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Feds ‘thinking outside box’ with proposal for unclaimed pension balances

The Canadian government is “thinking outside of the box” with its proposal to extend the Bank of Canada’s program on dormant bank accounts to include unclaimed pension plans, says Kathy Bush, interim vice-chair of the national policy committee at the Association for Canadian Pension Management. Last June, the government launched consultations around whether it should tax and reduce interest paid to unclaimed pensions […]

  • January 18, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:21

Pension legislation should balance DB sustainability with pension promise: CIA

Any modifications to federal pension legislation should encourage plan sponsors to continue offering defined benefit pension plans, while helping them fulfil their pension promises to plan members, according to the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. “Fulfilling pension promises is especially important for those plan members who can least afford the risk of benefit reductions, such as those with […]

  • January 15, 2019 January 12, 2021
  • 10:05

Cannabis boom brings recruitment challenges for employers

As the cannabis industry rapidly grows, employers in the sector are feeling overwhelmed with the sheer volume of employees they need to recruit. A network for human resources professionals in the cannabis industry, called Cannabis HR Network, was launched on Friday to meet the need. It aims to provide a forum for employers in the regulated […]

  • January 14, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30

Proposed Ontario childcare rebate could lead to influx of working mothers: report

The Ontario government’s proposed childcare rebate could spur as many as 112,787 mothers to enter the workforce, resulting in an increase of tax revenues for the provincial and federal government, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. The report found a rebate would likely incentivize mothers who are sensitive to childcare costs to […]

  • January 11, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:10

Should employers support non-terminated workers during layoffs?

While Canada’s unemployment rate is just six per cent, according to Statistics Canada, it doesn’t mean workforces are immune to layoffs. Employment in certain industries, such as information, culture and recreation, continually declined between August and November 2018, noted Statistics Canada. Indeed, compared to 12 months earlier, employment in those industries was down three per cent nationally. When […]

  • January 7, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 10:00

Erratic pupil behaviour can indicate mental stress: study

There’s a saying that eyes are the windows to the soul, but researchers at the University of Missouri have found they’re also great indicators of a person’s stress levels. The study found people show predictable patterns of pupil dilation when they’re performing simple and easy tasks, says Jung Hyup Kim, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems […]

  • January 2, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

Does Santa Claus get employee benefits?

He listens to Christmas wishes, answers questions about the North Pole, Mrs. Claus and his elves and patiently takes pictures with cranky children and wailing babies. And he does it all with cheer. Santa Claus is coming to town, but the truth is, he ain’t free. In Canada, people working as Santa Claus can earn […]

  • December 24, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

Health challenges expand one-size-fits-all approach to wellness

Providence Health Care isn’t new to offering health challenges to its staff. Every October during healthy workplace month, the company encourages its employees to change a habit they can easily integrate into their workday. But when Linda Rankin, the organization’s occupational health and safety coordinator, learned about the annual health challenge offered by Pacific Blue Cross, she was keen to roll […]

  • December 18, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30

Technology influencing the future of wellness benefits: survey

Employers will rely more on technology to shape and analyze their future wellness offerings, according to a global workforce well-being survey by consultancy Buck. The survey, which polled more than 250 employers, found the majority of organizations are planning to offer workplace health competitions (62 per cent), stress management programs (60 per cent), workplace environment improvements (58 per cent), online courses and training for […]

  • December 10, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:45

Just 9% of employers offer virtual health care: survey

Despite a growing interest in virtual health care, many employers still aren’t adopting the technology in their benefits plans, according to new research by Medisys Health Group Inc. Just nine per cent of employer respondents said they offer virtual health care, though more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of employee respondents said they’d use the benefit if it was available. Indeed, 71 per […]

  • December 6, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:45