Last week, we hosted an “Ask the Experts” panel here in Vancouver. We wanted to give our clients the opportunity to ask specific questions directly to industry experts. We had a great discussion, and attendees learned tons of valuable information.

Now, for those of you who couldn’t make it, we’ve compiled the questions and answers into this blog post. So if you want to learn more about cannabis in the workplace, issues around termination, an employer’s duty to accommodate, and more, then read on!

Do you have employees stationed north of the border? Are you ready to implement a Canadian benefits plan?

In our blog, Canadian Benefits 101: Advice for Foreign-Based Employers, we discussed how Canada’s healthcare landscape is unique in many ways. So when looking at employee benefits in Canada, creating the right plan for your needs can be challenging.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. In this blog, we’ll break down the process, so you can better understand the next steps. Let’s get started.

Parental leave, terminations, cost-sharing. These are just some of the situations that could result in a change to your employee benefits plan.

To ensure you have the information you need to make these changes correctly, we put together this list of eight FAQs. So without further ado, here are some of your most common questions, answered.

Today, we’re going to talk about marijuana coverage and benefits plans.

Because of recent legislation changes around marijuana legalization, this is a hot topic for many employers. In this article, we’ll focus on medical marijuana, and look at how it fits into your employee benefits landscape.

When people think of Canada, they think of a lot of things, and “free healthcare” is usually one of them.

If you have employees living and working in Canada, you may be wondering, “What does free healthcare really mean? And what does it actually cover?”

Most importantly, what do you, as an employer, need to know about providing employee benefits to workers stationed in Canada?

In this blog, we’ll go over things you need to know about the healthcare benefits landscape in Canada, so you can protect your business while taking care of your people.

We like it when an employer and their employees are happy with their selected benefit provider, but satisfaction is usually the outcome of many factors. Rates need to be priced fairly, claims should be paid properly and in a timely fashion, administration should be easy and run smoothly, mistakes (those rare times that they happen) need to be fixed quickly and problems should be resolved without hassle.

According to the latest Help Wanted Survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), there were 399,000 vacant jobs in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2017. British Columbia has the highest job vacancy rate at 3.9%, up from 3.6% three months earlier. 

If your organization is feeling the strain, you might consider bringing in: 

• inpatriates (an employee of a multinational company who is from a foreign country, but is transferred to your corporation's headquarters) or,
• temporary foreign workers.

But in doing this, it’s crucial to be aware of what’s involved when offering these workers employee benefits.

As globalization increases, more and more Canadian companies are sending workers around the world. But here’s the challenge:

Employee benefits in a global setting are increasingly complex. If you don’t fully understand these complexities, your business and workers may become vulnerable to serious health and financial issues.

First, your global benefits programs need to make sense for the location and culture your employees are in. Also, Canadian companies must prepare for the challenges associated with every country where their workers travel, work, and live. If not, you may end up facing lawsuits and criminal charges.

Did you know that eyeglasses can cost more than $600 a pair? Because of this, people often struggle when buying contacts or glasses.

As an employer, it’s essential to understand the value and importance of vision insurance. While most employees are satisfied with their overall benefits plan, many aren’t as happy when it comes to eye care.

If you have a benefits plan, you have most likely gone through a renewal in the past. Now that the next one is just around the corner, you have the chance to work with your advisor to decide on a plan that will benefit both your employees and you organization. For human resource professionals, this is an excellent opportunity to further the positive impact of employee wellness.