The Constitution allows Ottawa and the provinces to set up a national securities regulator, the Supreme Court says in a ruling that could help advance a plan for countrywide oversight of capital markets. In its unanimous ruling Friday, the high court also found that federal draft legislation for national regulation of the trade in stocks, […]
The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada has brought up a lot of new questions for employers, according to one expert. “Now that we’re past legalization, this is a great time to revisit the conversation on benefits coverage. It’s important to have that conversation, rather than delaying it,” said Jonathan Zaid, director of advocacy and corporate […]
Although the landscape is set to change dramatically with the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, plan sponsors and members can expect a distinct system for medical cannabis to continue, said Aurora Cannabis Inc.’s Jonathan Zaid. Speaking at the Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management forum in Mississauga, Ont. on Sept. 25, Zaid, the organization’s director, advocacy and […]
The numbers in the Toronto Transit Commission’s benefits fraud investigation are staggering — 725 total cases, 220 dismissals, 120 arbitrations, 10 employees charged and more than $3 million in exposure. “All this stuff is still ongoing. The insurance company hasn’t cut us a cheque yet,” Mark Russell, staff sergeant, investigative services at the TTC, told attendees at […]
As Canada enters a new era of legalized recreational cannabis, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is offering tools and educational materials for employers and employees. “Governments had the opportunity to create a clear, modern system for cannabis,” said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, in a press release. “Unfortunately, the process […]
Marijuana. Cannabis. Pot. Weed. Bud. Grass. Reefer. Kush. Mary Jane. Ganja. Doobie. Trees. No matter what you call it, marijuana is dominating the Canadian news cycle in 2018. And I think it’s about time. At Benefits Canada, it’s cropping up in every area we cover, including how employers can add medical marijuana coverage into their […]
Whether considering age eligibility or policy wording, recent rulings for employees in a pair of Ontario cases are reminders to employers to review their long-term disability offerings. When I’m 65 Ontario employers may no longer have the option to reduce or eliminate health and life insurance benefits for employees aged 65 or older, following the […]
A decision from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice suggests that even broadly worded releases won’t cover subsequent lawsuits against employers for “improper conduct” such as intimidation and sexual harassment. “The decision is problematic because finality is everything when it comes to settlements,” says Arthur Zelikman, a labour and employment lawyer at Zelikman Law Professional […]
A large U.S. meatpacker has agreed to pay $1.5 million to 138 Somali-American Muslim workers who were fired from their jobs at a Colorado plant after they were refused prayer breaks, a federal anti-discrimination agency said last week. Cargill Meat Solutions, a division of Minnesota-based agribusiness company Cargill Corp., also agreed to train managers and hourly […]
The federal government has agreed in principle to pay $100 million to settle a four-year lawsuit with veterans who say they were discriminated against when the government deducted their disability pensions from the income-replacement benefits they received from Veterans Affairs Canada. The veterans initially filed the lawsuit in 2014, saying the government violated the section of […]