In June 2017, the federal government amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals, forbidding employers across all jurisdictions to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. While the protections and language used by organizations can vary, the intent of the protections is […]
On May 21, Benefits Canada hosted a webinar to explore the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on chronic disease in the workplace, as well as how virtual solutions can support employee health through this unprecedented time. All employers are currently facing the same concerns, said Marie-Josée Le Blanc, a partner at Mercer, during the webinar. Pointing to the 2019 […]
The results of a new study highlight the value of tailoring drug treatment to an individual’s genetic makeup. The pharmacogenetics clinical trial study by Green Shield Canada and the health benefits management division of HBM+ followed more than 200 outpatients who had been diagnosed with major mental-health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Participants were randomly […]
The coronavirus pandemic has been disruptive for all and sadly, devastating and difficult for many. In the pandemic’s early days, we saw a great deal of change and upheaval very swiftly — both for organizations and our communities. The way in which we live our lives day to day changed very quickly. And for many Canadian employers, […]
As the Canada Life Assurance Co. prepares a phased approach for returning to the office, the insurer is thanking its more than 11,000 employees with two paid days on July 2 and 3 for an extra long Canada Day weekend. “Three months ago, we asked our employees to be flexible, adaptable, creative and resilient in […]
Optima Global Health is partnering with MindBeacon to offer its online cognitive behavioural therapy service to plan sponsors. “Mental health is more important than ever for our customers in today’s uncertain world,” said François Laflamme, president of Optima Global Health, a Quebec-based employee assistance program provider, in a press release. Read: MindBeacon launches digital mental-health […]
While 72 per cent of Canadian employers said they’ll make minimal or no changes to their benefits coverage in 2021, 21 per cent are planning some plan design changes around health coverage, according to a new survey by Arther J. Gallagher & Co. Eight per cent said they’re looking at plan design and contribution structure […]
Will this summer be prime vacation time for Canadians? While travel restrictions and social distancing protocols are still in effect, many employers are encouraging their staff to take breaks to avoid burnout, according to a new survey by the Conference Board of Canada. About a third (33 per cent) of survey respondents said they’re encouraging staff to […]
A quarter (26 per cent) of Canadians indicated moderate to severe anxiety levels, 23 per cent said they felt lonely occasionally or most of the time in the past week and 20 per cent reported feeling depressed occasionally or most of the time in the past week, according to a new survey by the Centre […]
The Municipal Property Assessment Corp. is hosting a series of virtual leader chats to help its employees manage the mental-health challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to answer their pressing questions. The live chats, which were held three times a week beginning mid-March and moved to twice a week after the Victoria Day long weekend, […]