By requiring employers to have a written policy on the electronic monitoring of their employees, the Ontario government is aiming to increase employer transparency, says Andy Pushalik, partner and head of the employment and labour group at Dentons Canada LLP. “With so many employees now working from home, [the government] felt there was a requirement that […]
The federal government is aiming to launch the first phase of its national dental-care program on Dec. 1. The program, which will provide dental care for uninsured households earning less than $90,000 annually, will initially provide coverage of up to $650 per year for children aged 12 and younger, according to a press release. The […]
There’s no question that Canadians value their private health benefits, even with pharmacare discussions back on the table. In a recent Abacus Data study, 78 per cent of respondents said they feel group benefits plans increase the availability and affordability of health services in Canada, as opposed to undermining universal health coverage. Furthermore, 92 per […]
The Pension Regulator, the U.K. government body that oversees defined benefit pension plans, is calling on plan sponsors to help advance a three-pronged strategy to fight pension fraud. “Over many years, we have worked to prevent savers’ losses and put fraudsters in prison: running large-scale public awareness campaigns, leading a multi-agency response to the threat […]
While the 2022 federal budget proposed funding for national dental care, the plan, as currently understood, lacks universality, would disrupt existing public and private dental care and threatens single-tier health care. According to a recent article in the Harm Reduction Journal, thousands of Canadians needlessly suffer from largely preventable oral conditions, mostly tooth decay and […]
U.S. employers offering 403(b) retirement plans will benefit from access to collective investment trusts, according to a report by the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. It noted the latest version of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act passed the House in March and, if it passes through the Senate with language that allows institutional 403(b) […]
Pension and retirement plan members in Saskatchewan can now designate beneficiaries through electronic means. The provincial government recently passed a series of amendments regarding the electronic handling of legal matters. Bill 56 specifically allows individuals to name beneficiaries electronically for certain types of plans including an employee pension, retirement, welfare or profit-sharing fund or plan, […]
Decentralized finance technology facilitated more illicit cryptocurrency transactions in the first quarter of 2022 than in any other period, according to a report from Chainalysis Inc. “DeFi protocols have accounted for an ever-growing share of all funds stolen from cryptocurrency platforms since the beginning of 2020 and lost the vast majority of stolen funds in […]
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario is introducing a whistleblower program to more effectively identify misconduct in the pensions and non-securities financial services sectors. The program will apply to any individual or entity who comes forward in good faith with valuable, timely and non-public/insider information related to an alleged or intended contravention in any […]
Amid plans by the federal government to introduce national dental and pharmacare programs, key stakeholders in the private payer health-care sector should highlight the value of private health plans in Canada, according to a panel during a webinar by the Group Insurance Pharmaceutical Committee last week. In March, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic […]