Latest news in Health benefits

2022 Mental Health Summit: A look at the incremental cost of ADHD in the workplace

Allowing and encouraging employees to seek proper treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder will boost health and morale, as well as save money in the…

2022 Mental Health Summit: Health culture, performance indicators key to minimizing employee absence, disability

Since an organization’s most valuable asset is its people, the coronavirus pandemic made it clear that having healthy, happy employees on the job isn’t just…

2022 Mental Health Summit: How employer wellness programs can promote mental health, resilience

The unmet medical needs across Canada are substantial, with the number of Canadians using cannabis for medical needs — close to 15 per cent of…

Majority of employers enhancing total rewards to improve attraction, retention efforts: survey

The majority (80 per cent) of Canadian employers say they enhanced their total rewards programs in 2022 to better attract and retain employees, up from…

  • By: Staff
  • December 8, 2022 December 7, 2022
  • 09:00

Rothmans, Benson & Hedges enhancing fertility benefits, mental-health coverage

Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. is providing employees with coverage for egg freezing and expanding some fertility allowances, as well as introducing gender affirmation coverage.…

How employers can incentivize non-smoking employees

Employers planning to incentivize non-smoking employees should align these perks with a broader health and well-being strategy and ensure the rewards are significant enough to…

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USW, American Airlines agreement includes pension, benefits gains

The union representing roughly 300 employees at American Airlines in Toronto and Montreal has ratified a new two-year agreement that includes pension and benefits improvements.…

  • By: Staff
  • December 6, 2022 December 6, 2022
  • 09:00

Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week

An article on the potential impacts of a pension super-priority bill was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most…

  • By: Staff
  • December 2, 2022 December 1, 2022
  • 09:00
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Cost of medical plan claims expected to increase by 7% in 2023: report

In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach seven per cent in 2023,…

  • By: Staff
  • November 30, 2022 November 29, 2022
  • 09:00

Webinar coverage: Innovative new treatments can lead to better outcomes, reduce side-effects in IBD

Canada has one of the highest incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease in the world. “We don’t know why, but Canada is one of the…

High-cost medicines driving drug costs for public, private plans: report

The increasing use of high-cost medicines is the primary cost driver for all Canadian drug plans, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine…

  • By: Staff
  • November 25, 2022 November 24, 2022
  • 09:00

CIBC supporting employee health with wellness platform

The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is supporting employee wellness with a new platform that focuses on healthy lifestyle tips and group well-being challenges. The…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • November 25, 2022 November 24, 2022
  • 09:00
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Survey finds 68% of global employers with high employee engagement have well defined DEI plans

Two-thirds (68 per cent) of global employers with high levels of employee engagement say they have a well defined diversity, equity and inclusion plan, according…

  • By: Staff
  • November 23, 2022 November 24, 2022
  • 15:00

80% of U.S. workers view mental-health coverage as critical: survey

While 80 per cent of U.S. employees view mental-health coverage as critical, only 61 per cent have access to mental-health care as part of their…

  • By: Staff
  • November 21, 2022 November 18, 2022
  • 09:00
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Survey finds retirement savings plans key to employee retention

Six in 10 (60 per cent) U.S. employees say they’re more likely to stay at their current job if their employer offers a retirement savings…

  • By: Staff
  • November 18, 2022 November 18, 2022
  • 09:01
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Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week

An article on the Canadian Federation of Pensioners’ response to proposed legislative and policy updates for Alberta’s private sector pension regulations was the most-read story…

  • By: Staff
  • November 18, 2022 November 18, 2022
  • 09:01
Editorial

Editorial: Pandemic shining a spotlight on two black sheep benefits

In the midst of the enduring conversation about the changing nature of work and the workplace, some often underappreciated — and potentially underused — benefits…

Head to head: Should the design of portable benefits plans consider the role of employers?

As Ontario eyes a new system of portable benefits for precarious workers, one expert says these benefits can be an important attraction and retention tool…

How Bill Gosling used pandemic conditions to redesign its benefits plan

In March 2020, Bill Gosling Outsourcing’s benefits plan was facing unsustainable costs, as well as a deficit due to incoming premium increases. The coronavirus pandemic,…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • November 18, 2022 November 28, 2022
  • 08:58

Back to basics on employer-provided travel coverage

While the provision of travel insurance has long been a staple in many group benefits plans, it was thrust into the spotlight during the coronavirus…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • November 18, 2022 November 28, 2022
  • 08:52

As employees’ screen exposure increases, is it time to update vision benefits?

Employees in most sectors are experiencing an exponential increase in the amount of time they spend in front of screens during work hours, so updates…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • November 18, 2022 November 17, 2022
  • 08:51

Q&A with Fluor Canada’s Lisa Hari

Fluor Canada Ltd.’s manager of Indigenous relations and DEI discusses the post-coronavirus pandemic workplace, employee resource groups and fishing. Q: What top challenges do you…

Employers seeing paramedical claims return to pre-pandemic levels

As the coronavirus crisis enters an endemic phase, employers are beginning to see a return to pre-pandemic levels in paramedical benefits’ usage. During the first…

Walmart Canada increasing mental-health coverage, access to virtual health care

Walmart Canada is increasing its mental-health benefits coverage for employees and expanding access to virtual health care. Effective Feb. 1, 2023, the company will provide…

  • By: Sadie Janes
  • November 16, 2022 November 16, 2022
  • 09:00
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Expert panel: How employers can support employee wellness ahead of a looming recession

Every day, it seems the news includes a story or two about the economy and whether or not a recession is coming. At the same…

  • By: Kim Siddall
  • November 16, 2022 November 15, 2022
  • 09:00