Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc. are offering bonuses to U.S. employees who show proof of a coronavirus vaccination. Amazon is giving $100 to new hires who show proof of vaccination, according to a press release, which noted the company is also offering sign-on bonuses of up to $1,000 in some locations as it hires more […]
Women are more likely than men to embrace the flexibility of remote working during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a global survey by FlexJobs. The survey, which polled more than 2,000 people between March and April 2021, found 68 per cent of women respondents said they prefer working remotely, compared to 57 per cent […]
While the rates of drug and disability claims are returning to their pre-pandemic levels, employers are still contending with the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their benefits plans. Following the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020, there was a subsequent surge in drug claims attributed to medication stockpiling, said Frédéric Leblanc, strategic advisor […]
A majority (81 per cent) of North American organizations are planning for their employees to return to work onsite once the coronavirus pandemic recedes, while 13 per cent are actively considering it and three per cent are not, according to a 2021 survey by Aon. The survey, which polled more than 1,400 organizations in April, […]
The federal government is extending its relief to registered pension plans and deferred salary leave plans by one year to help employers manage and maintain benefits for their employees through the coronavirus pandemic. The draft regulations, initially released on July 2, 2020, are aimed at ensure pension plan sponsors and their beneficiaries have the flexibility they […]
A record return over the first full year of the pandemic has put the manager of Canada’s largest retirement fund years ahead of schedule to meet a long-term goal of having half a trillion dollars in assets by 2028. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board reported that its funds earned 20.4 per cent net of […]
Lafarge Eastern Canada’s new employee wellness program is highlighting the importance of mental and physical health amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “It was always my intention to promote wellness through my communications, but when the pandemic happened, it was really the time to focus on this,” says Jessica Assaf, manager of corporate communications for Lafarge […]
As employers and their employees exit the coronavirus pandemic, they’ll be confronted with a host of new challenges, said Linda Duxbury, Chancellor’s professor in management at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, during the keynote session of Benefits Canada’s 2021 Benefits & Pension Summit this week. “Much like with a tsunami, [smaller] waves are going […]
Amid the rising pressures and challenges of the shift to remote working as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, employers are adjusting organizational programs to meet evolving business and employee needs, according to a new survey by the Conference Board of Canada. A majority (more than 70 per cent) of employers surveyed said they’ve adjusted […]
Canadians are becoming more confident about their financial situations and are setting more personal financial goals, according to a new survey by BMO Financial Group. It found 37 per cent of survey respondents said they believe their finances have improved recently, with Montreal residents the most likely to express financial optimism (42 per cent), ahead […]