Top Employer: Yukon, Government of

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2021) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2021):

By Richard Yerema and Kristina Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 12, 2020)

Here are some of the reasons why Yukon, Government of was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2021) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2021):

Along with a generous time off policy (four weeks of starting vacation allowance), Government of Yukon helps employees balance work and their personal commitments through a variety of flexible work arrangements and up to six days of special leave per year
Government of Yukon helps employees plan for the future with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan and offers phased-in work options for those nearing retirement
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 called YGLearn, which features a variety of mobile-friendly course offerings

Rob Morris and Willow Brewster, emergency medical services employees for the Government of Yukon (Photo credit: Cathie Archbould)

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	4,841
Part-time employees in Canada	584
Workforce engaged on a contract basis	2.4%
Average age of employees in Canada	44.2 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

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), sit-stand workstations, self-serve lunchroom, outdoor patio
Employee lounge amenities	board games, table tennis
Onsite cafeteria	healthy menus, take-home meals
Other nearby amenities	Canada Games Centre, Rotary Peace Park, Millennium Riverfront Trail, downtown core offers numerous shops and services

Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B+

Employee social committee name	subsidized departmental social committees
Past social events	departmental social and wellness committees organize a variety of events including a corporate challenge volleyball tournament (and lunch hour volleyball), holiday celebrations, an annual ping pong tournament, and much more
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)
Mental health practitioner benefit	up to $1,000 each year
Additional health plan information	premiums coverage ranges from 75% to 100%, depending on employee group
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

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

Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: B

Employee performance reviews	employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months
Exit interview	exit interview option is available for departing employees
Performance recognition	individual performance bonuses, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards

Training & Skills Development Rating: B+

Career planning	in-house career planning services
In-house training initiatives	apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, 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

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), 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.

Yukon, Government of

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