Although mental health is approached differently in workplaces around the globe, most multinational employers want to ensure a continuity of care and maintain a similar experience for all employees, while respecting local cultural and legal considerations. For Scotiabank, these considerations include focusing on what types of support are needed, what the employee experience is going […]
In the year ahead, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association will continue its advocacy efforts to ensure the federal government’s proposed pharmacare plan extends coverage for those who lack benefits without disrupting workplace benefits that millions of working Canadians rely on, says Stephen Frank, the association’s president and chief executive officer. The right approach to […]
Employers can use Bell Let’s Talk Day to normalize talking about mental health and reflect on whether they’re ‘walking the talk,’ says Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group. “Some employers I work with say, ‘Mental health is important to us,’ but then you might see the executive team rolling their eyes when they […]
With the new Canadian Dental Care Plan rolling out, it’s critical that it doesn’t displace existing employer-sponsored dental coverage, says Stephen Frank, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association. He believes a tax credit would be an optimal solution that would go a long way towards encouraging employers not […]
Employers can use the time surrounding ‘Blue Monday’ to ensure they’re communicating properly with employees and highlighting mental-health supports, says Gianna Ricciardi, vice-president and practice leader at Vita Assure Inc. Blue Monday — typically the third Monday in January — is considered to be the saddest day of the year because the combination of dreary weather […]
The 10 highest-cost drugs reimbursed by public drug plans in Canada in the 2021/22 fiscal year were all rare disease treatments with annual treatment costs of more than $250,000, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It found the increased use of high-cost drugs continued to be the main factor […]
Canadian online estate planning company Willful is expanding its bereavement policy to provide more employee support and flexibility. Employees are allowed up to 15 consecutive business days of paid leave to mourn a family member, 10 days for a close friend and three days for a pet. Through the nature of their work, Willful’s employees are very familiar […]
As someone who has become increasingly overweight in the last few years, every time I read or write about obesity being referred to as a ‘lifestyle condition’ it makes me physically cringe. Yes, some poor diet choices have contributed to my current physical condition, but it’s much more complex than that. And I know others […]
A recent development in the U.K. pension market to give British workers a ‘pot for life’ could reduce the quality of retirement plans that are already in place and create administrative challenges, says Adam Bexson, senior corporate pension consultant at Verlingue Ltd. Currently, plan members are automatically enrolled into a retirement plan chosen by their employer, […]
With the end of the year approaching, some employers and health practitioners may feel the need to tell employees to use up their benefits, but Rob Van De Cappelle, national benefits consultant at Cowan Insurance Group, cautions against this approach. “I tell employers and employees the benefits plan is there to keep you healthy and […]