Employers’ top concerns in 2021 included the coronavirus pandemic, vaccination policies, the impact of inflation on salaries, new employment legislation and plans for returning to the office, according to the most popular stories on BenefitsCanada.com. What can employers do if workers won’t get coronavirus vaccine? Unvaccinated employees may not be eligible for EI: feds Trudeau […]
Ah, the sights and sounds of the holidays: trees and homes covered in lights, meticulously wrapped gifts piling ever higher and radios blaring the same Christmas songs since Nov. 1. What better time to think about making a will? Hear me out. As we head into another new year, we’re all taking stock of the […]
As 2021 winds down, I have a few predictions of the human resources trends for employers to keep top of mind in 2022. Employers finding ways to improve diversity, equity and inclusion will continue to be a vital area of focus. While some employers have drafted or adopted DEI policies in recent years, it’s important […]
Significant disparities exist between U.S. employers’ and employees’ perceptions of workplace mental-health support, according to a new survey by Lighthouse Research & Advisory. When employers and employees were asked to rank their organization’s support for mental health on a scale of one to 10, the average employer ranking was 7.6, while the average employee ranking […]
Patagonia Inc. is giving all of its North American employees an additional week of paid time off this holiday season. The clothing retailer’s customer service and distribution centres will be closed from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, while its stores and offices will close between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, according to a press release. […]
The percentage of Canadians taking all of their allotted vacation time increased to 27 per cent in 2021, compared to 2020 when 20 per cent said they used all of their vacation days, according to a new survey by Maru Public Opinion for ADP Canada Co. For the first time since 2017, the “time-off tax” — an […]
Kroger, the biggest traditional grocery chain in the U.S., is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers as large employers attempt to compel more of their workforce to become vaccinated with cases of the coronavirus rising once again. Workers who haven’t received coronavirus vaccines will no longer be eligible to receive up to two weeks paid […]
Roughly a quarter (23 per cent) of Canadians working exclusively at physical workplaces said their working lives have worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to LifeWorks Inc.’s latest mental-health index. The survey — which was conducted between Nov. 9 and Nov. 22, 2021 and prior to the spread of the Omicron variant […]
While many employers are offering bonuses or higher pay these days as a way to attract and retain workers, a central Florida organization is offering staff the chance to win two brand new and mortgage-free houses. Mechanical One will hold the draw next December, says Jason James, the air conditioning and plumbing company’s president and […]
The union representing employees at a Loblaw Co. Ltd. distribution centre in Ajax, Ont. has ratified a new four-year contract that will increase employer contributions to a group registered retirement savings plan. For workers with five or more years of service, the employer’s RRSP contribution match will increase to five per cent from 3.5 per […]