At the end of 2020, a year of exceptionally volatile and unpredictable markets due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan was 119 per cent funded with $3.3 billion in funding reserves and its assets had grown to $15.8 billion from $13.5 billion on Jan. 1, 2020. “In the heart […]
Telus Communications Inc. recognizes that all employees manage their health and well-being in different ways, so it allows staff to choose how they use the company’s flexible wellness offering — they can take time off to enjoy a staycation, pay down student loans or top up their health-care spending accounts. “We provide [employees] with credits […]
Thierry Miras, Schneider Electric’s vice-president of human resources in Canada, discusses embracing workplace inclusivity, flexible working and the Toronto Raptors. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. The past year has brought unexpected challenges. As we still face uncertainty, one fact remains true: businesses must put employees first. We’re going to […]
The vast majority (95 per cent) of Canadian employers said enhancing the employee experience is a top priority, compared to just 61 per cent that said the same prior to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey also found a positive employee experience is a key driver of […]
The Bank of Canada is adopting a hybrid work model when employees return to the office once the coronavirus pandemic recedes. The majority of the bank’s employees will have the ability to continue working remotely for up to 50 per cent of the time, balanced over a two-week period, said Alexis Corbett, the BoC’s managing director […]
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is amending funding rules for the province’s multi-employer pension plans. The amendments include a permanent exemption from solvency funding requirements for MEPPs, retroactive to Dec. 31, 2020, when the previous temporary exemption ended. In addition, going-concern unfunded liabilities must now be funded over 10 years instead of the previous […]
The union president for the Canadian Border Services Agency employees is “relieved” after reaching a new tentative agreement that includes retirement benefits and new paid leave programs. Under the four-year agreement, which dates back to 2018, the Treasury Board has committed to working toward the introduction of early retirement benefits for the border employees, along […]
With coronavirus vaccinations playing a key role in shaping the post-coronavirus pandemic workplace, employers can help employees overcome vaccine hesitancy through a variety of measures, says Daniel Michaluk, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. “Most strategies are communication-based, such as encouragement through talking about the benefits of vaccination.” Read: Sounding Board: Employers playing a key […]
More than half (59 per cent) of expatriate employees want employers to prioritize physical well-being when constructing or choosing health-care packages and benefits, according to a new survey by Aetna Inc. The survey, which polled 1,000 expats from Germany, Mexico, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, also found that those with children aged 16 and under favoured […]
The first strike at Vale Canada in more than a decade is drawing to a close after unionized workers at the Sudbury, Ont., mine ratified a collective agreement that includes improved pension and health benefits. Through the agreement — which expires May 31, 2026 — the monthly pre-age 65 defined benefit pension will increase by $50 to […]