Latest news in Disability management

More Canadians seeking CPP disability benefits have denials overturned on appeal

More Canadians seeking CPP disability benefits have denials overturned on appeal

Nearly half the Canadians who seek to have decisions denying them access to Canada Pension Plan disability benefits are successfully appealing the rulings, according to…

Employers underestimate prevalence of chronic disease

Employers underestimate prevalence of chronic disease

At just 32 per cent, plan sponsors continue to underestimate the presence of chronic conditions among their employees, according to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care…

  • By: Staff
  • May 29, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:04
Employers challenged to respond to rising impact of chronic disease

Employers challenged to respond to rising impact of chronic disease

With more older workers staying in the labour market, the challenge of accommodating chronic diseases will only grow, a researcher told Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at…

Aggravated damages overturned in benefits communications case

Aggravated damages overturned in benefits communications case

A B.C. company has scored a partial victory in its battle against a ruling that ordered it to pay $90,000 in damages to an employee…

  • By: Staff
  • May 16, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:41
Sounding Board: Employers fear WSIB mental-health claims will put them out of business

Sounding Board: Employers fear WSIB mental-health claims will put them out of business

A controller of a food producing operation asked me recently, “What do you think is the next trend in group benefits affecting employers?” One issue came…

WSIB seeking input on work-related chronic mental stress policy

WSIB seeking input on work-related chronic mental stress policy

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is seeking public feedback on its plans to support employees who suffer from work-related chronic mental stress. The organization’s…

  • By: Staff
  • May 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:58
Uber subsidizes benefits for U.K. drivers

Uber subsidizes benefits for U.K. drivers

Uber drivers in Britain are now eligible for certain employee benefits. After completing 500 trips, active drivers can join the Association of Independent Professionals and…

  • By: Staff
  • May 2, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:24
The challenges of terminating benefits for employees on disability

The challenges of terminating benefits for employees on disability

Canadian employers are generally familiar with dealing with employees with disabilities from the outset of a condition through to accommodation and helping them return to work…

  • April 26, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
WSIB shares experience implementing PTSD legislation

WSIB shares experience implementing PTSD legislation

When it comes to mental-health challenges in the workplace, the focus is shifting to prevention and early intervention rather than diagnosis and treatment, according to the head…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • April 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
‘Welcome news’ in B.C. court statement on non-culpable absenteeism

‘Welcome news’ in B.C. court statement on non-culpable absenteeism

What’s an employer to do when it faces benefits costs for employees on long-term disability for up to 10 years? Earlier this year, the B.C.…

91% of employers implement mental-health standard because it’s ‘right thing to do’

91% of employers implement mental-health standard because it’s ‘right thing to do’

While nearly half (47 per cent) of employers implemented the national standard of Canada for psychological health and safety in the workplace to save money,…

  • By: Staff
  • March 21, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:25
Essex County library workers end strike, agree to new disability policy

Essex County library workers end strike, agree to new disability policy

Library workers in Essex County, Ont. are back on the job today after nearly eight months on strike. The major sticking point in negotiations was…

WSIB makes formulary public and searchable

WSIB makes formulary public and searchable

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has made its drug formularies publicly available and searchable. “Improving transparency and our service orientation in relation to our…

  • By: Staff
  • January 27, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:14
Why engagement is critical to managing short-term disability leaves

Why engagement is critical to managing short-term disability leaves

When support staff working for British Columbia’s public education system call in sick for up to six consecutive days, they receive notification from a union…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • January 17, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:52
New report highlights correlation between LTD claims and the economy

New report highlights correlation between LTD claims and the economy

Long-term disability rates will decrease by 3.2 per cent on average through the first half of this year compared to the last half of 2016,…

  • By: Staff
  • January 12, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:48
Top 10 health and benefits stories of 2016

Top 10 health and benefits stories of 2016

There was a lot to talk about in the health and benefits space in 2016, from the continuing climb of drug plan costs, questions around…

  • By: Staff
  • December 28, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 08:54
Mercer Canada appoints new total health management leader

Mercer Canada appoints new total health management leader

Mercer Canada has appointed Alex Boucher as total health management leader for Canada. Based in the organization’s Halifax officer, Boucher joins Mercer with nearly 20…

  • By: Staff
  • December 16, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 08:39
Look beyond plan design and expenses to control benefit costs

Look beyond plan design and expenses to control benefit costs

Achieving success at anything doesn’t just happen. In his 2008 book Outliers, Malcom Gladwell suggested the biggest contributing factor to success among those who are…

  • December 6, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:47
How to use analytics to improve your benefits plan

How to use analytics to improve your benefits plan

When 3sHealth wanted to look at its dental plan design, prescription drug deductibles and the impact of new benefit enhancements, the first step was to…

Federal government invests in Montreal-area workplace wellness project

Federal government invests in Montreal-area workplace wellness project

The federal government is investing $869,000 in a workplace wellness project that aims to engage 6,000 employees at nine Montreal-area companies in health promotion. The…

  • By: Staff
  • November 8, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:29
City of Toronto calculation error meant 11 staff earned more on LTD than when working

City of Toronto calculation error meant 11 staff earned more on LTD than when working

Over the past 15 years, 11 seasonal employees at the City of Toronto earned more on long-term disability leave than they did while working, assistant…

Government increases CPP pensionable earnings and adds new disability standards

Government increases CPP pensionable earnings and adds new disability standards

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced an increase of $400 (from $54,900 in 2016 to $55,300 in 2017) to the maximum pensionable earnings under the…

  • By: Staff
  • November 1, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 10:51
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton wins health and wellness award

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton wins health and wellness award

Health services provider St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton knows a thing or two about catering to the health needs of its patients, but it also knows…

EPCOR Utilities wins award for absence management process

EPCOR Utilities wins award for absence management process

When employees at Edmonton-based utilities company EPCOR Utilities Inc. get sick, they simply call the company’s reporting line where a case manager offers to connect…

202,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year: report

202,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year: report

This year, 202,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer, a study from the Canadian Cancer Society predicts. Half (50.4 per cent) of the diagnoses will be lung,…