In 2008, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH)—comprising 500 worksites, 13 hospitals and 35 long-term care nursing homes in B.C. that provide services to more than one million residents—had a serious staffing problem.
Wellness programs have become more common in the workplace, and the benefits of having these programs make sense. However, they are not being offered everywhere—and even where they are, Canadians are still missing work.
Banyan Work Health Solutions Inc. has announced a new program to help manage workplace absence. The program, part of Sun Life Financial’s absence and disability management group benefits, provides employers with access to an occupational claims management service.
Desjardins Financial Security has announced a new offering under its group insurance plans to help employers better promote health at the workplace and support employees on disability leave. The service is called Contact 360°.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis, affecting approximately three million Canadians. And while it’s commonly believed that arthritis is a disease of the elderly, 58% of arthritis patients are under the age of 65—which means, they’re still in the workforce. If you have employees with OA, you likely know that their workplace […]
The Face to Face Disability Management Forum, held on May 25, 2011, at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, brought together more than 100 plan sponsors, group insurers, benefits consultants, pharmaceutical representatives and other stakeholders to discuss effective disability management strategies. Read Part 1 of our coverage. Chronic pain is one of the most common causes […]
Reader Alert: This is Part 1 in a two-part series. Read Part 2. Addiction, mental illness, unhealthy lifestyles…employee disability can stem from a number of causes. Workplace absences related to these disabilities place a significant burden on Canadian employers, accounting for an estimated 4% to 12% of payroll costs, according to 2002 research from Wilson, Joffe […]
The Ontario government is proposing an amendment to the province’s Employment Standards Act that would give workers unpaid time off should they need to care for a friend or family member with a serious injury or illness. Ontario currently offers a family medical leave plan that allows people to take an eight-week unpaid leave of […]
Watch this video When it comes to disability management, early communication between the company and its benefits provider is key, particularly when dealing with complex or contentious issues, says Adrian Ebrahimi, manager of Canadian benefits for TD Bank Financial Group. For his organization, forming a collaborative relationship with the vendor and addressing issues at an […]
In 2007, the Canadian division of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) underwent a significant change, revamping its business culture and employee benefits. It was an enormous task, and the corporation faced a number of challenges along the way. Change of direction According to Lynda Newcomb, vice-president, HR, BMS Canada wanted to create an entrepreneurial culture in which […]