Your digest

Opening the doors to plasma donors in Kelowna, B.C.

Since opening its doors on June 22, our new plasma donor centre in Kelowna, B.C. has welcomed throngs of generous donors from the community, both new and returning. Thanks to the success of the former blood donor centre in Kelowna and the collaborative spirit of the transition, there have been many familiar faces amongst the plasma donors so far. The centre’s first donor, Richard Gerow, is a long-time blood donor from Kelowna who was thrilled to continue his tradition of giving as a plasma donor. Community-building has been central to our opening plans in Kelowna and continues to be a key aspect of growth at our two other plasma donor centres in Sudbury, Ont. and Lethbridge, Alta. Read more on Connect.

Expanded employee mental health and well-being benefits now in effect

As part of our commitment to support the mental health and well-being of you and your loved ones, we are continuously updating our wellness offerings to ensure they meet your individual needs. As of July 1, 2021, we have added clinical counsellors and marriage and family therapists to our existing psychologist and social worker coverage. The combined maximum amount for these paramedical services is $1,500 per covered person (this includes family members or dependents covered under your benefits) per calendar year. For those without Manulife coverage, our employee assistance program (EAP) provides all employees and household members access to family and relationship counselling and resources. Learn more about our employee well-being resources and benefits on Connect.

Help spread the word: there’s an immediate need for donors

As COVID-19 restrictions lift and our country begins to re-open, the need for blood and blood products is increasing. However, since early June, we have seen our own inventory decline. Last week, we issued a national news release calling for an additional 23,000 blood donors across Canada to book appointments by July 31 to help replenish the blood inventory. Now, we’re calling on all employees and volunteers to help spread the word to their colleagues, friends, family and acquaintances about the need for blood at this time. If you can, consider booking an appointment yourself. As Cord Blood Awareness Month continues this July, we’re also encouraging staff to help build awareness about cord blood donation. Visit Connect to learn more about the immediate need for blood and the ongoing need for cord blood donors.

Question of the day: As restrictions are being lifted and more people are getting vaccinated, what is our policy on work-related and personal travel outside of Canada?

We are asking employees to do their part to keep our teams, donors and operations safe. Cross border (U.S.) or other international work-related travel is still not permitted. If you choose to travel for personal reasons please follow federal and provincial regulations to assess if, upon your return, you must isolate. Please inform your manager/supervisor so they can make staffing arrangements.

If an employee decides to travel for personal reasons, must quarantine as a result, and cannot work virtually, they are not eligible for paid quarantine leave. Exceptions may be considered depending upon the reason for the travel, such as for emergencies.

If you have any further questions about our travel policy, please contact communications@blood.ca.

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About your digest

This digest highlights the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content like articles and videos to remind us that what we do matters.  No access to email? No problem — all this information and more can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.     

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Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca