Latest news in Health benefits

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U.S. health benefits costs rising to nearly 8% in 2025: survey

U.S. employers’ health benefits costs are expected to increase to nearly eight per cent for 2025, the highest amount in more than a decade, according…

  • By: Staff
  • August 28, 2024 August 28, 2024
  • 15:00

How employers can support employees experiencing pregnancy loss

Despite the prevalence of pregnancy loss, many employers still don’t have a plan in place that adequately supports employees experiencing this type of loss, says…

Citigroup enhancing parental leave, introducing caregiver leave for U.S., Puerto Rico employees

Citigroup Inc. is enhancing its parental leave and introducing a new caregiver leave for employees in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The financial services company…

  • By: Staff
  • August 27, 2024 August 27, 2024
  • 09:00

U.S. employers projecting health benefits cost increase of 8% for 2025: survey

U.S. employers are projecting health benefits costs to increase by eight per cent for 2025, up from seven per cent in 2023, according to a…

  • By: Staff
  • August 26, 2024 August 23, 2024
  • 09:00

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

An article on how the concept of merit, excellence and intelligence can thwart employers’ diversity, equity and inclusion efforts was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com…

  • By: Staff
  • August 23, 2024 August 22, 2024
  • 09:00

Employers gaining upper hand when negotiating pay, benefits with unions: expert

Over the past year, union negotiations have ramped up and wage settlements have reached new heights, mainly due to the fact that negotiations were set…

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

An article on why Canadian workers say job flexibility is key to satisfaction was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the…

  • By: Staff
  • August 16, 2024 August 15, 2024
  • 09:00

Federal judge rules Florida’s transgender health-care ban discriminates against state employees

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Florida’s transgender health-care ban discriminates against state employees and violates their civil rights. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark…

Expert panel: The importance of employee feedback in shaping benefits plans

Most employers look to get feedback from their employees on a variety of topics that touch on the worker experience. Valuable information can be found…

Alberta court certifies class action alleging Uber workers are employees

A pair of law firms say an Alberta court has certified a class action alleging Uber Technologies Inc. has so much control over drivers and…

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70% of Canadian workers say flexibility key to job satisfaction: survey

Seven in 10 (70 per cent) Canadian workers say flexibility is key to job satisfaction, according to Telus Health’s latest mental-health index. It found while the…

  • By: Staff
  • August 9, 2024 August 8, 2024
  • 09:00

Editorial: Evolution and impact

After several years of development, two long-awaited national health-care initiatives are finally taking shape, raising questions about their impact to employer-sponsored benefits plans. In May,…

How BDO’s Do What You Love program is helping employees pursue their passions

BDO Canada LLP employees who are considering taking a pottery course, planning a family vacation or even booking a caterer for their wedding can get…

2024 Consultants Report: Is there an inherent conflict of interest when consulting firms consolidate?

The consolidation of firms within the pension and benefits industries could pose a threat because there’s less choice available in terms of service providers, says…

Q&A with Securian Canada’s Sofia Theodorou

Securian Canada’s chief human experience officer discusses weaving inclusivity and employee well-being into the workplace culture, leveraging artificial intelligence to make human resources objectives more…

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Survey finds future U.S. employees value health benefits, work-life balance

The next generation of U.S. workers say health benefits (72 per cent), paid time off (63 per cent) and flexible schedules (61 per cent) are…

  • By: Staff
  • August 8, 2024 August 9, 2024
  • 15:00
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60% of U.S. employees say they’ve used virtual health care: report

Nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of U.S. employees currently use or have previously used virtual care as part of their health-care experience, according to a…

  • By: Staff
  • August 8, 2024 August 7, 2024
  • 09:00
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Top 5 HR, benefits, pension and investment stories of the week

An article detailing how Canada’s exemplary pension regulatory system is helping to safeguard plans from mismanagement was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here…

  • By: Staff
  • August 2, 2024 August 1, 2024
  • 09:00

LCBO, OPSEU agreement includes multiple benefits gains

The union representing employees of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has ratified a three-year collective agreement that includes multiple benefits gains, ending a two-week…

  • By: Staff
  • July 30, 2024 July 29, 2024
  • 09:00

64% of Americans wish they’d started saving for retirement earlier: survey

Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of Americans say they wish they’d started saving for retirement when they were younger than age 25, according to a new…

  • By: Staff
  • July 29, 2024 July 29, 2024
  • 09:00

Vibrant Marketing helping break down period stigma in the workplace

Vibrant Marketing is helping break down period stigma in the workplace by making sure free menstrual products are available for employees in its office washrooms.…

Manulife enhances family benefits for Canadian employees

Global employers say parental leave, EAPs among most prevalent minimum employee benefits: survey

The most prevalent minimum employee benefits that are offered by multinational companies are employee assistance programs and life insurance (73 per cent), maternity leave (70…

  • By: Staff
  • July 19, 2024 July 19, 2024
  • 13:30

B.C. Teachers’ Pension Plan increasing coverage for retirement health benefits in 2025

The British Columbia Teachers’ Pension Plan is increasing coverage for several optional retirement health benefits, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Vision care coverage will increase by $100…

  • By: Staff
  • July 18, 2024 July 17, 2024
  • 15:00
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2024 Mental Health Summit: Early intervention, integrated solutions key to managing disability

Mental health and musculoskeletal problems are currently two of the main drivers of disability claims and it isn’t uncommon for plan members with a mental-health…

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2024 Mental Health Summit: The past, present and future of EAPs in Canada

Warren Shepell has had a front-row seat for the evolution of how mental health has been treated in the workplace.  Shepell was the pioneer and…