Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising 10 sick days for federally regulated employees. Trudeau made the promise on the federal election trail on Friday ahead of Canadians going to the polls on Sept. 21. Read: What are the current provincial policies on emergency, sick leave amid the coronavirus pandemic? “Before the pandemic hit, more than half of workers across […]
The union president for the Canadian Border Services Agency employees is “relieved” after reaching a new tentative agreement that includes retirement benefits and new paid leave programs. Under the four-year agreement, which dates back to 2018, the Treasury Board has committed to working toward the introduction of early retirement benefits for the border employees, along […]
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 […]
The first strike at Vale Canada in more than a decade is drawing to a close after unionized workers at the Sudbury, Ont., mine ratified a collective agreement that includes improved pension and health benefits. Through the agreement — which expires May 31, 2026 — the monthly pre-age 65 defined benefit pension will increase by $50 to […]
Bumble Inc. is introducing paid leave and a biannual company-wide week off for its global employees. The dating app, which has offices in Russia, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S., is rolling out the paid leave to ensure employees are caring for themselves outside of work, according to a statement. It includes: a minimum of […]
While many organizations had to press pause on their hiring plans at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Willful, a Canadian online estate planning company, had to ramp up its hiring efforts during this time. Before the pandemic, all new employees at Willful received a variety of perks, including a $500 annual education budget, summer […]
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 […]
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 830 locked-out employees at Reliance Home Comfort sites in Ontario are heading back to work after their union ratified a new contract with the company on June 30. The new collective agreement includes two new paid sick days, improvements to the extended health benefits cost-sharing and a one per cent increase to the matching […]
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 […]