An article on how employers can support employees with vision loss when they’re required to use technology for work was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: How employers can support employees with vision loss when using technology […]
The union representing roughly 820 workers at Grand River Transit in Ontario has ratified a new three-year collective agreement that includes benefits and wage gains. The agreement includes increasing coverage for eyeglasses from $450 to $550 and adding speech pathologists and osteopaths to the list of covered paramedical practitioners. In addition, while the benefits previously […]
In the 30 years since Symcor’s inception, it has brought in many employees with diverse ages, backgrounds, cultures and experiences. “We want to make sure that, with a workforce as diverse as ours, to have programs that are inclusive, meaningful, relevant and supportive,” said Rachel Wong, the organization’s vice-president of total rewards and human resources […]
The organization’s total rewards manager talks family-building benefits, supporting younger workers’ well-being and the joys of online chess. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: In alignment with our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we’re expanding our family-building and support programs to better meet the evolving needs of our […]
Plan sponsors have far more access to benefits utilization and organizational health data than in recent years, but challenges persist with fragmentation and consistency across providers, as well as as difficulty turning data into action, according to a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. “We have 12 sources of data [from external […]
While society’s understanding of women’s health has significantly evolved in the last few years, employee benefits plans haven’t yet caught up. “We expect men and women to interact with their plan in the same way and that’s just not true,” said Erika Hatherly, strategic leader for drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions at iA […]
With many Canadian employers likely to have employees go on leave related to cancer, one survey suggests they need guidance on how to support those plan members before, during and after their leave, according to Julie Holmes, senior advisor for disability management at Desjardins Insurance, during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit. The survey, by […]
In response to growing awareness and incidences of anxiety, Ontario-based Symcor Inc. is hosting a webinar this month to help employees recognize and manage the condition. “Based on surveys and reports, we can see anxiety is a very common condition,” says Rachel Wong, the company’s vice-president of total rewards and human resources technology. “[This webinar] […]
Canada’s life and health insurers paid out a record $143.3 billion in health and retirement benefits last year, up from $128 billion in 2023, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s annual fact book. “At a time when our country is facing economic uncertainty and our health-care system is under strain, life and […]
A fifth (22 per cent) of plan sponsors said their organization has seen an uptick in benefits fraud, either by plan members, service providers or organized crime, according to the 2025 Benefits Healthcare Survey. During a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit last week, Lancelot Lambert, regional vice-president of Ontario and Atlantic […]