PEO CANADA

• 02Sep

  New Rules Strengthen Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  The government of Canada announced that it is implementing stricter regulations with the aim of further improving the working conditions for temporary workers and live-in caregivers in Canada.

   

  According to the federal government, consultations held over the past two years revealed that employers were exploiting some live-in caregivers because the system made them vulnerable. To address this, the federal government is tightening the regulations affecting live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers, as well as the people who hire them. “The government is taking action to protect temporary foreign workers, including live-in caregivers, from potential abuse and exploitation,” said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.

   

  Employers found to have violated worker rights may also be refused authorization to hire a foreign worker under the changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that will come into effect on April 1, 2011.

   

  Highlights of the changes include:

  ·         a more rigorous assessment of the genuineness of the job offer which must now specify wages, benefits, accommodation, duties, hours of work, and holiday and sick leave entitlements.

  ·         a two-year prohibition from hiring temporary foreign workers for employers who fail to meet their commitments to workers with respect to wages, working conditions and occupation; and

  ·         a limit on the length of time a temporary foreign worker may work in Canada before returning home.

   

  For further information visit the Citizenship & Immigration Canada Website at:

   

  http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp

• 03Aug

  Recognizing Domestic Violence in the Workplace

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  What happens at home affects people’s performance at work. What happens at home can affect the safety and work climate of your workplace. Family violence can affect everyone in the workplace – employers, employees, co-workers and clients.

   

  If an otherwise valuable member of your team has become less productive, late or absent more frequently, it could be that something at home is causing the problem.

   

  It is in the best interest of any organization to be able to recognize the signs of domestic violence. The following is a list of some signs that may be noticed in the workplace.

   

  The victim may:

   

  ·    Try to cover bruises;

  ·    Be sad, lonely, withdrawn, and afraid;

  ·    Have trouble concentrating on a task;

  ·    Apologize for the abuser’s behaviour;

  ·    Be nervous when/if the abuser is in the workplace;

  ·    Make last-minute excuses or cancellations;

  ·    Use drugs or alcohol to cope; or

  ·    Miss work frequently or more often than usual

   

  The abuser may interfere with the victim while at work by:

   

  ·    Repeatedly phoning or e-mailing the victim;

  ·    Stalking and/or watching the victim;

  ·    Showing up at the workplace and pestering co-workers with questions about the victim;

  ·    Displaying jealous and controlling behaviours;

  ·    Lying to co-workers;

  ·    Threatening co-workers;

  ·    Verbally abusing the victim or co-workers;

  ·    Destroying the victim’s or the organizations’ property; or

  ·    Physically harming the victim and/or co-workers

   

  The abuser may attempt to prevent the victim from getting to work by:

   

  ·    Interfering with transportation by hiding or stealing the victim’s car keys or transportation money;

  ·    Hiding or stealing the victim’s identification cards;

  ·    Threatening deportation in a situation where the victim is sponsored;

  ·    Failing to show up to care for the children; or

  ·    Physically restraining the victim

   

  If you believe that one of your co-workers or employees is a victim of domestic violence, you should contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for further information on how you can best assist the individual. Follow this link for an informative brochure from the Government of Alberta: Family Violence Brochure.

• 07Jun

  Can I Get a Raise…HST is coming?

  Human Resources, Payroll Please leave a Comment

  July 1^st is not just Canada Day for residents in British Columbia and Ontario; it is the first day of the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in both provinces. So what is all the fuss about and how will it affect employers?

   

  What is in effect now?

  There are currently two forms of sales tax in both provinces: Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and the Goods & Services Tax (GST). The GST is federally regulated and applies to all Canadian provinces at a rate of 5%. PST is provincially regulated and is 7% in British Columbia and 8% in Ontario. There are many tax-exempt goods and services and many items are subject to only one of the two taxes.

   

  What is the HST?

  The HST will combine both the PST and GST into one tax. This is supposed to create a more efficient value-added tax that will reduce the cost of goods thus making manufacturers and exports more competitive. For further information, please follow the links below

   

  BC - Government of British Columbia HST FAQ

  Ontario - Government of Ontario - HST Website

   

  What is the fuss about?

  Any mention of a new tax brings its fair share of anguish, especially during a recession. There is a general concern that it will simply increase the cost of living for all residents and that consumers will never see the benefits of reduced costs to companies. The general consensus among Canadians is: “What was taxed at 5% will now be taxed at 13% (ON).”      

   

  How will the HST affect your employees?

  Both provinces are implementing this tax with the intention of stimulating the economy and are taking approaches to reduce the net effect by instituting rebates, credits, and in some cases, a reduction of income tax rates. As expected with any consumption tax, those who spend more will pay more! According to economists, low to middle income earners will see minimal changes to their cost of living; however, the net results are difficult to judge until the tax comes into effect and there are hard numbers to analyze.  

   

  How should my company respond to employee concerns?

  You may get inquiries from employees in Ontario and British Columbia because of the new HST. As always, companies should align wages with their corporate strategy and individual financial situation. Without data supporting a large increase to the cost of living it will be difficult to convince your leadership team that an immediate increase in wages is necessary. For the time being, it will be best to stress patience with your employees in order for the company to evaluate the net impact of the HST on the employee’s current standard of living.

   

  Other Resources:

  Questions & Answers - HST - CGA Ontario

  Article - HST Won’t Hurt Much

   

   

• 30Apr

  Contingency Plans for when Nature Attacks!

  Human Resources 1 Comment

  The world’s airlines are feverishly working on contingency plans for travelers due to the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland. In total, more than 60,000 flights have been cancelled as a result of the ash cloud. Meteorologists around the world cannot predict how long this eruption may last and now it seems that travelers on the Canadian East Coast may be affected as the cloud spreads.

   

  In light of this event, companies should consider creating a contingency plan for employees who may be stranded because of a natural disaster or unforeseen events. Whether you have employees who travel regularly or who work in remote locations, having an appropriate contingency plan can mitigate stress for the employee and manage costs for the company.

   

  When developing a plan for such an event there are many issues to consider:

   

  ·               Sourcing Alternative Travel Plans. Do you have a skilled travel agent who is able to source alternative travel for your employee? Many organizations will book travel through websites such as Expedia or Travelocity, but when alternative options are scarce due to sudden increased demand, will you be able to get what you need?  With their extensive contacts, a skilled travel agent may give your employee a professional advantage.

   

  ·               Designated Contact for Stranded Employees. To mitigate stress, the company should designate a contact within the company for stranded employees. The contact should be ready and able to assist the employee 24/7 and have an understanding of the resources available. For example, for international travel, the company contact should be able to provide information pertaining to Canadian Consulates in the area or other emergency services.

   

  ·               Expense Policy. There are many questions that a company must ask themselves if they expand their expense policy to include provisions for an emergency. If regular accommodation is not available, can the employee book a hotel for $500 a night or should the employee travel to another town to seek more reasonable rates? Should employees be able to expense laundry services or purchase clothes if stranded? If the employee does not have a corporate credit card, how will you get them more money if necessary? If there are unforeseen costs at home such as childcare or pet sitting, is the company willing to assist?

   

  ·               Ability to work remotely. In addition to the costs associated with stranded employees, the opportunity cost of lost production must also be considered.  Employers may want to invest in a Management Information System that is accessible remotely to negate such losses. Companies should also consider purchasing a long distance cell phone package for international travelers.

   

  ·               Travel Insurance. If you do not have global medical insurance or a global medical assistance program, such as those offered through PEO Canada, will an injured employee be able to find or pay for medical attention while abroad? If not covered appropriately by outside coverage, an employee’s Workers’ Compensation claim may produce shocking results to your premiums for years to come.

   

  There is no way to prepare for every potential disruption in an employees travel; however, appropriate contingency planning for such an event can mitigate the company costs and employee stress. If you are looking to get started on such a plan here is a link to a useful website with free resources:

   

  http://www.londonprepared.gov.uk/businesscontinuity/makingplans/

   

• 05Apr

  Recession changes employee attitudes on careers

  Business, Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  The Benefits Canada web site posted an interesting article about the attitude change in employees after the recession towards their career paths. After a Global Workforce Study involving interviews with 20,000 employees in 22 markets around the world, the “job for life” employment model is showing signs of becoming an increasingly popular trend. The study found that approximately 80% of employees polled had a desire to ‘go steady’ for the long-term, while 43% want to work for one company during their entire career. There seems to have been a shift during the ‘Great Recession’ from the ‘free agent’ employment model into a more long-term outlook for stability and career development.

   

  To read more on this article please go to the following link:

   

  http://www.benefitscanada.com/pension/governance/article.jsp?content=20100316_134534_4636

   

• 25Mar

  Thoughts about Leadership

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  Most individuals are not natural born leaders. Most have to work at acquiring and fine tuning their leadership skills. Often times when new managers/team leads are brought into a leadership position, they try to do everything in order to prove why they belong in that position, when instead they should be surrounding themselves with good people who specialize in specific areas. A leader’s role should be to provide direction and coordinate the expertise of the teammates allowing the team to function effectively. It is no different than in sports. The best hockey, soccer or baseball player is not usually going to be the best coach, and more times then not they fail as a coach. It is the coordination between all of the skill sets that allows a team to be great. It is important for leaders not to fear that their team members are more than likely going to be better than they are in specific areas. For example, a sales representative has the potential to make more than their manager as their pay is based on commission. As a leader, you want your sales representatives to surpass your sales abilities.

   

  The attached link is a very interesting article written by Zach Miller and it discusses “The 9 Major Causes of Failure in Leadership.” I think many of the causes for failure mentioned in the article are done by various leaders without them even knowing it.

   

  http://www.hrng.ca/sites/hrng.ca/files/The_9_Major_Causes_of_Failure_In_Leadership.pdf

   

   

• 17Feb

  Benefits of Outsourcing

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  Many people see the Human Resource function time consuming and a necessary evil. While the Human Resource function is important to any company, many business owners and executives spend up to 25% of their time managing these duties instead of focusing on strategic objectives of the company. Many of these duties are dealt with more appropriately by a Human Resource professional, or team of Human Resource professionals, with up to date knowledge on industry trends and current labour practices.   While hiring an in-house specialist is an option, it can be costly, especially for a well seasoned professional or in many situations, where fulltime assistance is not required. 

   

  The following article discusses how the outsourcing market is projected to increase as companies become more aware of the cost savings and benefits.  It also provides important questions that should be asked of a service provider. To read the full article click on the following link:

   

  http://www.hrng.ca/node/827

   

   

• 12Jan

  Attitude Is Not Always an Indicator of Productivity

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  The attached article posted on the Human Resources Networking Group site, brought to light many good points regarding the need to review outside influences and factors, in addition to performance, when dealing with what are perceived as difficult employees, or “Bad Apples”. A lot of employers assume that if an employ has a poor attitude, or is difficult then they are a trouble maker, and should be let go from the company. This article discusses the fact that maybe they are creating waves within the company because they are more productive then others and this is frustrating to them, or maybe they are not good in a group environment, and may be better suited in an environment in which they can work by themselves. Be careful because the friendly employees who get along with everyone might not be making the company profitable.

   

  http://www.hrng.ca/sites/hrng.ca/files/The_Bad_Apple_At_Work_May_be_Your_Best_Apple_0.pdf

• 21Dec

  Pregnancy in The Workplace - Employer Obligations

  Human Resources, Payroll Please leave a Comment

  In recent years we have seen an increase in employee pregnancies in our company and I’m sure that most of you have seen the same. This can be tough on employers as Canada has one of the most generous maternity leave policies in place. Combined maternity and parental leave is a total of 52 weeks. That is one year!! This is extremely nice for a family but hard on an employer as you have to fill that gap for that year.

   

  First, you cannot fire or demote an employee because they are pregnant. Even if that employee has not worked for you for 52 weeks, you still cannot fire them. You must accommodate your pregnant employee’s needs for the time that they are pregnant. They must still have access to all benefits, such as overtime, seniority and vacation time. You also cannot tell your employee when they are to start their leave. As long as that employee is up to it, they can work right until the day the baby is born. Pregnancy is a valid health reason to be away from work for appointments and such but it is in no way considered an “illness” or “disability”. Employers must be very cautious as to how they approach their pregnant employees as any misguided comment could become a labour standards issue.

   

  Once an employee is off on Maternity leave, you are not obligated to provide any additional salary to them. New mothers can apply for Employment Insurance benefits as long as they are eligible. To receive maternity benefits, an employee is required to have worked for 600 hours in the last 52 weeks or since their last Employment Insurance claim. A mother can start collecting these benefits up to 8 weeks prior to their due date. It is the employee’s responsibility to advise their employer as to the start of their maternity leave. This should always be completed in writing and depending on the province of employment, an employee must provide anywhere from 2 – 4 weeks notice of their leave.

   

  Upon completion of an employee’s maternity/parental leave, employees must provide their employer with a letter indicating the date of their return. A returning employee must be reinstated to their former position or to a position that is comparable with the same rate of pay and benefits that they had when they left. It is always best to consider hiring someone for a contract position so that when the employee does return to work, the contract person is aware that their position is complete. In addition to that, if the employee decides not to return, the contract can be extended for that current employee, without having to train someone new….again.

   

  On that note, I sign off on my last blog as I too, will be on maternity leave as of December 31, 2009. Happy Holidays to everyone!

   

• 15Dec

  Privacy and Social Networking in the Workplace

  Human Resources Please leave a Comment

  The following information is drawn from a fact sheet from the website for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.  To view the full article, follow this link:  Link to Complete Article

   

  The use of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn in the workplace raises privacy implications for both employees and employers. Organizations should develop policies on the appropriate use of SNS in the workplace.

   

  While many employers have guidelines and codes of conduct for e-mail and Internet use, SNS pose different privacy challenges which should be specifically addressed in conjunction with these other workplace rules.  Clear rules and policies drafted specifically on the use of SNS should be communicated to all employees.

   

  The policy should generally establish best practices and outline expectations for acceptable use of SNS in the workplace, set out the consequences of misuse, and address any workplace privacy issues.  Specifically, the policy should address:

  ·         whether the organization permits the use of personal or employer-hosted SNS in the workplace;

  ·         if SNS are permissible, in what context and for what purposes may they be used?

  ·         whether the employer monitors SNS sites;

  ·         what legislation applies to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information in the workplace;

  ·         what other rules may apply to the use of SNS in the workplace (collective agreements; other relevant legislation);

  ·         the consequences of non-compliance with the policy and,

  ·         any other existing policies about the proper use of electronic networks with respect to employee privacy and handling confidential information.

   

   

  Employers and employees should be aware of the potential damages to individuals and the corporation through inappropriate disclosures of personal or confidential business information on SNS. The possible consequences of an improper or unintended disclosure may be:

  ·     a defamation lawsuit;

  ·     copyright, patent or trademark infringement claims,

  ·     a privacy or human rights complaint;

  ·     a workplace grievance under a collective agreement or unfair labour practice complaint;

  ·     criminal charges with respect to obscene or hate materials;

  ·     damage to the employer’s reputation and business interests.

   

  Legal responsibility for damages from an inappropriate disclosure could potentially rest with individual employees, management or the organization as a whole.

   

   

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