Changes to the Public Service Health Care Plan, which took effect on July 1, include $75,000 for certain gender affirming procedures not covered by provincial or territorial health-care programs. Other new benefits include: $300 per year each for a registered dietician, occupational therapist and lactation consultant; $200 per year for batteries for hearing aids; $600 per […]
Canadian plan sponsors and insurers are revisiting how they classify obesity drugs under their benefits plans, amid plan members’ rising demand for Ozempic as a weight-loss treatment. Ozempic, also known under the generic name semaglutide, is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, the medication has also been credited as a weight-loss treatment, […]
Canadian employers are investing in innovative financial, physical and mental-health benefits to drive their attraction and retention efforts, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 300 employers, found 59 per cent said they’ve invested in employee discount programs, followed by budgeting and other financial wellness education and supports (51 […]
TD Bank Group credits its culture of care for the recent enhancements to its benefits plan. “We place a great amount of emphasis and focus on this, which is a key element of our [employee] promise,” said Susy Michor, the bank’s vice-president of human resources, global retirement benefits and well-being, during Benefits Canada’s 2023 Benefits […]
After leading the way in supporting transgender employees, Accenture is continuing to expand its diversity, equity and inclusion offerings to meet workers’ evolving needs. In 2011, the professional services company was one of the first employers in Canada to support transgender employees through its benefits offerings. “At the time of [the benefit’s] inception, Accenture worked […]
The University of Toronto is supporting employee well-being with enhanced gender affirmation coverage. Heather Boon, acting vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture at U of T, says the coverage was negotiated in several of its recent collective agreements and is also available to non-union employees. “Gender affirmation coverage is being provided to help support […]
For LGBTQ2S+ employees and allies, the current news stream is particularly bleak. In recent months, at least 20 U.S. states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. In both Canada and the U.S., LGBTQ2S+ events, such as drag queen story hours at public libraries, are increasingly subject to protest both […]
Sixty per cent of Canadian employees say they’d consider leaving their jobs for a role that offers more inclusive benefits, according to a new survey by Medavie Blue Cross. The survey, which polled 1,000 employees and 500 employers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, also found employees want to work for an organization that supports […]
TMX Group Ltd. is among 23 Canadian employers that have signed on to a new parental leave pledge created by Women in Capital Markets. The pledge provides a roadmap for organizations to follow to ensure their parental leave policies and practices are inclusive and equitable to all those who use them, including non-birth parents and […]
More than four in 10 (42 per cent) global employees consider the availability of fertility benefits through their employer a ‘deal breaker’ in accepting a job, according to a new survey by Carrot Fertility. The survey, which polled 5,000 people across Canada, India, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S., also found two-thirds (65 per cent) of […]