It's very frustrating to me when I hear or read about how employers are accommodating their sick or injured employee. There's a right way to do this, and then there's the lazy way. Let's start with the lazy way - since it seems to happen all too often. When a worker provides restrictions or limitations, it's so easy to pull them out of their [...]
Over the years we've become very good at establishing appropriate accommodations when someone has a physical injury such as a sore back, or repetitive strain injury (RSI) but we need to get great at accommodating those with mental health issues. This seems to be a relatively new concept, one that is still yet to be adopted by most employers but definitely crucial in our [...]
Have you ever heard of Manuka Honey? It is an incredibly powerful substance created by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush, found only in New Zealand and Australia. Australian researchers have found that this honey is better than all known antibiotics. Why? Because pharmaceutical antibiotics have a short shelf life, in addition to the fact that bacteria tend to become resistant in a short [...]
Our health care system, including WSIB and any sick benefits, relies on the physician to make opinions regarding their patients' (your employee), ability to return to work on modified or regular duties. We count on the fact that we believe they understand work environments. They don't! Employees will share their perspective of their workplace as to whether or not the employer has modified duties, [...]
Look around you. How much “stuff” have you accumulated over the years that you do not need for your imminent survival? Some items may have been purchased because they were on sale or the advertisement promised an amazing benefit that just wasn’t so. Some things used to serve a purpose, but now they just collect dust. Some items are kept for sentimental value, and [...]
“I can’t believe it’s dark already!!” Said every Canadian by mid-October. This shifting of seasons is preparing our bodies and routines for slowing down throughout the coming winter months, to conserve energy and rest a bit more. If you think back to the days before we had electricity (really not that long ago!), and think about the evening activities that were enjoyed, it did [...]
