Top Employer: Western University

Recognized as one of Southwestern Ontario's Top Employers (2025):

Here are some of the reasons why Western University was selected as one of Southwestern Ontario's Top Employers (2025):

Western University helps employees plan for the future with one-on-one pension counselling, offered by the administrator of the university's pension plans, as well as access to online investing tools -- additionally, the university extends health benefits to retirees, with no age limit and 100 per cent premium coverage
Western University offers progressive coverage for mental health care, providing financial support of a minimum of 85 per cent reimbursement for eligible mental health services, with no annual maximum -- the university also hosts an annual health fair to connect employees with off-campus resources and supports
Western University supports its new parents with maternity and parental leave top-up payments (to 95 per cent of salary for 17 to 26 weeks, depending on employee group) -- parents can also apply to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence, phase-in their return to work and take advantage of on-site child care services

Western University employees participate in the removal of buckthorn shrubs

Industry	Post secondary schools, universities
Established in Canada	1878
Major Canadian locations	Toronto ON, London ON
Full-time employees in Canada	5,829
Part-time employees in Canada	6,545
Average age of employees in Canada	40.51 years
Longest serving employee	56.33 years
Benefits note	Western has multiple employee groups, the following programs and policies may vary by position
Flexible work options	flexible work hours, compressed work week, shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), reduced summer hours
Long-term savings	defined-contribution (DC) pension
Health plan premium	as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 100% of the premiums
Maternity top-up (mothers)	up to 95% of salary for 17 weeks
Parental top-up (fathers)	up to 95% of salary for 17 weeks
Adoption top-up	up to 95% of salary for 17 weeks
Additional top-up information	faculty receive maternity and parental leave top-up to 95% of salary for 26 weeks
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job
Outside survey period	outside consultant surveys are held every 24 months
Employee performance reviews	employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months
In-house training initiatives	apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, in-house training, online training, mentoring, leadership development programs, paid internships
Tuition subsidies (related to job)	yes