When it comes to the use of technology such as smartphones and tablets in the workplace, it’s important for employers to account for employees who are experiencing vision loss by adapting their policies accordingly, says Jennifer Teague, vice-president of research and education at the Canadian Standards Association. A new report by the CSA Group examined […]
Canadian employers are shouldering more than $110 billion a year in costs related to employee mental health, driven by lost productivity, disability leave and workplace accommodations, according to a new report from the Canadian Standards Association. It found those costs represent the largest share of an estimated $180 billion annual economic burden tied to mental-health […]
Before Megan Pilatzke was diagnosed with autism, she wondered why she always felt drained when she got home from work. All day long, she laboured to understand when to speak up or stay silent in meetings. She replayed conversations in her head, worrying she’d misunderstood or said the wrong thing. Noisy environments distressed her. She watched […]
Transitioning from school to work shouldn’t require someone with a disability to fight twice as hard just to be evaluated on skill, said Chelsea Masson, university student and outreach coordinator at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, during a recent webinar hosted by the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work. “Barriers will show up […]
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled an employers’ conduct that creates mere emotional discomfort for employees during the accommodation process may not amount to discrimination. “What emerges from the Cillis v. Hamilton decision is an objective standard requiring employers to act reasonably, not perfectly,” says Jeff Goodman, a commercial employment law partner at […]
Among the 21 million Canadians in the workforce, eight million are women over the age of 40. “We have a large workforce that’s going through the journey of menopause,” said Shawna O’Hearn, co-director and founder at Menopause Society of Nova Scotia, in a session sponsored by Astellas during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. A 2023 […]
Despite the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus pandemic over in May 2023, the health crisis continues to shape workplaces around the globe. “Before the pandemic, workplaces were more structured and, if something occurred in an employee’s life that meant they couldn’t get into the office, they weren’t working,” says Erin Evans, a benefits and […]
With many Canadian employers likely to have employees go on leave related to cancer, one survey suggests they need guidance on how to support those plan members before, during and after their leave, according to Julie Holmes, senior advisor for disability management at Desjardins Insurance, during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit. The survey, by […]
While successfully reintegrating employees into the workplace following an illness or injury clearly benefits the returning employee, it also benefits employers by enabling employees to continue contributing to the organization and mitigating costs such as premiums. During a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit, Robert Cross, senior director of claims, contact centres, group […]
The group insurance industry saw a rapid rise in claims related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly among women over age 40, said Catherine Biermann (pictured left), manager of digital products, solutions and partnerships at Medavie Blue Cross, moderating a Q&A session with two medical experts at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit. […]