At Benefits Canada headquarters, the holiday spirit has been high for a few weeks, beginning with a holiday lunch at the end of November, enthusiastic employees decking out their desks in a bid to win a decorating contest and a holiday baking exchange featuring a treat-laden table in the office. While there are a variety of ways employers […]
Rates of workplace absenteeism reached peak levels in 2016 compared to the last five years in both the public and private sectors, according to Statistics Canada. The public sector lost 13.5 days per employee on average, up from 12.5 in 2012. The private sector had been trending down from 8.3 days in 2012 but returned […]
Canada’s public sector pension organizations are global leaders. Over the past 30 years, they’ve distinguished themselves in the delivery of secure and sustainable defined benefit pensions but they’re facing new challenges. At issue is whether they can meet those challenges and repeat past successes for the next generation of Canadians. A new report commissioned by […]
While some employees consider the holidays the most wonderful time of the year, others find it fraught with tricky questions, such as whether or not to give gifts to colleagues or how to survive the office Christmas party. A recent survey by staffing and recruitment firm Ranstad polled more than 1,200 American employees to learn […]
As the federal government gets ready to boost employment insurance benefits for new parents on Dec. 3, the provinces have been busy updating their parental leave policies to align with the changes. Under the federal changes, Canadian employees with a newborn or newly adopted child will be able to choose between the existing employment insurance rate of 55 […]
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is taking a more holistic approach to workplace wellness by putting financial fitness on the same pedestal as physical well-being and mental health. “Traditionally, workplaces have focused on physical wellness and dedicated a lot of resources to it at the expense of overlooking the mental and financial aspects of […]
While the discussions around the reasons employees need to miss work are getting more specific in many provinces, leave options remain fuzzy to non-existent from a government perspective for many emergency scenarios. On Wednesday, Ontario passed a new bill that includes expanding personal emergency leave to 10 days per year for all employees, with at least two paid […]
Younger generations value interesting work, continuous learning and work-life balance over pay and benefits, according to a new report by consultancy and marketing agency Lovell Corp. The report, part of a research study conducted in partnership with the University of Guelph, aims to provide insights into the career aspirations, work values and career priorities of millennials […]
Looking to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Vancouver? That’ll set you back more than $3,000 a month, according to recent reports. If it’s time to buy, recent figures put the price of the average detached house in the Vancouver area at a cool $1.6 million. Understandably, many people can’t make those prices work, which can […]
Following recent hurricanes in the United States, employers are confronting absences caused by extreme weather conditions by considering a climate-related policy that allows employees to take paid leave for days off due to a natural disaster. New York-based software company Fog Creek Software has formalized a plan. It’s allowing employees to take up to five days paid leave due to extreme […]