Benefits Alliance Voice

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Dr. Ryan Todd joins Carolyne and Rob to dicusss Mental Health and how you can be proactive in the workplace. Show Notes: - Headversity starting point was a combination of Dr. Ryan’s clinical training, meeting patients who are not leveraging the tools available, and research around mental health in Hockey. - EAP (Employee Assistance Plans) were designed for the needs of previous gener...

On this episode, Melanie Dobler joins Carolyne Eagan and Rob Green talk about how Employee Assistance Plans are changing to better meet the needs of employees in a variety of needs. Show notes: - Current low utilization of EAPs in Canada and how awareness and improving access can improve overall utilization. - How leadership can impact the culture of being more open about accessing available resources and encourage everyone to be...

David Bartucci joins Rahim Peera and Carolyne Eagan for a significant update in Group Retirement. The episode covers the significance of the updated CAPSA guidelines, which have been in the making for 20 years. The guidelines aim to provide a framework for administering capital accumulation plans (CAP) effectively.

Show Notes:

• What CAP Stands For: CAP stands for Capital Accumulation Plan, which includes retirement vehicles l...

Darcy Michaud is back for another episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice. Learn about the most popular HR questions he gets asked.

In this episode:

• Understanding the difference between layoffs and termination
• How employee seniority impacts layoffs
• Extending benefits for laid-off employees
• Termination guidelines within employment standards
• When do you need an HR Professional or an Employment Lawyer?
• Navigating work-fr...

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Carolyne and Rob talk with Cory Chadwick about a different approach to being at your best personally and professionally. In this conversation, Cory shares his story for founding Lyceum (formerly The Mental Gym), and the program's outcomes that people can expect.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How to fuel growth-minded people to be proactive about mental health.
• Teams using...

In this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Carolyne and Rob talk with Rochelle Hildebrand and David Tweneboah about the care and treatment solutions for mental health. A progressive approach to being a support system for Canadians.

• Historically, Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) utilization is between 8-11%.
• Mental Health Claims continue to increase, and currently, 40% of all long-term disability claims are mental health r...

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Carolyne and Rob talk with Darcy Michaud about navigating long-term disability. The conversation covers increasing absenteeism from mental health, what the common misconceptions are about long-term disability, and how to balance medical leaves and productivity.

• 40% of long-term disability claims are mental health related.
• The process for employers to handle a physical vs mental...

In this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Brady Aarssen joins Carolyne and Rahim to talk about how the workforce has been changing in Canada, how traditional retirement savings products are changing to meet the needs of Canadians today.

Show Notes:

• How the workforce is changing in Canada
• The impacts of 2023 being the largest population growth in Canada
• Understanding employer matching plans for retirement savings
• The ...

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rob and Carolyne talk with Dr. Khush Amaria about the impacts of mental health and what data is now available that allows for a different approach. The main takeaway is how to have positive mental wellness through a proactive approach rather than treating mental illnesses once symptoms appear. 

Mental Health Resources:

• Mental Health Coach Program
• The importance of early interve...

In this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rahim and Carolyne talk with Kyle Grooms about approaches to making your finances work. From simple tips to practical guidance, Kyle's perspective makes your personal finances feel easier to understand.

Show Notes:

• What a financial advisor can do - providing peace of mind and understanding how to reduce stress
• How a financial planner will review priorities with their client...

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rob and Carolyne continue the conversation around Canadian pharmacare changes by talking with Gary Walters of GroupHEALTH Benefit Solutions.

On Today’s Episode:

• Gary's background and career expertise
• The evolution of specialty drugs that focus on rare drugs and come with a high cost
• What is the impact of pooling when specialty drugs are prescribed?
• Rising cost and avail...

On this special episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rob Green gets an update from Carolyne Eagan and Graham Young on the most recent activity in Ottawa for the proposed changes to national Pharmacare.

Topics Discussed:

• Federal Process for Passing Bills and Laws
• Update on the Canadian Pharmacare proposed changes
• Smart Health Benefits Coalitiion's participation and impact
• Implications of choices being made for Cana...

In this week’s episode, Carolyne is learning more about Rahim Peera, one of the Benefits Alliance Voice Co-Hosts.

Talking Points:

• Top 5 Lessons Learned through his career
• How small organizations think differently about benefits
• The three tiers of retirement finances: CPP, Personal Savings, Retirement Savings from Employers - and how to make the best retirement outcome.
• Commonwealth BA Voice Episode on Governance
• Creati...

In this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rahim and Carolyne review the 2023 survey from MFS with Taylor Pidgeon. In this annual survey, you’ll hear about insights on retirement savings, strategies, and trends.

Show Notes:

• Get your copy of the MFS Annual Survey
• Trends for Retirement Readiness and more plan members wanting to gradually retire.
• Understanding Target Date Funds for different age brackets
• How advice is ...

On this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Rob and Carolyne talk about fertility benefits with Erin Fordham and Andrew Brandsma.

Topics Discussed:

• The three areas of well-being: Physical, Mental, and Financial
• How Fertility is being addressed more commonly in benefits plans
• The variety of unique and supplemental benefit coverage requested by Canadians continues to rise
• Why f...

In this episode of the Benefits Alliance Voice, Nathan Sugeng joins Carolyne Eagan and Rahim Peera about how to navigate insolvency.

Topics Covered:

• The mystery around why Bankruptcy happens
• Tools available for individuals and business owners facing financial hardship
• How employee benefit plans can help people through financial wellness 

• Understanding the types of organizations offering help

• The ...

In this episode, Todd Stephen and Graham Young join Carolyne Eagan to discuss the updates from Ottawa on Pharmacare Topics Covered:

• Update from Ottawa on a proposed single-payer system
• The challenge to offer consistent coverage across the country 
• Gaps between proposed spending vs. reality of impact for Canadians
• Issues to address directly with the new Pharmacare plan to ensure coverage of high-cost drugs
• Timeline for ...