Major Canadian insurers are no longer resetting the long-term disability pre-existing condition clause for women whose benefits coverage lapsed during their maternity leave when they return to work. Women covered by these insurers — which include the Co-operators Group Ltd., Desjardins Insurance, Empire Life Insurance Co., iA Financial Group, Manulife Financial Corp., RBC Insurance and Sun Life — […]
On Nov. 29, the 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit featured sessions on how employers can approach mental health in the workplace, including removing the stigma and facilitating positive return-to-work transitions. Here’s what you missed! Social connection can build or erode mental health, resilience Between 2017 and 2019, the number of individuals reporting mental-health issues has risen […]
Internet-based programs are the future of mental-health therapy, according to Peter Gove, the former innovation leader in health management at Green Shield Canada, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit on Nov. 29. “Cognitive behavioural therapy is probably the most adaptable therapy to a digital environment because it’s very manualized — you […]
Quebec’s government is introducing a bill that would increase leave entitlements for adoptive parents from the current 37 weeks to 42. The bill would also increase entitlements for parents adopting children from outside Quebec from 42 to 52 weeks of leave. In addition, the bill proposes amending current legislation to increase the work income-related exemptions parents are entitled […]
Mental health is a growing concern both in and out of the workplace, and employees with these issues often need days to deal with them. Paula Allen, vice-president of research and analytics at Morneau Shepell Ltd., suggests employers provide employees with workplace flexibility because “we’re not robots.” Specifically, she supports and encourages mental-health days, though she believes the real promise and […]
The union representing 33 employees of the Northumberland County social services department says the county is attempting to weaken employees’ short-term disability leave and remove their right to work a compressed workweek. On Dec. 12, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3725 began contract negotiations with the county using a provincially appointed conciliator. Union members […]
Green Shield Canada is teaming up with virtual health-care provider Maple to offer telemedicine to its plan members. The partnership aims to reduce employee absences and boost both productivity and well-being, according to a press release. Read: Just 9% of employers offer virtual health care: survey “Canadians face some of the longest wait times when compared to […]
The Saskatchewan government is amending its provincial employment act to add eight additional weeks of parental leave. The additional weeks of leave will be available to employees entitled to the province’s new shared parental employment insurance benefit. In a press release, the government said the extra weeks will give employees job protection while they access the […]
iA Financial Group is launching a pilot project to help benefits plan members with medication adherence. The Quebec City-based insurer will offer access to mobile app MedHelper to a few thousand plan members who are taking three or more medications on a daily basis. The plan members can import the list of drugs they take into the […]
Shoppers Drug Mart is partnering with SilverCloud Health Ltd. to make the digital mental-health solutions company’s online cognitive behavioural therapy program available to Canadian plan sponsors. SilverCloud’s digital CBT offering includes behavioural-health coaching support for depression and anxiety from trained social workers, as well as self-help programs on stress management and resiliency. “As the exclusive Canadian partner […]