April 28 2016

Mental Wellness in the Workplace Conference a Success!

Last week, Jewitt McLuckie & Associates partnered with REACH Canada to host one-day conference called “Mental Wellness in the Workplace: Understanding and Working with PTSD, Addictions and Depression.”  With mental health issues now a leading cause of short and long-term disability claims in Canada [1], this timely topic drew over 80 people to the CUPE Local 503 Training Hall on Carling Avenue.  Medical experts, labour lawyers, union leaders,  first responders, peer support program coordinators, mental health and disability advocates  all generously shared their knowledge via slide presentations and lively panel discussions.  We learned about  identifying these “invisible disabilities”, developing accommodation plans that work for employees and employers, and the upcoming changes recognizing PTSD presumptively as a Workplace Illness for first responders as set out in Bill 163, as well as practical tips for lawyers and laypeople working their way through the WSIB and long-term disability claims processes.

Conference feedback was extremely positive for the overall experience, and we are proud to report that while they enjoyed the presentations, attendees also found practical benefits.  Some appreciated the strategies for dealing with insurance companies and navigating workplace accommodation processes, while others intend to use what they learned to initiate peer support groups in their own workplaces.

This conference had a purpose beyond merely sharing knowledge: it was a fundraiser for REACH Canada, a charitable, self-funded and non-profit organization currently celebrating its 35th year connecting people with various disabilities to lawyer referral and educational services.  Jewitt McLuckie & Associates is pleased to announce that  as a result of this Conference, REACH will be receiving a donation of  $3000.00 and we wish them many fruitful years continuing their excellent work in the community.

[1] https://canadasafetycouncil.org/workplace-safety/mental-health-and-workplace

 

 Jennifer & Josieback of room

 

Related News

Office Space

After two months of working from home, Jewitt McLuckie is taking our first steps towards reopening the office with a small daily staff presence on site starting May 25.  In keeping with public ...

Jewitt McLuckie & Associates joins the Lawyers Feed The Hungry program

In April, Jewitt McLuckie & Associates  had the opportunity to join another area firm, SGM, as part of the Lawyers Feed The Hungry program, an initiative put together by the Law Society in ...

Close up of rusty locked black gate bars with distant light seen through a tunnel
Ontario Court Finds Insurance Company Must Pay Plaintiff’s Legal Costs on Full Indemnity Scale

An Ontario Court recently released the Hoang v Personal Insurance Co. decision on legal costs against insurance companies that have wrongfully denied a claim. The Court noted that it is typical ...