During Canada’s unprecedented 2023 wildfire season, 6,500 individual fires burned more than 18.4 million hectares of land — and wildland firefighters bore the brunt of it all. “The working conditions are extremely dangerous and they’re getting more dangerous as fires become larger and more intense, and, in many cases, are going through communities,” says Bert […]
Although mental health is approached differently in workplaces around the globe, most multinational employers want to ensure a continuity of care and maintain a similar experience for all employees, while respecting local cultural and legal considerations. For Scotiabank, these considerations include focusing on what types of support are needed, what the employee experience is going […]
Achieving a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace requires a multi-pronged approach that ensures inclusion is embedded into business practices, beginning with traditional recruitment practices. After the social justice movement of 2020 in response to the death of George Floyd, employers across the globe pledged to address systemic racism in the workplace. Indeed, many Canadian employers […]
Improved benefits and pensions are needed for wildland firefighters amid the unprecedented amount of wildfires in Canada this year, says Bert Blundon, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees. “Firefighters have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, mental-health concerns and cancer. That last one is the main source of contention for wildland […]
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of business leaders have increased their organization’s investment in diversity, equity and inclusion over the past 12 months, according to a new survey by the World 50 Group, a global community of business leaders. Direct reports to the chief executive officer were most likely to feel they have access to […]
With the 2023 Workplace Benefits Awards’ nomination process soon drawing to a close, Benefits Canada is pleased to announce this year’s panel of judges. The deadline for this year’s awards is Fri., July 7, at which time the awards entries will be turned over to the hands of several industry experts. Read: Who are the winners […]
Federally regulated workplaces are expected to begin offering free menstrual products to workers by the end of 2023. On Wednesday, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan announced changes to the Canada Labour Code that would ensure access to such products beginning Dec. 15. The changes would require federally regulated workplaces to provide menstrual products to workers at […]
In April 2022, Yelp expanded its insurance coverage for travel expenses for out-of-state medical procedures to include abortion. The increased coverage arrived three weeks before the leak of a first draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion poised to strike down the historic Roe v. Wade ruling, which guaranteed all American women the right to […]
Half (53 per cent) of employees who believe their work isn’t authentically recognized by their employer are actively looking for a new job, compared to 27 per cent who believe their employer’s recognition is authentic, according to a survey by Gallup Inc. for software company Workhuman. The survey, which polled more than 7,000 U.S. employees, […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion issues is an increasingly key part of its long-term strategic vision. The pension fund is embedding DEI initiatives into its latest enterprise strategy and is guiding the plan’s global growth and expansion, says Beth Tyndall, its chief people officer. “For the first time ever in [our] […]