Panel releases report on employee caregivers; 2015 auto-related rates; Unemployment rate
Panel releases report on employee caregivers
TORONTO — More than one-third of Canadian workers juggle the demands of doing paid work while providing informal care for a family member or friend. The stress of balancing these responsibilities can lead to higher absenteeism and lower productivity, says a new report.
The report, called When Work and Caregiving Collide—How Employers Can Support their Employees Who Are Caregivers, says the problem is likely to get worse with Canada’s aging population. It presents the findings from the panel’s consultations with over 100 employers and provides recommendations on how employers can support employees as caregivers.
The report was written by the Employer Panel for Caregivers, which the federal government established last year. It is made up of representatives from small, medium and large-size businesses, as well as expert advisors.
The report found that while employers are generally aware that there are employees who provide informal care, they were "surprised and concerned" that it already affects 35 per cent of the workforce. None of the employers consulted for the report said they had specific policies or programs to support employee caregivers. In most cases, the report says, employers addressed employee needs on a case-by-case basis through flexible hours and the use of technology.
The report also notes that while those consulted said supporting employee caregivers is "the right thing to do," they would like a better understanding of the business case for support to get senior leadership at their organization on side.
The report provides a list of steps that employers can take to become more caregiver-friendly, including determining the needs of employees, examining the costs and benefits of taking action, and learning what resources and tools are available.
The report also contains a number of resource lists for employers, including an inventory of flexible workplace practices that support employee caregivers and a list of organizations that can help employees facing a caregiving situation.
The report is available at www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/seniors/reports/cec.shtml.
2015 auto-related rates
OTTAWA — The government-prescribed rate that employers use to calculate the operating expense benefit portion of an automobile taxable benefit for an employee remains 27 cents per km, the federal Finance Department announced.
The prescribed rate for calculating the operating expense benefit for employees whose principal job is to sell or lease automobiles remains 24 cents per km. The automobile expense deduction limits employers use as a guide when determining if an automobile allowance is reasonable have increased.
The limit for the first 5,000 km driven in all parts of Canada except the territories rose from 54 cents to 55 cents. The limit for each additional km increased from 48 cents to 49 cents.
For the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the limit is up one cent to 59 cents for the first 5,000 km and 53 cents for each additional km.
Average weekly earnings
OTTAWA — Average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees were $942 in October, up slightly from September, Statistics Canada reports.
On a year-over-year basis, weekly earnings increased 2.8 per cent in October.
The increase in weekly earnings reflected a number of factors.
Non-farm payroll employees worked an average of 33 hours a week in October, up slightly from an average of 32.8 hours 12 months earlier. Year-over-year earnings of non-farm payroll employees increased in all provinces.
Unemployment rate
OTTAWA — Canada’s economy lost 4,300 jobs in December, but the unemployment rate remained 6.6 per cent, StatsCan reports.
Full-time employment went up by 54,000, but part-time declined by 58,000. Employment decreased in accommodation, food services and other services. Employment was up in some industries.
On a provincial basis, Newfoundland and Labrador continued to have the highest rate at 11.3 per cent, up from 10.7 per cent in the previous month. Saskatchewan remained the jurisdiction with the lowest unemployment rate at 3.6 per cent, up from 3.4 per cent the month before. The unemployment rate was up in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta. The rate was down in Nova Scotia, Quebec and British Columbia. In Ontario, the unemployment rate was unchanged at seven per cent.
In the United States, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the American economy added 252,000 jobs in December. The unemployment rate dropped from 5.8 per cent to 5.6 per cent.
PaySavvy offers T4 guide
VANCOUVER — Payroll and HR software provider PaySavvy has published a free year-end guide that explains the process for completing and filing T4s and T4As.
"This year-end T4 guide is meant principally for payroll professionals and anyone involved in the distribution of T4s, but we hope it serves as a thorough step-by-step tutorial which could help anyone get up to speed in no time," it says.
PaySavvy is also offering a T4 PIER (pensionable and insurable earnings reviews) Excel calculator. These can be found at www.paysavvy.com/blog/year-end-t4-guide.
