When the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic started to intensify in Canada, Toronto-based tech company Staffy decided it was time to implement a vaccination mandate. The company, which provides an on-demand workforce platform for the health-care and hospitality sector, made it mandatory for their 20 corporate staff to be vaccinated. They also made vaccinations […]
As more Canadian employers implement coronavirus vaccine policies for staff and clients, Hermie Abraham, an employment lawyer, says provisions that still allow unvaccinated people to participate are at the core of their legality. Porter Airlines, Sun Life Financial Inc. and Twitter Inc. have joined a growing list of Canadian businesses that will require their employees […]
Contract negotiations between Napanee, Ont.-based Lennox and Addington Interval House and Unifor Local 414, the union representing the company’s employees, have reached an impasse over maintaining the workers’ wellness fund. LAIH, a shelter serving women and children fleeing domestic violence, and the union have been locked in a conciliation process since March 10, 2021. The current […]
Twitter Inc. is among the latest employers enacting a coronavirus vaccination policy for employees. In an emailed statement to Benefits Canada, the social media company said anyone who wishes to return to its North American offices must be vaccinated and show proof. In May 2020, the company announced it would allow employees to continue working […]
Discussion around implementing a national universal pharmacare strategy is growing louder ahead of next month’s federal election. In its 2019 budget, the federal government said it would work with partners to move forward on a national pharmacare program, including the creation of a new national drug agency and formulary, as well as a national strategy for […]
Ottawa will require federal employees and workers in federally regulated industries to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, marking a shift in the federal government’s position on vaccine mandates. The move — which will affect roughly 1.5 million workers — is necessary to protect against more dangerous variants of the coronavirus, says Dominic LeBlanc, head of the Privy […]
With coronavirus vaccinations playing a key role in shaping the post-coronavirus pandemic workplace, employers can help employees overcome vaccine hesitancy through a variety of measures, says Daniel Michaluk, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. “Most strategies are communication-based, such as encouragement through talking about the benefits of vaccination.” Read: Sounding Board: Employers playing a key […]
SAP Canada Inc. is accelerating the expansion of virtual wellness offerings through its benefits package amid the coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic has essentially pressed fast-forward on a direction that the market was already going,” says Megan Smith, vice-president and head of human resources at the software company. “It forced the issue of remote work, causing employers […]
Ontario’s temporary paid sick leave program is receiving less uptake than initially expected. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Friday that, as of July 21, a total of $13.2 million in claims have been made to the program, which is retroactive to April 19 and ends on Sept. 25. When the program was first launched this […]
Hootsuite Inc. is supporting employee mental health by giving workers more time off this summer. The social media marketing and management company held its inaugural wellness week from July 5 to 12, allowing employees to recharge and make time for personal goals and activities. Claire Adams, director of learning and development at Hootsuite, says the […]