Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is one of the leading causes for liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplant. Currently, there are no vaccines on the market for … read more
The cost of health care has risen considerably over the last 10 years, with increased costs to employer and employee alike1. Next to heart disease, cancer is the second most costly medical condition in the United States2, with the exorbitant … read more
Effective March 29, 2012, employer contributions to a “group sickness or accident plan” for coverage in 2013 will become a taxable benefit to the employee. The change affects AD&D and critical illness plans but does not affect wage-loss replacement plans … read more
In the 2012 Budget, the Federal government stated their commitment to introduce legislation which will require federally regulated employers to insure their Long Term Disability (LTD) plans. This change is part of a government initiative originally announced in the 2010 … read more
The Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program helps seniors with the cost of their prescription drugs. Under the current ODB program, seniors pay the first $100 of their drug costs each year and a co-payment of $6.11 for each prescription after … read more
Economist Don Drummond’s report, “Public Service for Ontarians: A Path to Sustainability and Excellence” contains suggestions of note for drug Plan Sponsors. Given that, according to the report, between 1975-2006, inflation-adjusted spending per capita on hospitals in Ontario rose 51 … read more
Bill C-13, Keeping Canada’s Economy and Jobs Growing Act, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2011 includes amendments to the Canada Pension Plan requiring CPP contributions on amounts received by an individual under uninsured, employer-paid disability benefits-i.e., taxable income paid from these plans. read more
On December 8, 2011, Ontario introduced Bill 30, the Family Caregiver Leave Act (Employment Standards Amendment), 2011 (“Bill 30”). If passed, Bill 30 creates a new category of job-protected leave in Ontario effective July 1, 2012. Entitlement to family… read more
By January 1st 2012, all businesses and nonprofits in Ontario with one or more employees (full-time, part-time, seasonal, or contract) are required to comply with a set of obligations under the Accessible Customer Service Standard. This includes consultants, manufacturers … read more
In the context of a restructuring in 2003, Canac Kitchens terminated without cause a 55 year old employee with 24 years of service. The employee was given the statutory minimum payment of 31.79 weeks and his LTD coverage terminated at … read more