Keyword: long-term disability

135 results found
Rethinking long-term disability with cannabis-assisted return to work

Compared with recreational users, medical cannabis patients frequently use CBD-dominant preparations with the smallest amount of THC to get the greatest improvements in symptom control, function and quality of life with the fewest adverse events, said Michael Koehn, founder of the CannSolve Clinic in British Columbia. During a session at Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at […]

Is scrutiny on the rise for long-term disability claims?

A recent RBC Insurance Services Inc. study found 45 percent of employees on disability claimed their workplaces pressured them to go back earlier than they felt they were able to do so. This is a significant increase from the 33 per cent of respondents who said the same in the previous year’s survey. Indeed, there’s a […]

Long-term disability claims expected to fall in 2019: research

Long-term disability claims are expected to fall by 3.6 per cent in 2019 compared to 2018 due to a slowing Canadian economy, according to research by RBC Insurance Services Inc. Since LTD claims impact both employees and business owners, knowing where these trends are headed can help employers plan for and manage costs related to claims and ensure they have adequate […]

  • By: Staff
  • April 10, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
Ontario court grants appeal for employee in long-term disability case

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ordered a full trial for an employee who sued for $300,000 in long-term disability benefits despite signing a document that released such claims. The decision in Swampillai v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada reverses a lower court decision that summarily found the release to be “unconscionable.” […]

Shoppers Drug Mart offering coaching for staff on STD due to mental illness

Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. is partnering with Acclaim Ability Management Inc. to offer one-on-one coaching services to employees on short-term disability leave with mental-health issues. With the goal of getting their employees back to work sooner, employers can choose between two offerings to lower the risk of STD turning into a long-term disability leave. “We’re taking employee support to the […]

  • By: Staff
  • March 22, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 15:05
A 2018 roundup of the top legal cases in the benefits industry

When considering the legal cases attracting the most attention from the pension and benefits industry in 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal’s decision in Talos v. Grand Erie District School Board was one of the most talked about of the year. “This case is important because plan administrators who previously relied on the Employment Standards Act […]

Legal cases highlight issues around LTD coverage

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 […]

Court allows terminated employee to continue appeal for LTD benefits

An Ontario court is allowing a terminated employee to continue with an action for long-term disability benefits despite signing a document that released such claims. When Joe Swampillai was terminated, he was pursuing an appeal for the denial of his benefits against his employer, Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada, and against Sun Life […]

New report predicts LTD claims will rise as Canadian economy strengthens

Long-term disability rates are expected to increase by 4.7 per cent in 2018 compared to the previous year, driven by a strengthening Canadian economy, according to new research by RBC Insurance. The annual research, which demonstrates how long-term disability claims are linked to gross domestic product growth rates, shows a significant change from last year’s research, which predicted an uptick in […]

  • By: Staff
  • January 30, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:30
Best practices for return-to-work committees

In one episode of the television show The Office, salesman Stanley Hudson has a heart attack during a workplace fire drill. A few days later, he’s back at his desk, with only a doctor’s orders to “relate more positively” to his surroundings. Many employers can only dream of such an easy return to work. In […]