Benefits plan for Beaver workers
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Liard (Dec 15/00) - A benefits plan is being created for Beaver Enterprises' employees in Fort Liard.
Life insurance, short- and long-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment will now be covered for those who have worked for Beaver for one year or longer.
"We do do dangerous work, but we've never had a serious injury or fatality. We have our safety program, which is an important part of what we do," said Shane Parrish, general manager of Acho Dene Koe Holdings, Beaver's parent company.
"This is also a back-door way of ensuring band members working for us have life insurance."
Beaver Enterprises is an oil and gas service sector company, performing construction, heavy equipment, slashing and camp and catering work.
Beaver Enterprises will absorb the cost of the basic benefits package for employees who have been on the payroll for at least one year, costing the company $10,000-$13,000 per month, said Parrish.
Additional coverage, such as extended health and dental insurance and spousal life insurance, can be purchased by the employee.
Those who have worked for Beaver Enterprises for less than one month, but who have completed the three-month probationary period, may choose to buy into the basic benefits package at their own cost.
As of the last payroll, Beaver employed 163 people. They are non-unionized. Over the year, the number of workers has averaged 203, Parrish said.
Beaver Enterprises was established in 1976. The Acho Dene Koe band took ownership in the mid-1980s.
A group RRSP had been started three years ago, said Parrish.
Last year that changed to a pension plan, toward which the employee contributes five per cent of his or her base salary and Beaver Enterprise matches that amount.
Parrish said a benefits package has taken time to enact because the company's human resources department had to be developed. An insurance agent has been in Fort Liard this week to answer questions and to enrol employees in the benefits plan, which is to go into effect by Jan. 1.
