While ChatGPT is helping benefits communications become more efficient, detailed and reliable, the risks may outweigh the rewards when it comes to full automation, says Tom Milne, a principal at Normandin Beaudry. The possibilities for generative artificial intelligence in the benefits space are infinite, he says, noting the algorithms are helping expedite the research and […]
With the Muslim population steadily growing in Canada, employers that offer defined contribution pension plans can avoid unintentionally creating a pension gap by providing these members with access to retirement savings solutions that align with their faith. Under Shariah law, Muslims can’t hold investments that would bring social or environmental harm, such as shares in […]
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are esteemed values held by many employers and are table stakes in the value proposition for employees and customers. However, in the context of DEI, ageism and the importance of supporting older workers is rarely mentioned. It’s a complex issue that can have significant consequences on a company’s performance and its […]
The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a $248,931 judgment against an employer that denied long-term disability benefits to an employee, citing the trial judge’s misinterpretation of eligibility requirements. “The employee’s position was that he was on temporary medical leave, but he had been working until the day he left and the medical evidence clearly […]
Wells Fargo has agreed to a pay US$1 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by its two public sector pension plans who alleged the bank made misleading statements about its compliance with federal regulators after a fake account-opening scandal came to light in 2016. The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of members of […]
In December 2022, the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia released an unexpected decision: two men, who had been in a polyamorous relationship with a third man for more than a decade, were entitled to the latter’s survivor pension benefits. The pension plan had originally denied the partners’ application for survivor benefits and had sought […]
Unlike other Canadian provinces and jurisdictions, the Quebec government imposes rules and constraints on private drug plans that affects pharmacy costs. For example, in all provinces except Quebec, the amounts billed by pharmacies to private drug claims are controlled through the following measures: fees are displayed in pharmacies so patients can compare — however, the […]
Most gig workers in Seattle will be permanently entitled to paid sick leave under a new law that expands coronavirus pandemic-era protections and strengthens labour rights for app-based workers. Under the law, workers will accrue one day of paid sick or safe leave — to be used when caring for themselves or a family member […]
In its 2023 budget on Tuesday, the federal government proposed roughly $13 billion over the next five years and $4.4 billion ongoing to fully implement the national dental-care program. The plan — to be administered by Health Canada, with support from a third-party benefits administrator — will provide dental coverage for uninsured Canadians with annual […]
President Joe Biden’s order that federal employees in the U.S. get vaccinated against the coronavirus has been blocked by a federal appeals court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the same authority as the chief executive officer of a private corporation to require […]