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Advantages of the People Connect Carepath Business Assistance Program

By: Benefits by Design | Tuesday April 16, 2024

Updated : Monday April 15, 2024

text: Advantages of the People Connect Carepath Business Assistance Program. Image: man sitting in OM position surrounded by grahics of pie charts, paperwork, a clock, graphs, chat bubbles and a laptop

Business assistance needs and solutions come in many forms. But in the case of the People Connect Carepath Business Assistance Program (BAP), it comes with many aspects in one bundle. Employers gain a suite of unlimited business advisory assistance from experts, while employees gain mental and physical health navigation and support.

Small companies need business assistance

The majority of Canadian businesses are considered small, and more than 55% having less than four employees. What does this mean? Your typical small business owner might not have a lot of in-house expertise when it comes to managing people, finances, or legal and regulatory obligations.

That’s where a business assistance program shines. Business owners and managers get access to information and resources which can save time on research and help them avoid costly mistakes.

As an example, a 2021 lawsuit alleged an employee who had not communicated the length of a leave of absence and was unreachable by telephone, was incorrectly assumed to no longer be employed. However, the courts sided with the employee because the employer had not done their due diligence to confirm the termination, which could have been done by simply issuing a Record of Employment (ROE). “As a result, the employee was entitled to damages in lieu of notice.”

Employers can avoid situations like the above by staying informed and having experts on your side. The People Connect Carepath BAP offers unlimited telephone or virtual consultations for the following important aspects of running a business.

Human resources and people management

Supporting employees through difficult situations can be trying for employers, especially if you don’t have the right training and knowledge. Enter people support through the business assistance program. Employers get unlimited consultations with experts to help them address performance management, absenteeism, conflict resolution, difficult behaviour, and return-to-work strategies.

Legal

Get comprehensive legal advice on a host of business concerns, including labour and employment law, corporate law, employee obligations, real estate, and even family and succession law. Basically, if it pertains to your business, there’s an expert who can help.

Financial

Expenses and taxes are something no business can avoid. Plus, there could be many implications to how you make and spend money. The People Connect business assistance program gives you access to guidance and recommendations on anything finance related, so you can remain confident you’re following the Canada Revenue Agency rules and regulations.

Business assistance includes helping employees stay healthy

It’s no secret that healthy employees are more productive and engaged. They are also less likely to be absent, and they tend to promote a thriving company culture. However, we can’t always predict when challenges will arise, and it’s important to support employees struggling with health issues when they need it. Helping them get back to the high-performing individuals you’ve come to expect.

Mental health

A new study from Ipsos found that 29% of Canadians suffer from a mental health issue of some kind. The People Connect component included in the business assistance program can help. People Connect provides employees with access to an online mental health assessment, in addition to one free 60-minute session of counselling. Further counselling sessions may be eligible under the health care plan subject to frequency limits and plan maximums. The sessions are a claimable expense under a health care spending account (HCSA) as well.

Physical health

Sadly, 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime. When an employee receives a medical diagnosis for cancer or otherwise, many questions arise.

Carepath offers multiple ways to support employees, including:

Health navigation – a suite of support services which help employees find a path through the many forms, services and diagnostic tests that are required.
Second opinion services – a specialist review of the recommended treatment plan to ensure it is consistent with best clinical practice guidelines.
Cancer assistance – an appointed oncology nurse to aid with the emotional and physical hardships of having cancer.

Download the plan member People Connect Carepath BAP FAQ (PDF: 230KB)

Easy access via digital solutions

No matter which service you or your employees use, all are easy to access or request through the secure Carepath People Connect online portal. Owners, managers and employees can register online to create a personal account where they can begin immediately. Everyone has access to the Carepath tools and services. Only business owners and appointed managers will have access to the business assistance portion.

In addition to the health navigation, second opinion and cancer support provided via Carepath, the People Connect portal gives employees tools and self-guided support for a host of mental and physical wellbeing challenges.

At Benefits by Design, we’re always looking for ways to help the small businesses we work with. Accordingly, these services are embedded free of charge in your life insurance coverage through BBD and Empire Life. Specially created to address the requested coverage for BBD clients, we’re excited to continue supporting small- and medium-sized business owners and their employees throughout Canada.