The Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the way for Uber drivers to take the next step in their fight to be recognized as employees. In a ruling Friday, the high court upheld an Ontario Court of Appeal decision that opened the door to a possible class-action suit aimed at securing a minimum wage, vacation […]
The federal government is extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit for an additional eight weeks to support Canadians who haven’t been able to find employment as provinces start to reopen their economies. “The reality is that even as we start to reopen, a lot of people still need this support to pay their bills while they look for […]
Global Montreal employees have overwhelmingly rejected a final offer from their employer Corus Entertainment to renew their collective agreement, over concerns around their pay, benefits and pension plan. According to a release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, nearly 90 per cent of members from Local 4502 participated in the electronic vote, with 91 per […]
If employee productivity increases by two per cent per year for the next decade, Canadians could enjoy a four-day workweek without giving up income or sacrificing their living standards, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. “In light of the COVID-19 lockdown, there’s been a lot of talk about a possible four-day workweek […]
In the group benefits world, the first rumblings of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic came when plan sponsors started asking, as early as January, about their travel insurance provisions. “Clients were worried about their business travellers and expatriate employees, in China mostly, and afterwards for their employees travelling for their winter vacations,” said Daniel […]
Employers with registered supplemental unemployment benefit plans aren’t able to use them to top up laid-off employees who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. In an online question and answer session on the CERB, the federal government confirmed that due to the “simplified design” of the benefit, the provisions existing under the employment insurance […]
The Home Depot Inc. has taken a number of steps to support its employees during the coronavirus pandemic. In its annual earnings report, the global home improvement retailer said it expanded paid time off for all hourly workers with additional hours to be used at their discretion, which will be paid out at year-end if […]
Amazon.com Inc. is extending its increased hourly pay for all global employees and its double overtime pay for employees in Canada and the U.S. through May 30. The pay increase, which began in April, is $2 an hour in Canada, US$2 in the U.S., £2 in the U.K. and about €2 in many European Union countries. The extensions increase […]
The coronavirus pandemic has prompted U.S. employers to make several changes to their health and retirement offerings, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. On the health benefits side, nearly all respondents (98 per cent) said they’re offering virtual health services, up 10 per cent from before the pandemic. And nearly half […]
North American employers are attempting to strike a balance between supporting employees and reducing costs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, which polled more than 1,400 North American companies, found 70 per cent said they’re giving their working parents additional flexibility around their schedules, while 57 per cent said they’re […]