New improvements expand on the existing benefit packages that insurer offers employees across Canada
More broad and thorough family planning and well-being coverage will be included to Sun Life's employee benefits in 2023.
In addition to care days and an extended bereavement policy, Sun Life will be offering adoption and surrogate expenditure coverage.
This is in addition to its current family planning benefits, which include fertility treatments, an increased combined lifetime maximum coverage amounts for fertility drugs and services of $15,000, and up to 14 weeks of maternity, parental, and adoptive leave top-up, irrespective of the employee's path to parenthood.
According to Helena Pagano, EVP, chief people and culture officer, Sun Life, "People need flexibility and support for the moments in life that matter most – whether it's building a family, taking time for self-care, caring for others, or grieving a loss."
Care Days will enable employees to take time off for self-care, take care of others, personal appointments, days of importance, and more as an extension of the company's goal of providing a flexible, hybrid work environment.
The extended bereavement policy of the corporation will now cover people who are mourning the death of an unrelated person of significance (roommate, close friend, etc.) or a pregnancy (miscarriage or stillbirth).
These improvements expand upon the current benefits that Sun Life offers to its staff across Canada, including:
- Support for working from home and no required office hours (guided by business and client needs);
- Employees can take up to six weeks off for every five years of service under the company's partially paid sabbatical leave policy;
- Industry-leading annual coverage for mental health of $12,000;
- Holistic digital care is provided through Lumino Health Virtual Care, which enables employees and their families to communicate virtually with a doctor or nurse from home and obtain assistance through the Employee & Family Assistance Program;
- A virtual mental health coach will guide employees through the mental health resources provided by their benefits plan, assisting them in developing a unique action plan and locating the best long-term care;
Recent rankings of the Top 50 Best Workplaces in Canada, an annual initiative by Great Place to Work, place Sun Life as a top employer, followed by the Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness, Best Workplaces for Inclusion, Best Workplaces for Hybrid Work, and Best Workplaces for Professional Development.
Sun Life also garnered the Excellence Canada Award for Excellence in Mental Health at Work.
