Employers can support workers impacted by this summer’s wildfires through flexible working arrangements, mental-health resources and clear communication, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at People Corporation.

“Employers are looking at different ways to support people, both on the mental health and physical health side, because of disruption and displacement [from evacuation] as well as difficulty in accessing services.”

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If they don’t already have a virtual health-care platform in place, many employers are likely considering it so that employees can more easily access care where they are, she says. In addition, some employers may also be revisiting their benefits plans to confirm coverage of respiratory support and treatment.

This year’s wildfire season — which began, earlier than usual, in mid-May — has already burned more than 7.3 million hectares of land. It’s the second-worst season on record behind the 2023 season, during which more than 17 million hectares were burned, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Read: How employers can support employees impacted by wildfires

The added strain to employees’ physical and mental health also increases pressure on benefits plans, says Siddall, noting employees who are evacuated also often must refill prescriptions for medications they left behind.

In addition to the supports provided by their plan, employers can direct employees to access mental-health resources provided by insurers and organizations such as the Red Cross and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “There are different things that people can grab on to that actually don’t necessarily have impact on the benefits plan per se,” she notes.

It’s also important for employers to maintain clear lines of communication and provide flexibility for workers impacted by wildfires. “Following the [coronavirus] pandemic, employers are set up to accommodate people as their needs change — for example, someone may be struggling with asthma or allergies [from wildfire smoke] and they may wish to work from home. If an employer isn’t able to accommodate that, they need to be really transparent about why.”

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