Article On Employee Life And Health Trusts In Canada

S.B. Archer (York University – Osgoode Hall Law School) recently published an article entitled, Origins and Prospects for Employee Life and Health Trusts in Canada, 45 Estates, Trusts & Pensions Journal 419 (2015). Provided below is an abstract of the article:

A discussion of the events and factors behind the establishment of pre-funded health benefit plans in Canada with reference to the experience of voluntary employee benefit associations in the United States and the auto sector restructuring in North America during 2008-2009. It is argued that “employee life and health trusts” are used in effect to defease legacy cost liabilities of employers and only likely to be used in the context of restructuring of a workplace or industry. their structure is compared to other target benefit programs currently being proposed in Canada and elsewhere. The key issues in their negotiation and administration are summarized.