Canadian employers looking to redesign their benefits plans are in a holding pattern until they hear more details on the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party’s joint proposed national dental-care and pharmacare programs. Last week, the two parties announced plans to form an alliance until 2025 in order to deliver these programs […]
Canadian employees want more comprehensive coverage under their benefits plans, according to a survey by the Conference Board of Canada and Telus Health. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 Canadian workers, found a majority (82 per cent) of respondents want basic dental services (such as preventative and minor restorative) covered by their benefits plans, […]
By beefing up its benefits programs and putting flexibility at the core of its offerings, Willful has been able to grow its staff amid a coronavirus pandemic-fueled tight labour market. The online estate planning company credits its fulsome total rewards package and its flexible workplace culture for its recruitment success. As a very small employer […]
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ottawa Community Housing Corp. battened down the hatches and focused on addressing any absence management issues before they occurred. Now, Cindy Newell, the company’s director of human resources, says OCH is expecting to see fewer disability leaves post-pandemic, thanks to a proactive absence and disability management strategy […]
Before its benefits redesign, WSP Canada Inc. had a simple but effective idea: when you hear a good idea, write it down. “On an ongoing basis, we have an enhancement wish list that we maintain,” said Chantelle Tadman, benefits and wellness lead at the professional services firm, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 Plan Sponsor […]
About three-quarters (72 per cent) of Canadians with a workplace health benefits plan have a traditional plan and 28 per cent have a flex plan, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. This is up slightly from 2017, when 80 per cent of plan members said they had a traditional plan and 19 per […]
While nearly half (47 per cent) of Canadian employees described their health benefits plan as excellent or very good, this number is at the low end of results gathered since 2006, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Over the 15-year period in which the survey has been conducted, results have ranged between 47 […]
When the federal government signed the Cannabis Act into law in 2018, legalizing recreational cannabis, it also committed to providing patients with better access to medical cannabis and to more extensively researching the trends, use patterns, patient impact, potential therapeutic treatments and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. The legislation also prompted new conversations in […]
After the Arthritis Society’s extensive advocacy for medical cannabis research, it seemed only natural for the organization to cover the drug under its employee benefits plan. In 2017, as it prepared to introduce the coverage, it brought together an expert panel, including doctors with extensive experience prescribing medical cannabis and expert pharmacists and advisors from […]
A well-designed group benefits plan can be critical to attracting and retaining the right talent, as well as keeping employees healthy and productive at work. But for small employers, offering a benefits plan is easier said than done.