From accounting to web design, marketing to deliveries, your business likely depends on a non-full-time team of individuals to meet administration, production, sales and customer service needs.
Contract or precarious employment is shorter term than regular employment. And having a ‘gig’ isn’t entirely negative from the worker’s point of view. Some individuals enjoy the freedom of short-term work — while on the flip side, the employer doesn’t have to worry about expanding their team for a short period of time, or employing permanent part-time for the long haul.
But there is a downside for many ‘on demand’ workers — the lack of health insurance benefits. These people you depend on may face a healthcare expense dilemma when they encounter unexpected costs for prescription drugs, dental care or other healthcare for themselves and their families.
While contract employees are not eligible for coverage under your group health insurance program, it doesn’t mean short-term workers shouldn’t be made to feel like part of the team by having some access to health insurance benefits.
Establish a healthy connection to maintain productivity
As an employer, it’s up to you to stick-handle productivity. What would happen if the individuals you depend on for a specific and often time-sensitive task or project suddenly became ill?
It is critical to form a strong relationship with those you depend on to be there when you need them. To foster a healthy connection, why not help to connect them to a health insurance program provider?
This offer will help to
- foster a sense of belonging to you and investment in the success of the company
- recognize that no matter the agreement the individual has with your company, they are valued for contributing to the same broader goals and objectives as everyone else
- encourage your ‘gig’ workers’ goodwill to connect your business to their wider network, jumpstarting opportunity
- support the individual’s good health management with basic prescription drug and dental care insurance access so they remain healthy, reliable and productive.
As an employer, offering opportunities for a contract worker to participate in social and wellness activities and a health insurance program is a win-win.
Offer access to health insurance
Contract work certainly isn’t anything new in the workplace, nor is it for everyone – even if given the choice. But it is a reality that employers and employees face. As an employer you can actively take steps to make all staff, no matter how long their agreement is, feel included and able to be healthy and at work when needed.
Without having to pay for their insurance, a simple approach is to connect your ‘on-demand’ team to the SBIS team so your contract workers can select their ownindividual health insurance to
- pay for healthcare costs not covered by their provincial health plan or underfunded by their group plan — like prescription drugs, dental care, hearing aids, vision care and massage therapy
- put health benefits in place for life — once their application is approved, their coverage will continue as long as their payments are made, regardless of age or any future changes in their health.
Find out how today
Contact us today. We can provide online application access, telephone consultation and even a ‘welcome package’ flyer providing those you depend on with solid health and travel insurance information so they can take steps to get the protection they need.
