Walmart Inc. is expanding its benefits to include coverage of doula care for employees under its medical plan in Georgia. The company recently announced it was providing up to US$1,000 per pregnancy for all its employees in the southern U.S. state. For employees to obtain the coverage, the doulas must be credentialed through either DONA […]
Contract negotiations are continuing between Chartwell Master Care and the union representing employees at an Ottawa-area retirement home, after the employer proposed cuts to paid sick days and changes to bereavement leave. The proposed cuts at Chartwell Stonehaven include a reduced annual cap on sick days — from 12 to six — for full-time employees, […]
The coronavirus pandemic has increased health-care costs in the U.S., while shifting how and where employees access care, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It projected that the costs of medical treatment in the U.S. will increase by 6.5 per cent in 2022, slightly lower than this year (seven per cent). “The pandemic’s long […]
More than 2,000 workers at a Vale nickel mine in Sudbury, Ont., are continuing their strike after their union, United Steelworkers Local 6500, rejected the company’s five-year contract proposal, which cuts health and medical benefits for existing and future employees. The June 14 offer was Vale’s second since the workers went on strike June 1, […]
Although vaccinations have been ramping up across the country, almost half (46 per cent) of Canadians who are working from home are anxious about contracting the virus if and when they return to the office, according to a survey conducted by Workplace Strategies for Mental Health on behalf of the Canada Life Assurance Co. The […]
Anyone who’s ever run a marathon or completed an endurance race or trek knows the last few miles are the hardest, both physically and mentally. For most Canadians, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been a marathon of sorts and, although we appear to be getting closer to the end, the finish line keeps moving. While […]
Lululemon Athletica Inc. is helping employees maintain physical and mental well-being amid the coronavirus pandemic with a series of wellness initiatives. In an emailed statement to Benefits Canada, Angela Wright, vice-president of health and wealth and organization planning at Lululemon, said the company increased its focus on employee well-being during the pandemic, with many existing […]
The Bank of Montreal is empowering employees to become allies for their co-workers in the LGBTQ2S+ community. As part of its Zero Barriers to Inclusion 2025 strategy, released in September 2020, BMO launched its Road to Allyship training program to help employees on their own journey to allyship during Pride Month this June. The program […]
Since shifting its employees to remote working at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Twitter Inc. adapted its fitness reimbursement benefit to the new virtual reality. Before the change, fitness was already a core part of the social media company’s suite of wellness benefits and perks, as well as part of its culture. In its […]
Manulife Financial Corp.’s new virtual health and wellness program is aiming to help employees keep healthy, engaged and connected amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Elevate program is part of Manulife’s overall employee engagement strategy and includes four sessions with the themes of healthy activities, mindfulness, eating well and demonstrating gratitude. The program is a […]