As the world changes, so do the workforce and workplaces of today, demanding a new approach to how the industry is helping defined contribution plan members save for retirement. During a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 DC Plan Summit in Montreal in February, Maria-José Perea, vice-president, business solutions and marketing for group retirement savings at […]
When Gracie Inacay, former executive director and head of HR at Harris Associates, joined the firm, she took a good, long look at its defined contribution plan. In 1994, it had started as a profit-sharing plan. Once an employee had put in 1,000 hours and was employed at the end of the year, they received […]
When is the best time to tell your employees about how good your pension plan is? “Before someone else tells them about theirs,” said Keith Baker, payroll and benefits manager at the U.K. arm of Starr Companies, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 DC Plan Summit in Montreal in February. Sharing his organization’s overhaul […]
Wrapping up the 2020 DC Plan Summit with his customary flair, Zaheed Jiwani, principal and leader of the DC consulting group at Eckler Ltd., highlighted the pervasive themes through a selection of songs. With Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends,” he noted how the plan sponsor case studies shared real-life examples of […]
With the coronavirus pandemic affecting many businesses, employers are considering their options for shifting their benefits plan spend. Usage rates for benefits such as dental and paramedical services, which generally have high uptake among plan members, are currently in decline, since non-essential business are shuttered for the foreseeable future and Canadians are staying at home. “Specifically in […]
George & Bell Consulting Inc. is calling on the federal government to allow non-punitive withdrawals from registered retirement savings plans for Canadians to meet their short-term financial needs. Currently, Canadians can withdraw assets from their RRSPs at any time, but the treatment on withdrawal is generally punitive, with withdrawals resulting in personal income tax on […]
MindBeacon is launching a new digital mental-health program, called Stronger Minds, to support all Canadians through heightened stresses related to the coronavirus pandemic. “We, as an organization, have been very committed to trying to make mental-health support accessible to Canadians,” says Claire Duboc, managing director of MindBeacon Group. “That’s been a reality, that many are […]
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been relentlessly pestered by my dentist’s office. I’ve lost track of the frequency of texts, emails and phone calls. When the overt neediness increased even more at the end of last year, I realized it had barely been six months since our last date. Is it just me […]
Sometimes, the best way to explore the unknown is by following in the footsteps of someone who’s been there first. When it comes to in-plan decumulation options from a defined contribution pension, whether the plan was grandfathered into existing legislation or is registered in a province that allows the option, many employers — and their […]
Since my last two editorials have targeted issues around pension plan design and retirement readiness, I’m balancing things out this month by turning my attention to benefits. Fortunately, I have strong opinions on the topic of this month’s cover story. Since I joined Benefits Canada four years ago, I’ve noticed that paramedical benefits — and […]