Benefits Alliance Voice

Benefits Alliance Voice
Benefits Alliance Voice

The Benefits Alliance Voice was created for those wanting to keep up with what's happening in the Canadian Group Benefits and Group Retirement industry. As the voice of the industry, we will cover topics ranging from Pharmacare, Financial Literacy, Building a Group Benefits Plan, Virtual Healthcare, Changes to Employment Insurance (EI), Canadian Disability Coverage, and more! Subscribe to hear the latest episodes!

  1. How the CAP Guildlines Have Changed

    NOV 28

    How the CAP Guildlines Have Changed

    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 like defined contribution pension plans and group RRSPs. The guidelines outline leading practices in administering CAP plans, covering governance, member communications, and plan value accumulation. Primary Changes from 2004 Guidelines: The updated guidelines focus on sponsor and member responsibilities, emphasizing fiduciary duties and improved member communications. They aim to enhance plan governance and member understanding, encouraging active participation and maximizing plan benefits. Education and Complexity Considerations: Enhancements in education guidelines stress ongoing member education and responsibility for retirement outcomes. The guidelines also address complexity, emphasizing proportionality in governance frameworks and risk management based on plan size and complexity. Implementation Guidance: For first-time plan implementers, the guidelines recommend starting with a clear purpose for the plan and seeking expert advice to navigate plan setup and ongoing management. The guidelines provide a recipe for success, tailored to the needs and goals of the plan sponsor. Legal Implications and Risk Management: While adherence to the guidelines is not legally binding, they reflect industry best practices and may be considered in legal contexts. The risk management guideline, though focused on defined benefit plans, offers insights applicable to all registered pension plans. Resources:  Check out the comparison tool developed by Benefits Alliance, to help understand the changes and how they impact your CAP plan. Get it here. On this Episode: Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance Rahim Peera, Penmore David Bartucci, FSRA

    32 min
  2. Navigating the Most Difficult Parts of HR

    OCT 31

    Navigating the Most Difficult Parts of HR

    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-from-home, hybrid and other work arrangements On this Episode: Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance Rob Green, Green Benefits Darcy Michaud, HR Covered

    27 min
  3. Approaching Mental Health & Wellness From a Different Perspective with Cory Chadwick

    OCT 16

    Approaching Mental Health & Wellness From a Different Perspective with Cory Chadwick

    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 the mental gym experience see higher engagement and a reduction in burnout and stress Common hurdles as teams are coming back to the office Learning and making changes take application and support, which has been successful with teams Comparisons between high-level athletes and employees having transformations Thinking about your Mental Health as a strength On this Episode: Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance Rob Green, Green Benefits Cory Chadwick, Lyceum (formerly The Mental Gym) Learn more about the Benefits Alliance by visiting https://benefitsalliance.ca

    42 min
  4. Serving the Needs of the Growing Mental Health Trend

    OCT 2

    Serving the Needs of the Growing Mental Health Trend

    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 related. How coverage from mild, moderate, and severe care is defined and covered with employee benefits plans. Mental health challenges are showing up more in the workplace and the front line of addressing situations has been falling on managers and supervisors. How workplace trauma contributes to many challenges. Employee Assistance Plans were designed for Short-Term options, where more cases are requiring Long-Term solutions. Customizing care for mental health and addiction patients. On this Episode: Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance Rob Green, Green Benefits Rochelle Hildebrand, EHN Canada David Tweneboah, EHN Canada

    40 min
  5. Navigating Long-Term Disability as an Employer

    SEP 18

    Navigating Long-Term Disability as an Employer

    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 claim. How to create a return-to-work plan while supporting the employee. Understanding the employee perspective, and how to welcome someone back who was on long-term disability. What are the most common errors employers and employees make when dealing with leaves? On this Episode: Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance Rob Green, Green Benefits Darcy Michaud, HR Covered

    29 min
  6. Health & Wealth: The Power of Employer Matching with Brady Aarssen

    AUG 28

    Health & Wealth: The Power of Employer Matching with Brady Aarssen

    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 growth of new plans and benefits for employees How the connection between Health & Wealth is becoming more common for Canadians On Today’s Episode: Guest: Bradey Aarssen, Canada Life Host: Rahim Peera Host: Carolyne Eagan

    45 min
  7. Treating Mental Illness vs. Having Positive Mental Wellness

    AUG 7

    Treating Mental Illness vs. Having Positive Mental Wellness

    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 intervention in improving plan members’ mental health Links to CloudMD’s Building Self-Compassion webinar from Mental Health Week (2024) English Recording French Recording  Trusted Resources for Mental Health Information CMHA - https://cmha.ca/ OPA - https://www.psych.on.ca/ CPA - https://cpa.ca/ CAMH – www.camh.ca CloudMD - https://www.cloudmd.ca/how-to-respond-to-mental-health-struggles/ BeThere.org On Today’s Episode: Guest: ⁠Khush Amaria⁠, PhD, CPsych, CloudMD Host: ⁠Carolyne Eagan⁠ Host: ⁠Rob Green⁠

    35 min
  8. Fitting your Financial Plan into your Comfort Zone

    JUN 26

    Fitting your Financial Plan into your Comfort Zone

    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 clients using a financial plan Why understanding your employee benefits need to fit into your financial plan Proactively managing expectations over time with retirement accounts, especially when market conditions change. The psychology of managing your finances Planning vs. Discipline On Today’s Episode: Guest: Kyle Grooms, Penmore Host: Carolyne Eagan Host: Rahim Peera

    46 min
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About

The Benefits Alliance Voice was created for those wanting to keep up with what's happening in the Canadian Group Benefits and Group Retirement industry. As the voice of the industry, we will cover topics ranging from Pharmacare, Financial Literacy, Building a Group Benefits Plan, Virtual Healthcare, Changes to Employment Insurance (EI), Canadian Disability Coverage, and more! Subscribe to hear the latest episodes!

Information

  • Creator
    Benefits Alliance Voice
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Benefits Alliance Voice
  • Show Website
    Benefits Alliance Voice

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