With the Omicron coronavirus variant prompting school closures and a return to remote learning in several provinces, flexibility is key for employers supporting parents of school-age children, says Kim Siddall, vice-president of enterprise consulting for the west at People Corporation. “This means being flexible with the changing environment, because things are shifting without a lot […]
The federal minister in charge of aid to the unemployed says jobless Canadians who refuse to get vaccinated may find themselves blocked from benefits so long as public health concerns remain top of mind. The Liberals have tacked conditions onto a suite of benefits payments saying none can go to workers who lose work or […]
The minister in charge of Canada’s federal social safety net for workers says the government is looking at removing rules that make it difficult for some to get their full parental leave as part of a review of the employment insurance system. Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the issue’s particularly acute for new mothers because […]
U.K. employers are encouraging staff to try a vegan diet for the month of January. More than 75 organizations have signed on to the “Veganuary” workplace challenge, which encourages employees to try a diet free of animals or animal-derived products for the first 31 days of 2022. A wide array of organizations, from high-end department […]
Canada’s 100 highest-paid chief executive officers from the S&P/TSX composite index recorded their second best year ever for compensation in 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The report found those 100 CEOs were paid an average of $10.9 million in 2020, which was higher than their […]
In the opening sequence of the film Office Space, a frustrated cubicle-bound character sits in a traffic jam, looking out of his car window to see a senior with a walker is moving faster then he is. He then notices the cars in the lane next to him are flying by, so he moves lanes. But […]
Jan. 1 felt like Groundhog Day for all employees and employers paying into the Canada Pension Plan. Like last year, contributions went up again by more than originally planned. The reason again lies with the unique impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the labour market. The increase is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and […]
Employers have had to navigate many unique legal issues this year, including how to deal with the issue of coronavirus vaccines and employees. One question that will continue to pop up in 2022 — what are the legal considerations for employers when a worker asks for a vaccine exemption? In the last few months, both […]
The second year since the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic was a significant one for the human resources, benefits, pension and investment industries, particularly when it came to stories about vaccines. With more than three million page views on BenefitsCanada.com in 2021, here are the year’s most popular stories. What can employers do if […]
As companies adapt their people strategies for return to the office or for a new remote or hybrid work arrangement, employee retention will be a key consideration in 2022. The coronavirus pandemic has created a buyer’s labour market with many people either contemplating or making a change in their employer. Employees are assessing how they […]