Employee Wellness

Program in the Canadian

Public Sector

By

Chaturika Kaduruwana
GNED 1120
Professor: Cara Coulson
 CONTENTS

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 2

OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION....................................................................................... 4

THE PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANADA (PIPSC) .. 4

Highlights of Employee Wellness Program ........................................................................... 5

Dimensions of wellness covered by the Employee wellness program ............................. 6

Suggestions for Enhancements ............................................................................................ 10

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 12

References .................................................................................................................................. 13

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INTRODUCTION
Employees in the workforce undergo many stressful situations throughout their

careers. The effect of work-related stress, major changes in personal life, and

daily hassles make a great contribution to stress levels. Increased stress levels

contribute to physical and mental illnesses in employees. As per Swedish

researchers who conducted a stress management course to study stress-related

adverse effects states that; “mental disorders have become the most frequent

diagnoses among women (25% of sick-leave spells) and are predicted to most

likely have a significant impact on workability, absenteeism and sick leave for a

long time (Sahlin, Ahlborg, Matuszczyk, & Grahn, 2014)”.

As per the statistics Canada website, the average paid and unpaid sick

leave usage by Canadian public service organization is 17.9 days per year

(Government of Canada, 2018). As per a Norwegian study, the cost of sick leave

is a significant factor in the economy.

Sick leave is—by construction—the main gateway towards permanent

disability pension. As a main rule, employment is needed to qualify both

for sick leave and disability pension. Since disability pension typically is

offered workers unable to return to work from sickness absence, possibly

after also completing other rehabilitation programs, disability pension will

nearly always start with a sick leave episode (Markussen, 2012).

The employee faces hardships by getting frequent sick leave as stated by

Markussen, “Sick leave may also increase the probability of being fired or laid off

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(2012)”. It is essential to focus on the magnitude of work-related stress while

designing healthcare benefits for the employee. If the employer could ease the

impact of daily stress from the employee on a daily basis, work absenteeism due

to stress-related issues will be reduced. It will be effective to integrate the

wellness perspective to healthcare benefits of the employee and encourage them

to use wellness facilities as a part of their daily routine.

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OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION

THE PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANADA (PIPSC)

In search of variety of wellness aspects available to the Canadian knowledge-based

Groups in the public sector, it is essential to looking into the labour union that protects

and negotiate terms on their behalf. The Professional Institute of the Public Service of

Canada (PIPSC) is the largest labor union in the county that represents the Scientists

and the professionals in the related field. Not only the union protects the rights of the

employees and their wellness, it works with other labour unions to create fair terms for

the members.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) was founded

in 1920. With over 60,000 members, the Institute is the largest union in Canada

representing scientists and professionals employed at the federal and some

provincial and territorial levels of government (The Professional Institute of the

Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), n.d.).

PIPSC was founded to protect the interests of professional public employees and

protect the unionized members from job loss due to government cutbacks. “The

Institute is the bargaining agent for more than 41 knowledge-based Groups and

negotiates with 27 different employers in seven different jurisdictions” (The Professional

Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), n.d.).

Scientists and professionals in the related field work as regular full-time

employees or contract basis. The nature of the job may possibly lead to high level

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 of physical and mental stress. A scientist could be leading extreme mental stress

levels while an officer who works at Canada Border Services Agency is facing

both physical and mental stress.

HIGHLIGHTS OF EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM

Sunlife Financial provides group benefits to the unionised member of PIPSC with

extended coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP).

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) is one of the largest private

health care plans in Canada, providing benefits to over 600,000 Plan

members and their dependents. The PSHCP is sponsored by the

Government of Canada, and its members include public servants and

other employees of the federal public administration, parliamentarians,

federal judges (The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP), n.d.).

In addition to the healthcare plan, the employees have the access to additional benefits

under the Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) on supporting Employee Wellness. After

periods of leave due to illness or injury, MOA enables “benefits for up to 26 weeks (130

working days) with income support replacement at 100%(The Professional Institute of

the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), n.d.)”. These healthy conditions directly

contribute to physical, Emotional dimensions of the wellness perspective which enable

to Integrate Intellectual, Interpersonal, spiritual and environmental wellness. “The

program and its principles focus on improving employee wellness and the reintegration

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of employees into the workplace after periods of leave due to illness or injury (The

Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), n.d.)”.

DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS COVERED BY THE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM

•Speech language pathologist-Maximum eligible

expense of $500 per calendar year.
Interpersonal •Maternity-related reassignment or leave.
•Parental leave without pay
•Leave with pay for family-related responsibilities.

•Smoking cessation aids

•Volunteer leave
Spiritual •Bereavement leave with pay
•Religious observance
•Leave without pay for personal needs.

•Volunteer leave
Environmental •Leave without pay for personal needs.

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 •Chiropractor -Maximum eligible expense of
$500 per calendar year.
•Massage therapist-Maximum eligible
expense of $300 per calendar year.
•Acupuncture treatments performed by a
physician
•Braces, including repairs, which contain
either metal or hard plastic, excluding dental
Physical braces and braces used primarily for athletic
use.
•Contraceptive implants (intrauterine and
arms) and intrauterine devices (IUD)
including copper.
•Permanent artificial limbs, to replace
temporary artificial limbs, and replacements
•Erectile dysfunction drugs

•Wigs, when the patient is suffering from total

hair loss as the result of an illness, limited to a
maximum eligible expense of $1,000 every
five years.
Emotional •Electrology treatment performed by a
physician
•Psychologist consultation- Maximum eligible
expense of $2,000 per calendar year

•career development
Intellectual •vacation leave
•Leave without pay for personal needs.

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Physical Wellness

• Wigs, when the patient is suffering from total hair loss as the result of an

illness, limited to a maximum eligible expense of $1,000 every five years.

• Contraceptive implants (intrauterine and arms) and intrauterine devices

(IUD) including copper.

• Braces, including repairs, which contain either metal or hard plastic,

excluding dental braces and braces used primarily for athletic use.

• Artificial limbs - Permanent artificial limbs, to replace temporary artificial

limbs, and replacements (PUBLIC SERVICE HEALTHCARE PLAN, n.d.)

Alternative Medicine

• Acupuncture treatments performed by a physician.

• Chiropractor- Maximum eligible expense of $500 per calendar year.

• Massage therapist- Maximum eligible expense of $300 per calendar year.

Emotional Wellness

• Psychologist - Maximum eligible expense of $2,000 per calendar year

(PUBLIC SERVICE HEALTHCARE PLAN, n.d.).

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SH Group Collective Agreement

Article 14: leave, general. 17.11 Leave without pay for relocation of

Article 15: vacation leave. spouse.

Article 16: sick leave. 17.12 Leave with pay for family-related

Article 17: other leave with or responsibilities.

without pay. 17.13 Court leave with pay.

17.02 Bereavement leave with 17.14 Personnel selection leave with

pay. pay.

17.03 Maternity leave without 17.15 Injury-on-duty leave with pay.

pay. 17.16 Examination leave.

17.04 Maternity allowance. 17.17 Religious observance.

17.05 Special maternity 17.18 Maternity-related reassignment or

allowance for totally disabled leave.

employees. 17.19 Medical appointment for pregnant

17.06 Parental leave without pay. employees.

17.07 Parental allowance. 17.20 Volunteer leave.

17.08 Special parental allowance 17.21 Other leave with pay.

for totally disabled employees. 17.22 Other leave without pay

17.09 Leave without pay for the Article 18: career development.
care of immediate family.
Article 19: severance pay. (Professional
17.10 Leave without pay for
Institute of the Public Service of Canada,
personal needs.
n.d.)

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SUGGESTIONS FOR ENHANCEMENTS

Due to the nature of highly stressful job categories in PIPSC, the wellness plan could

include an Environmental wellness perspective to alleviate the stress such as providing

a Discovery pass to enter Canadian parks located from coast to coast (Government of

Canada, n.d.). Stress management techniques based on the environment are found to

be highly effective as per a Swedish survey, “Results showed decreased burnout-scores

and long-term sick leaves, and increased work ability; furthermore less stress-related

symptoms were reported (Sahlin, Ahlborg, Matuszczyk, & Grahn, 2014)”.

(Sahlin, Ahlborg, Matuszczyk, & Grahn, 2014, p. 6599)

Furthermore, the stress-related symptoms were reduced during and after the

environment therapy session as mentioned in the above chart. “Significant changes in

gastrointestinal symptoms were seen between course start and end, as indicated by

the confidence interval (1.6, 38.5) showing an increase in the number of

participants reporting no problems from the stomach and intestines (Sahlin,

Ahlborg, Matuszczyk, & Grahn, 2014, p. 6599)”.

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CONCLUSION

While analyzing the group collective agreement and the Sunlife Public Service Health

Care Plan (PSHCP), it is apparent that the Canadian knowledge-based Groups in the

public sector enjoy a variety of wellness aspects. Their physical, emotional, intellectual,

interpersonal, spiritual, and environmental wellness was carefully fulfilled through the

employee healthcare plan. While searching for future job prospects, it will be beneficial

to emphasis on a job in the public sector. The job will provide the essential means to

lead a healthy life. However, there are expenses that we individually do not consider

making provisions for such as limb implants or Electrology treatments to permanently

remove hair. However, these expenses are covered by the healthcare plan for the public

sector employees. As employees face challenges in life such as disability, supporting a

sick family member or childbirth without spousal support, they have the facilities to fall

back and recuperate with a least possible amount of stress.

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 REFERENCES

Government of Canada. (2018, 11 13). Average paid and unpaid sick leave usage by

organization. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-

secretariat/services/innovation/human-resources-statistics/average-paid-unpaid-

sick-leave-usage-organization.html

Government of Canada. (n.d.). Passes and permits. Retrieved from

https://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/en/decouverte-discovery

Markussen, S. (2012). The individual cost of sick leave. Journal of Population

Economics, 25(4), 1287-1306. Retrieved 7 5, 2020, from

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00148-011-0390-8

Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. (n.d.). SH Group Collective

Agreement. Retrieved from https://pipsc.ca/groups/sh/sh-group-collective-

agreement#_Toc486939105

PUBLIC SERVICE HEALTHCARE PLAN. (n.d.). Medical Practitioners Benefit. Retrieved

from http://www.pshcp.ca/coverage/extended-health-provision/medical-

practitioners-benefit.aspx

PUBLIC SERVICE HEALTHCARE PLAN. (n.d.). Miscellaneous Expense Benefit.

Retrieved from http://www.pshcp.ca/coverage/extended-health-

provision/miscellaneous-expense-benefit.aspx

Sahlin, E., Ahlborg, G., Matuszczyk, J. V., & Grahn, P. (2014). Nature-Based Stress

Management Course for Individuals at Risk of Adverse Health Effects from Work-

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 Related Stress—Effects on Stress Related Symptoms, Workability and Sick

Leave. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(6),

6586-6611. Retrieved 7 5, 2020, from

https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc4078597

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). (n.d.). About Us.

Retrieved from https://pipsc.ca/about

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). (n.d.). MOA on

Supporting Employee Wellness. Retrieved from https://pipsc.ca/labour-

relations/collective-bargaining/moa-on-supporting-employee-wellness

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP). (n.d.). About the PSHCP. Retrieved from

http://www.pshcp.ca/about-the-pshcp.aspx

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