More than two-fifths (44 per cent) of North American institutional investors say they’re likely to increase allocations to alternative investments, citing high inflation (89 per cent) and expectations of lower returns (86 per cent), according to a new survey by Cerulli Associates. The survey’s respondents said they plan to increase allocations to infrastructure (28 per […]
An article on Thomson Reuters’ new vacation policy was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Thomson Reuters supporting employee well-being with new vacation policy 2. Expert panel: What does it mean for pension plan members to live separate and apart? 3. 42% of Canadian […]
The majority (80 per cent) of Canadian employers say they enhanced their total rewards programs in 2022 to better attract and retain employees, up from 63 per cent in 2020 and 2021, according to a new survey by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The survey, which polled more than 450 employers, found 44 per cent […]
Canada’s employment insurance system requires modernization to withstand future economic challenges and to ensure Canadians’ financial security, according to a new report by the Institute for Research on Public Policy. The proportion of unemployed Canadians eligible for EI has decreased from 80 per cent in the 1980s to 40 per cent today, it said, noting […]
The union representing roughly 300 employees at American Airlines in Toronto and Montreal has ratified a new two-year agreement that includes pension and benefits improvements. The agreement includes a 0.5 per cent increase to the matching formula for the defined contribution pension plan — from 5.5 per cent to six per cent — plus an […]
A global four-day workweek pilot program has resulted in positive impacts to employee well-being and productivity, according to a new report by Boston College, Cambridge University and University College Dublin. The report analyzed responses from more than 900 employees and 33 employers participating in the six-month program between February and August. It found the vast […]
Snap Inc. is the latest technology company requiring employees to return to the office. According to a report by Bloomberg, chief executive officer Evan Spiegel told employees he expects them to be working onsite four days a week starting in February. The policy will also count some tasks, such as client meetings, as time spent […]
In Canada, the year-over-year cost increase for claims under a medical plan on a per-person basis is projected to reach seven per cent in 2023, according to a new report by Mercer. The report, which analyzed responses from more than 200 insurers across 56 countries, found the global year-over-year cost is expected to increase to […]
The Saskatchewan government is introducing amendments to its pension legislation that provide additional flexibility for plan sponsors and introduce new decumulation options for members of defined contribution plans. The bill, which passed first reading in provincial parliament last week, includes provisions for DC plan sponsors to offer advanced life deferred annuities and variable payment lifetime […]
Two-fifths (40 per cent) of all U.S. private sector employees don’t have an employer-sponsored retirement plan and non-white workers have the least access to these plans, according to a report by T. Rowe Price Group Inc. It found that, while 58 per cent of white employees had access to workplace retirement plans, this percentage decreased […]