Almost 40 per cent of Canadian employees are suffering sleepless nights due to work-related anxiety, according to a survey by staffing firm Accountemps. The survey, which asked more than 500 Canadian employees how often they lose sleep over work, found just 12 per cent of respondents said they never lose sleep over work. Of those who do miss […]
Financial drain, emotional turbulence and tested physical limits are common challenges in the early months of the year. For employees to successfully transition out of that state towards a year of productivity, health and growth, they need to feel supported in prioritizing taking care of themselves. One issue that commonly comes up in the early months is how […]
As Hawaii introduces new legislation to provide working caregivers with a daily stipend of US$70 to offset the costs of elder care, how does it measure up against Canada’s new employment insurance caregiver benefit? The Kapuna Caregivers Assistance Act, which took effect in December, will provide the stipend to Hawaiian employees working more than 30 hours a […]
At Benefits Canada headquarters, the holiday spirit has been high for a few weeks, beginning with a holiday lunch at the end of November, enthusiastic employees decking out their desks in a bid to win a decorating contest and a holiday baking exchange featuring a treat-laden table in the office. While there are a variety of ways employers […]
Rates of workplace absenteeism reached peak levels in 2016 compared to the last five years in both the public and private sectors, according to Statistics Canada. The public sector lost 13.5 days per employee on average, up from 12.5 in 2012. The private sector had been trending down from 8.3 days in 2012 but returned […]
Canada’s public sector pension organizations are global leaders. Over the past 30 years, they’ve distinguished themselves in the delivery of secure and sustainable defined benefit pensions but they’re facing new challenges. At issue is whether they can meet those challenges and repeat past successes for the next generation of Canadians. A new report commissioned by […]
While some employees consider the holidays the most wonderful time of the year, others find it fraught with tricky questions, such as whether or not to give gifts to colleagues or how to survive the office Christmas party. A recent survey by staffing and recruitment firm Ranstad polled more than 1,200 American employees to learn […]
As the federal government gets ready to boost employment insurance benefits for new parents on Dec. 3, the provinces have been busy updating their parental leave policies to align with the changes. Under the federal changes, Canadian employees with a newborn or newly adopted child will be able to choose between the existing employment insurance rate of 55 […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is taking a more holistic approach to workplace wellness by putting financial fitness on the same pedestal as physical well-being and mental health. “Traditionally, workplaces have focused on physical wellness and dedicated a lot of resources to it at the expense of overlooking the mental and financial aspects of […]
While the discussions around the reasons employees need to miss work are getting more specific in many provinces, leave options remain fuzzy to non-existent from a government perspective for many emergency scenarios. On Wednesday, Ontario passed a new bill that includes expanding personal emergency leave to 10 days per year for all employees, with at least two paid […]