Canada Post employee denied short-term disability claim because cancer diagnosis came during strike – CTV
January 16, 2025
A Kitchener, Ont. woman’s fight against ovarian cancer was amplified by another battle.
“Diagnosed on Nov. 8,” said Chantelle Lucyshyn. “At that time, we were still at work, I was still working,” the 23-year Canada Post employee added.
The stage 4 cancer diagnosis was hard to hear. Work may have been a welcomed distraction until the strike.
“We went out on strike on Nov. 15 and Nov. 25 was when my doctor had decided to take me off work,” said Lucyshyn.
She submitted a short-term disability claim to the insurance company Canada Life. She wasn’t expecting the emailed response she got from the plan administrator.
“Canada Post has advised at this time that they will not be paying any disability benefits to employees who were considered disabled … within the strike period,” an email to Lucyshyn reads.
Despite the strike ending on Dec. 17, Lucyshyn was told because her date of disability fell within the strike period, she was out of luck.
