BDO Canada LLP employees who are considering taking a pottery course, planning a family vacation or even booking a caterer for their wedding can get a little financial assistance from the company’s newest benefit. The consultancy’s Do What You Love program, which launched in 2022, provides plan members with a set annual reimbursement amount for […]
Nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of U.S. employees currently use or have previously used virtual care as part of their health-care experience, according to a new report by Cigna Healthcare. It found 70 per cent of U.S. adults were likely to use digital health tools in the future and roughly three-quarters believe the tools would […]
Mental health and musculoskeletal problems are currently two of the main drivers of disability claims and it isn’t uncommon for plan members with a mental-health diagnosis to also have a secondary physical condition or vice-versa, said Rebecca Smith, director of group life and disability services at Medavie Blue Cross, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Mental Health […]
During a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Vancouver Benefits Summit in May, three experts discussed the role of virtual management platforms in helping Canadians with diabetes manage their condition. According to Diabetes Canada, roughly 12 million Canadians live with type 1, type 2 or prediabetes. Roughly a quarter of Canadians don’t have access to […]
The University Pension Plan’s chief people officer discusses expanding the talent pool, providing access to personalized and culturally relevant mental-health practitioners and finding time to enjoy the theatre. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: As a new organization responsible for delivering pension security to 40,000 members, we need to attract […]
CAA Club Group’s award-winning health and wellness strategy is showing employees, as well as potential candidates, that the organization is focused on supporting the holistic well-being needs of its workforce. Last year, the organization’s extensive employee well-being program led it to win Benefits Canada’s 2023 Workplace Benefits Awards in the Health/wellness program category for employers […]
An article on the federal government’s financial sanctions against the Canada Life Assurance Co. following delayed benefits access for public employees was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Canada Life facing gov’t financial sanctions following delayed benefits access for public […]
With employees often struggling to find benefits offerings related to mental-health support or chronic conditions, demand for health-care system navigation services has increased significantly in the past few years. In May 2023, the Bank of Montreal launched a digital mental-health navigation guide, available to employees in both Canada and the U.S., that streamlines access to […]
This Mental Health Week and beyond, employers can support employee mental health using digital toolkits, mental-health coaching and by providing adequate coverage, says Marie-Chantal Côtè, senior vice-president of group benefits at Sun Life Financial Inc. Mental-health practitioner claims more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, according to a recent report by Sun Life that examined claims […]
During Canada’s unprecedented 2023 wildfire season, 6,500 individual fires burned more than 18.4 million hectares of land — and wildland firefighters bore the brunt of it all. “The working conditions are extremely dangerous and they’re getting more dangerous as fires become larger and more intense, and, in many cases, are going through communities,” says Bert […]