Alexander Kurth is planning to apply for the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit once the application is available on Monday. But despite being a gig economy worker who wouldn’t be able to receive employment insurance, it’s only because of a timing coincidence that he qualifies for the new support at all. Toronto-based Kurth is nearing […]
Walmart Canada has introduced a free virtual health-care platform for employees in response to the coronavirus. The service, through EQ Care, has been available to about 90,000 full, part time and temporary employees from the retailer’s stores and head offices since last week. It had started looking at virtual care options in the fall of 2019, but […]
Ryerson University is taking a well-rounded approach toward supporting its staff and faculty who are working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak. The university has released a new guide to remote working, covering best practices such as developing a routine, setting up an ergonomic workspace and establishing an after-work ritual to signal the day […]
Employers that want to see their wellness programs pay dividends need to develop a strategy that’s rooted in behavioural science. “This idea of ticking a box on wellness is not working anymore,” said Cynthia Hastings-James, co-founder of BestLifeRewarded Innovations, during a webinar hosted by the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute on Thursday. “It really needs […]
Quebec retirement complex developer Selection Group is giving its employees and residents free access to a virtual care app during the coronavirus crisis and for two months afterward. The service, through Telus Health, will be available to about 3,000 staff and about 15,000 residents. It will be gradually rolled out across the organization’s complexes over […]
As employers across the globe adjust their work environments to help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, one thing that shouldn’t get lost in the fray is a focus on supporting employees’ mental health. Employees are facing a myriad of stressors right now, including financial worries about the effects of the volatile market on […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan reported a strong 2019, posting a 17.14 per cent return for the year and hitting a funded status of 119 per cent on a smoothed basis. The fund outperformed its benchmark by 2.08 per cent — or just over $1.65 million — and far surpassed 2018’s return of 2.2 […]
Nav Canada’s air navigation specialists are receiving a new end-of-career leave program and a three per cent wage increase in their new collective agreement. The workers, represented by Unifor Local 1016, voted 97 per cent in favour of ratifying the agreement. The wage increases on salaries and premiums are retroactive to July 1, 2019. The end-of-career […]
An important part of a workplace wellness program is supporting employees’ physical fitness, but Rocky Mountain Soap Co. isn’t just encouraging its employees to be active — it pays them to do it. Since 2011, the soap maker has offered 45-minute morning fitness classes three times a week to employees at its Canmore, Alta. headquarters. […]
With prescription drugs and paramedical benefits taking up an increasingly large portion of employers’ benefits spend, dental benefits often avoid the spotlight. But consultants and insurers are emphasizing a few dental issues for plan sponsors to consider in 2020. Over-billing Though GE Canada isn’t focusing on dental benefits in this year’s renewal process, Diana McNiven, […]