group insurance

Free prescription drug coverage for Ontario youth

December 12, 2017 Occasional Contributors Government Budgets, Throne Speeches and Plans, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits

Starting January 1st, 2018, prescription drugs will be free for Ontarians aged 24 and under. Ontario’s Youth Pharmacare, also known as OHIP+, is the first universal drug program of its kind in Canada. It represents a major step forward in providing health care savings for individuals, families, and employers alike.

drug coverage, employee assistance programs, employment law, group insurance, health, health insurance, Insurance coverage, insurance premiums, OHIP, prescription drug coverage, well-being

Why the need for a comprehensive health benefits plan?

December 20, 2012 Occasional Contributors Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Wages and Compensation

To many, comprehensive health benefits are second nature. We don’t think about them often because if we’re lucky, we don’t need to use them often (except the massages, of course). In fact, the majority of people won’t need (and might not even be aware of) the larger part of their policy coverage. So why is comprehensive health insurance so important? Let’s start with the basics.

a benefit plan provides an incentive to be productive, absenteeism will be reduced, anxiety, Attraction and retention, benefits package, comprehensive health benefits plan, dental care, emergency medical care, Employee wellness, Employer provided benefits plan, ensure that employees are healthy, Extended health care, group insurance, health benefits, health insurance, healthy lifestyle, Hindsight is 20-20, Medical insurance, Medicare, Motivated and productive employees, policy coverage, tension or stress, vision care

Employers ask: what conduct by an employee constitutes cause for dismissal

November 28, 2012 Earl Altman Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits

I am frequently asked by employer clients to describe what type of conduct by an employee will be held by the courts to qualify as cause for dismissal. Employers are often frustrated by the answer they receive – that it seems that nothing less than stealing money from the company will suffice. In the case of long time employees without prior instances of misconduct, theft may still be insufficient. A recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court has fortunately clarified the circumstances in which courts will find cause for dismissal as a result of dishonesty. What is striking about the decision is the reliance of the judge on a seemingly insignificant act committed by a nineteen year employee.

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Employer and insurer both breached privacy of employee

June 29, 2011 Christina Catenacci Human Resources, Privacy and Security

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta has determined that an employer violated the Personal Information Protection Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act when it disclosed more information than necessary to determine the employee’s eligibility for disability benefits, and that the group insurance provider used the information without consent.

Alberta, Breach of privacy, collecting medical information, consent, Disability benefits, Disclosing medical information, eligibility for disability benefits, employment law, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, group insurance, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, oipc, personal information, Personal Information Protection Act, using medical information, workers’ compensation, workplace injury