app or […]
Canada Life is entering into an agreement with League Inc. to offer the health technology company’s digital benefits platform alongside its group services. The partnership aims to offer employers more choice and simplify how they administer and deliver their benefits plans, according to a press release. “We are always looking for new and innovative ways to […]
League Inc. has beefed up its offerings with the addition of six partners across its health programs, digital wallet and health concierge team. The new partners include: mindfulness session provider eMindful Inc; caregiver support provider Rethink Benefits; mental-health benefits company Inkblot Technologies Inc. and virtual health coaching company Vida Health Inc. In addition, digital therapy company MindBeacon […]
Since my last two editorials have targeted issues around pension plan design and retirement readiness, I’m balancing things out this month by turning my attention to benefits. Fortunately, I have strong opinions on the topic of this month’s cover story. Since I joined Benefits Canada four years ago, I’ve noticed that paramedical benefits — and […]
Employers promote competition, interactive booths and benefits information to engage employees in their wellness offerings. “Someone lasted seven minutes,” says Stephanie Enright, the Mississauga, Ont. company’s director of talent management and administration. “Our employees really like the competitiveness, and these activities help draw people to the health fair.” Over the last decade, the organization’s health […]
With three confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Canada, 40 potential cases under investigation and the World Health Organization declaring the virus an international public health emergency, unions — especially those representing transport and health-care workers — are calling on employers to ensure sufficient safety measures are in place. The Ontario Nurses Union sent out […]