The government is open to amending legislation that would provide 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers. Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan acknowledged that at least two provisions in the legislation, Bill C-3, could undermine the objective, which is to ensure ill workers don’t have to choose between going to work sick or staying home without […]
The federal government is extending several coronavirus pandemic aid measures as the pandemic rages on. During the economic and fiscal update on Tuesday, the government announced it’s extending the simplified rules for deducting home office expenses and increasing the temporary flat rate from $400 to $500 annually. In 2020, the government set out a temporary flat-rate […]
Commuting can be a pain point for some employees returning to the office, so a Victoria, B.C.-based software company is considering several ways to incentivize employees to come into the workplace. Redbrick is rolling out a $500 incentive that employees can use towards bicycles and cycling gear to encourage physical wellness and to offset the cost […]
The City of Toronto is delaying recently announced return-to-office plans in the wake of the new Omicron coronavirus variant. All fully-vaccinated office-based employees with the City of Toronto were set to be back in the workplace, at least some of the time, starting on Jan. 4, 2022. That plan has now been put on ice […]
Juno College is planning to move to a 100 per cent employee-ownership model. The Toronto-based college, formerly known as Hacker U, was established by Heather Payne (pictured) nearly 10 years ago to transition workers into careers in the technology sector. Over the next decade, the school will focus on repaying the college’s investors and becoming a […]
Employers of all sizes are rethinking their plans to send workers back to the office as the new Omicron variant adds another layer of uncertainty. Google and Ford Motor Co. are among those once again delaying their return-to-office plans, while other businesses whose employees have already returned are considering adding extra precautions like requiring masks. […]
Starbucks Corp. workers at a store in Buffalo, N.Y., voted to unionize on Thursday, a first for the 50-year-old coffee retailer in the U.S. and the latest sign that the labour movement is stirring after decades of decline. Starbucks has shown a willingness to bargain outside of the U.S. In Victoria, B.C., workers at a Starbucks store voted […]
A new report by the Ontario government’s advisory committee on the future of work is recommending the introduction of a new portable benefits program. The Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee, which delivered its interim report this summer, set out 21 recommendations, including supporting workers who fall outside the purview of traditional benefits programs. The report […]
With many employers eyeing a return to the office in 2022, it’s no surprise a story looking at how the City of Toronto and a range of national banks are rolling out return-to-workplace plans took the top spot over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. City […]
Around four in 10 (43 per cent) working Canadians said they’re likely to look for a new job in the upcoming year, according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos for Randstad Canada. The survey, which polled more than 700 Canadian employees and more than 200 employers, found the desire to switch jobs was even […]