Organon Canada is marking International Women’s Day by giving all employees a paid day off to reflect on the workplace gender disparities that have grown since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Litsa Spiridonakos, director of human resources at the women’s health-care company, says the response to the paid day off — including how it […]
Increased benefits and expanded mental-health coverage are among the highlights of a new collective agreement ratified by Oakville Transit workers who are also members of Unifor Local 1256. Under the agreement, which ends a two-week strike, the workers will see an increase in their vision care coverage, from $400 to $450 annually. It also includes […]
Lupus, a chronic but “invisible” autoimmune disease with no cure, is a life-altering diagnosis that impacts all areas of patients’ lives, including their work performance. But there’s plenty employers can do to support these employees and help them continue to thrive at work, said Leanne Mielczarek, executive director of Lupus Canada, during Benefits Canada’s 2022 […]
Kristy Dickinson woke up on a recent Monday unable to move her body. The delay waiting for medication and a heating pad to kick in threw off her morning routine and a flare-up of gastrointestinal symptoms forced her to reschedule back-to-back work meetings. She wasn’t able to get her work done until later in the […]
People living with multiple sclerosis can continue to thrive in the workforce with early access to specialists in the disease and accommodations that give them control over their work environment. “MS really has a pretty broad impact on affected individuals’ health system and [on] society,” said Ruth Ann Marrie, professor of medicine and community health […]
Women who develop inflammatory arthritis or psoriasis often do so in the prime of their lives, leaving them with concerns related to their reproductive and sexual health. But they struggle to find support in their employer-sponsored benefits plans. “We know that diversity, equity and inclusion are a really big piece of [human resources] these days,” […]
Chronic physical health conditions and anxiety and mood disorders are frequently co-morbid conditions, so it’s important for employers to understand the link and how to support staff in the workplace, said Deborah McLeod, clinical director at Carepath Inc., during Benefits Canada’s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work conference in February. People living with chronic physical health […]
An article on British Columbia’s paramedics and their need for enhanced mental-health benefits was the most read story over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. B.C. paramedics seeking enhanced mental-health benefits 2. Canadian pension plans overcoming legislation, governance challenges: webinar 3. Ontario’s DB pension plans should take steps […]
Lululemon Athletica Inc. is offering mental-health first-aid training to all employees, with a goal of training all of its workers by 2023. While the training isn’t mandatory, more than 300 employees have already completed the program, said Angela Wright, vice-president of health and wealth and organization planning at Lululemon, in an emailed statement to Benefits Canada. […]
Nearly all (92 per cent) U.S. employees are in favour of a four-day workweek, citing improved mental health and increased productivity as perceived benefits, according to a new survey by software company Qualtrics. While three-quarters (74 per cent) of respondents said they’d be able to complete the same amount of work in four days, a […]