The organization’s chief inclusion officer discusses building an inclusive learning roadmap, the adoption of AI in the HR space and finding ways to nourish her soul amid life’s daily demands. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: Harmonizing company objectives with internal and external expectations — which are influenced by cultural […]
The documentation of formal diversity, equity and inclusion policies and approaches is one of the most significant changes to the Canadian workplace over the last decade. Progress of this magnitude seldom comes quickly. Employers are being asked tough questions about their implementation of the goals they’ve laid out — and they’re not always getting great […]
The state of Georgia will start paying for gender affirmation care for state employees, public school teachers and former employees covered by a state health insurance plan, settling the latest lawsuit aimed at forcing state agencies to pay for surgery and other procedures. The plaintiffs moved to dismiss their case last Thursday in Atlanta federal […]
After years of viewing diversity, equity and inclusion as a side-of-the-desk issue, Canadian employers are increasingly considering it a top priority and integrating their organizational DEI goals into their benefits plans. While employers have been introducing DEI initiatives for years, incorporating these goals into benefits plans had been neglected, according to multiple panellists during Benefits Canada’s […]
Scotiabank is supporting employee well-being and workplace inclusivity by aligning benefits offerings across its global markets. Employees in the majority of countries where Scotiabank operates will see their benefits aligned with the bank’s global inclusive standard within the next five years, towards a goal of aligning benefits in all markets by the end of 2030. […]
An article on Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada’s gender affirmation coverage was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada providing employees, dependants with $10K in gender affirmation coverage 2. 38% of Canadian workers don’t feel supported by their employer: survey 3. Changes […]
In 2000, the federal government announced same-sex partners of Canada Pension Plan beneficiaries could claim survivor benefits, as long as their bereavement had occurred no earlier than 1998. This was of cold comfort to George Hislop, whose partner Ron Shearer had died in 1986. In 2003, the LGBTQ2S+ rights advocate and businessperson launched a class […]
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. is providing employees and their dependants with $10,000 in lifetime gender affirmation coverage. The additional coverage complements existing benefits that support transitioning employees, including prescription drug coverage for hormone therapy, mental-health coverage, disability insurance and medical leaves for employees who are recovering from surgeries. The new coverage is also extended to […]
The University of Toronto is supporting employee well-being with enhanced gender affirmation coverage. Heather Boon, acting vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture at U of T, says the coverage was negotiated in several of its recent collective agreements and is also available to non-union employees. “Gender affirmation coverage is being provided to help support […]
For LGBTQ2S+ employees and allies, the current news stream is particularly bleak. In recent months, at least 20 U.S. states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. In both Canada and the U.S., LGBTQ2S+ events, such as drag queen story hours at public libraries, are increasingly subject to protest both […]