During the ‘Great Re-shuffle,’ don’t forget the ones who stay
May 16, 2022 by David GambrillWith people leaving all around you during ‘The Great Re-shuffle,’ the temptation may be to emphasize recruitment to backfill the people who have been lost, but industry leaders would be well-advised to instead focus on retention, according to a blog…
Should public workers’ compensation protect clients from liability for mental stress caused by harassment?
August 23, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOntario’s workers’ compensation tribunal was wrong when it decided that a Niagara Falls hotel can’t be sued by a former worker who alleges she was forced to quit after suffering harassment, the provincial Divisional Court has ruled. As a result…
How video conferencing misbehaviour creates commercial liability risk
June 1, 2021 by Greg MeckbachInappropriate behaviour during video conferences can lead to employment practices liability claims, an expert with The Travelers Companies Inc. warns. New York City-based Travelers is observing “Zoom etiquette claims,” said the insurer’s employment practices liability product manager, Chris Williams, during…
Risk management lessons from the governor general’s resignation
January 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIf a commercial client has any inklings of a toxic workplace, an independent investigation is one way of managing reputational and liability risk, an expert says. The resignations last week of Governor General Julie Payette and her secretary may have…
What Canada’s Supreme Court says about employers’ liability for bonuses
October 15, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA constructive dismissal award against a Halifax-based fish oil maker of nearly $1.1-million has been restored by the Supreme Court of Canada. When it comes to employment practices liability, a key lesson from Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., released…
Employment lawyers on returning to work during and after the pandemic
May 12, 2020 Nicole Thompson - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – As provinces begin the slow process of reopening their economies and people start returning to the workplace, questions abound about the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in the aftermath of COVID-19. The Canadian Press asked two…
No layoffs in Canada for this Top 5 liability insurer
April 23, 2020 by Greg MeckbachDespite the massive disruptions from COVID-19, commercial insurer Chubb Limited is promising no layoffs in Canada. “Concerning our no-layoff pledge, we want our 33,000 employees around the globe to be assured that their jobs are secure at this difficult time,”…
Considering a career change? Look before you leap, say industry experts
August 15, 2019 by Adam MalikThe grass continues to appear greener on the other side for Canadian workers, but disgruntled employees are not always ready to make the jump, a new survey has found. Before brokers venture off towards greener pastures, they should keep a…
One insurance role that could be wiped out by artificial intelligence
July 19, 2019 by Greg MeckbachArtificial intelligence is going to have a big impact on adjusters, actuaries and insurance agents, but it won’t necessarily kill their jobs, an AI expert suggests. But lower-skilled jobs may be in jeopardy. “Jobs at call centres are going to…
Labour market tightens in finance, insurance
June 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachWages and job openings in the insurance and financial sectors have dropped, Statistics Canada reported recently. The vacancy rate in insurance and finance stood at 2.8% during the first quarter of 2019, down from 3.1% in 2018 Q1, StatsCan said…
Retirement: How “Freedom 55” may become “Freedom 65+”
May 30, 2019 by Adam MalikThe Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA) wants to talk about delaying the traditional retirement age to beyond 65. Many are already choosing to work beyond age 65 anyway, said John Dark, CIA president. “It makes sense to update our country’s…
How harassment lawsuit ruling affects insurers
March 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachDespite a recent ruling that harassment is not a free-standing tort in Ontario, corporate clients and their brokers still need to view harassment accusations as a serious liability risk. In Merrifield v. The Attorney General, released in 2017, Justice Mary Vallee…