In a reminder to employers to be diligent about using their own disability management processes before terminating an employee, an Alberta arbitrator has ruled against a company that fired a worker suspected of being dishonest about his condition. The case, Tolko Industries Ltd. v. United Steelworkers, Local 1-207, involved a lumber mill in High Level, Alta. that […]
A recent decision by the Superior Court of Ontario has confirmed that working notice doesn’t count when an employee is away from work due to medical factors. The case, McLeod v. 1274458 Ontario Inc., dealt with Keith McLeod, who had worked as a mover at Frontier Sales in Scarborough, Ont., since 1998. In September 2015, he […]
An independent review panel has provided the Alberta government with a report that includes 60 recommendations to restructure the province’s Workers’ Compensation Board and its processes. The panel spent nearly two years compiling its review of the board. It examined previous reviews and spoke with employers, injured workers, unions, employee advocates and safety organizations. “It […]
At just 32 per cent, plan sponsors continue to underestimate the presence of chronic conditions among their employees, according to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. In fact, more than half (57 per cent) of plan members surveyed reported being diagnosed with at least one chronic disease or condition. That number increases to 72 per […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is seeking public feedback on its plans to support employees who suffer from work-related chronic mental stress. The organization’s consultation on chronic mental stress follows up on the government of Ontario’s proposed legislation in its 2017 budget to expand the entitlement for injured around for compensation for work-related chronic mental stress. […]
Canadian employers are generally familiar with dealing with employees with disabilities from the outset of a condition through to accommodation and helping them return to work successfully. But what happens to health and dental benefits when it’s not possible for an employee to return to work? It’s a question that can be a difficult one for […]
When it comes to mental-health challenges in the workplace, the focus is shifting to prevention and early intervention rather than diagnosis and treatment, according to the head of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Employers and benefits providers will have to start to “rethink their model of dealing with claims,” Thomas Teahen, president and chief executive officer […]
Library workers in Essex County, Ont. are back on the job today after nearly eight months on strike. The major sticking point in negotiations was short-term disability leave, which will now need to be approved by a third-party insurer. “Our workforce didn’t want the third party because they didn’t want to run the risk of […]
An RBC Insurance survey finds 67% of employees aren't discussing the financial impacts of becoming disabled, Advisor.ca reports.
Addiction and mental health issues are one of the most significant occupational health challenges, reports Profit.