Canadian Safety Reporter

CANADIAN SAFETY REPORTER Employees keen on disease prevention Want more from employers, health-risk screenings popular: Survey | BY AMANDA SILLIKER | MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS (69 per cent) of employees think their employers should do more to help prevent disease, illness and injury, according to the 2013 Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey. "We spend a considerable amount of our day… on-site in our workplace, and we all want to feel well, feel better and I think we're looking for our employers to really help try to support and keep us healthy," said Theresa Rose, director of group product management at Medavie Blue Cross in Moncton, N.B. "That's a big change from about five, 10, 15 years ago when most employees preferred their personal health issues and treatment remained private." Employees are not alone on this front — 91 per cent of the 106 employers sur- veyed agreed they should do more in the area of prevention. "It's the perfect opportunity — readiness is there, employer appetite is there and employee receptiveness is now lining up," said Marilee Mark, vice-presi- tion should be top of mind for employers. Fifty-eight per cent of Canadian adults have one or more of the following chronic conditions: arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high blood pressure and mental illness, said the report. And the prevalence of employees with a chronic condition increases with age. Two-thirds (69 per cent) of people aged 55 to 64 have a chronic condition, compared to 36 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds, found the survey of 1,502 employees. "(Chronic diseases) are an issue if they aren't being managed," said Sarah Beech, president of Pal Benefits in Toronto. "Individuals may not be able to actively be at work, so then you have absenteeism, either on a short-term or "Individuals may not be able to actively be at work, so then you have absenteeism... and you have people who come to work not fully functioning." dent of marketing for group benefits at Manulife Financial in Toronto. With more and more employees suffering from chronic diseases, preven- Continued on page 9 FIND NEW STRATEGIES AND TOOLS TO MANAGE YOUR DISABILITY AND ACCOMMODATION ISSUES NEW PUBLICATION HUMAN RESOURCES GUIDE AND TOOLKIT: THE DUTY TO ACCOMMODATE AND DISABILITY MANAGEMENT BARBARA G. HUMPHREY, B.A., LL.B. Meeting your disability and accommodation obligations is a constant and growing challenge. From managing absenteeism to making adjustments in work demands, you will find the up-to-date support you need in Human Resources Guide and Toolkit: The Duty to Accommodate and Disability Management. ORDER # 804613-65203 $79 Softcover + USB key approx. 800 pages January 2013 978-0-88804-613-0 Shipping and handling are extra. Price subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. Building on the classic text Human Resources Guide to the Duty to Accommodate, this guide and toolkit covers the new challenges involved in managing disability-related absenteeism; the significant growth of non-physical disability issues and non-evident disabilities; the updated perspective on "undue hardship"; and evolving accommodation issues surrounding family status, religious observance, and age. Doctors' forms and sample letters are provided in print and electronically on a USB key that makes them simple to use and adapt. TOOLS AND RESOURCES INCLUDE: Guidelines – to deliver substantive knowledge on key issues Protocols – outlining effective processes Manager's Q&A Guide – reference tool for the front line Forms, Letters and Questionnaires – to support effective processes Model Policies – to support legal compliance AVAILABLE RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164   In Toronto: 416-609-3800 CANADA LAW BOOK® Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2013 3

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