Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2022) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2022):
Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 11, 2021)
Here are some of the reasons why Yukon, Government of was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2022) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2022):
- Government of Yukon developed enhanced work-from-home policies over the past year that included IT support and taking home needed equipment, as well as a health and safety checklist to help employees set up ergonomically appropriate workspaces -- and introduced additional flexible work arrangements such as staggered hours of work to help reduce number of employees working onsite and at any given time
- Varying by position and location, Government of Yukon employees may receive a recruitment (referral) bonus and retention allowances for some positions, community allowance for living in remote communities, annual travel subsidies (after two years of employment) and rotational schedules for nursing personnel in remote locations
- Government of Yukon encourages ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies for courses both related and indirectly related to an employee's current role (to $5,000 per year) -- and recently launched a new online learning platform that features a variety of mobile-friendly course offerings

Cameron Heke, a communications employee at the Government of Yukon, prepares for a press conference
(Photo credit:
Alistair Maitland Photography)
Employer Background
Industry | Territorial government |
Established in Canada | 1898 |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Whitehorse YT, Dawson City YT, Watson Lake YT, Haines Junction YT |
Full-time employees in Canada | 5,102 |
Part-time employees in Canada | 576 |
Workforce engaged on a contract basis | 2.7% |
Average age of employees in Canada | 44 years |
Longest serving employee | 42 years |
COVID-19
Pandemic response | offers virtual paramedical services as part of its health benefits plan, increased counselling sessions to support employees and their families (from 7 to 11), up to 14 paid days of leave for personal quarantine |
Physical Workplace Rating: B
Editorial note | due to the pandemic, some workplace amenities may be temporarily unavailable |
Commuter amenities | online carpool sign-up, free parking, electric vehicle charging stations |
Workplace features | head office is home to the Yukon Legislative Assembly and is located in the heart of Whitehorse, offering views of the adjacent Yukon River and surrounding mountains, original Canadian and Yukon artists' work on the walls of the main foyer, custom stained glass windows, waterfront trolley stops outside the building (summertime only), telecommuter workstations, sit-stand workstations, outdoor patio |
Employee lounge amenities | comfortable seating, fireplace, board games, table tennis, downtown core offers numerous shops and services |
Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B
Employee social committee name | subsidized departmental social committees |
Past social events | hosted virtual celebrations of the annual employee long service awards, Premier’s Award of Excellence and Innovation, and the Indigenous Employees Award of Honour, first virtual HR symposium (for all HR personnel), and the Social Wellness Committee organized a number of formal and informal events (including cooking classes and an introduction to kick-biking) |
Cultural aspects | dress-for-your-day policy, casual dress Fridays, music while working, employee sports teams |
Employee communications | intranet site, company newsletter |
Other in-house communications | departmental intranets, newsletters and blogs |
Financial Benefits & Compensation Rating: A
Financial benefits note | Yukon has multiple employee groups, financial benefits may vary by position |
Outside salary surveys | participates in outside salary surveys every 6 months |
Employee salary reviews | individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months |
Long-term savings | defined-benefit (DB) pension |
Long-term planning | retirement planning assistance, phased-in retirement work options, life & disability insurance |
Additional financial benefits | discounts for home computer software and hardware purchases, recruitment (referral) bonuses and retention allowances for some positions, community allowance for employees living in remote communities (amounts range with distance from Whitehorse), annual travel subsidy for eligible employees (after 2 years of employment) |
Health & Family-Friendly Benefits Rating: A+
Health plan note | Yukon has multiple employee groups, health plans may vary by position |
Health plan premium | as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 85% of the premiums |
Waiting period for coverage | 90 days |
Family coverage option | yes |
Retiree coverage with no age limit | yes |
Dental coverage | routine, restorative, orthodontics |
Paid sick days | employees receive 15 days off each year |
Health plan includes | traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), employee assistance (EAP) plan, semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, homecare, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, osteopathy, chiropractor, alternative coverage (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy), virtual healthcare services |
Mental health practitioner benefit | up to $1,000 each year |
Additional health plan information | enhanced coverage levels available as well as additional coverage for hearing aids, orthotics and orthopedic footwear |
Additional health and wellness initiatives | virtual LifeSpeak wellness platform features online videos, action plans and interactive presentations with world-class experts, and online coaching services to help employees set and work towards personal and professional goals |
Family-friendly benefits note | Yukon has multiple employee groups, family-friendly policies may vary by position |
Maternity top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 15 weeks |
Parental top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 17 weeks |
Parental top-up (fathers) | up to 93% of salary for 17 weeks |
Adoption top-up | up to 93% of salary for 17 weeks |
Additional family-friendly benefits | extended parental leave to unpaid leave |
Flexible work options | flexible work hours, shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, telecommuting |
Additional family-friendly information | job-sharing options, rotational schedules (for nursing personnel in remote locations) |
Vacation & Personal Time-Off Rating: A+
Vacation note | Yukon has multiple employee groups, vacation policies may vary by position |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 4 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Vacation jump | vacation increases after 3 years of employment |
Maximum vacation allowance | employees move to a maximum of 8 weeks of vacation over their career |
Personal paid days off | employees can schedule 6 personal days off each year, as needed |
Unpaid leave maximum | 24 months |
Self-funded/deferred salary leave maximum | 12 months |
Additional time-off information | management (approximately 8% of workforce) receive 6 weeks of starting vacation allowance, up to 2 additional weeks for Christmas and spring holiday breaks (school personnel) |
Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: B
Employee performance reviews | employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 months |
Exit interview | exit interview option is available for departing employees |
Performance recognition | online recognition platform, individual performance bonuses, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards |
Training & Skills Development Rating: B+
Career planning | in-house career planning services, online employee skills inventory |
In-house training initiatives | mentoring, in-house training, online training, leadership training, paid internships, subsidies for professional accreditation, mentoring to transfer retirees' skills |
Related tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 35% of tuition per year |
Annual tuition maximum | employer pays up to $5,000 in tuition subsidies for job-related courses per year |
Unrelated tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 35% of tuition per year for courses unrelated to current position |
Unrelated tuition maximum | employer pays up to $5,000 in tuition subsidies per year for courses unrelated to current position |
Education leave | educational leaves of absence are available |
Community Involvement Rating: B+
Scope of charitable involvement | local |
Some of the community organizations supported | United Way of Yukon (kicks off its annual fall fundraising campaign with a breakfast fundraiser that includes a silent auction, which was adapted to a drive-thru version to accommodate pandemic restrictions), Bare Essentials (women's shelter program), Whitehorse 20-Minute Makeover (employees receive 2.5 hours to join the city-wide garbage cleanup and graffiti removal event) |
Community highlight | Employees are actively involved in raising money for the annual United Way campaign. The United Way of Yukon directs the majority of its funding to provide assistance to children, youth and families, persons living with disabilities, alcohol and drug abuse initiatives, and reducing the impacts of poverty. |