The Alberta government is launching a pilot project to make the Employment Standards complaint process easier for employees.

“Like most Albertans, I imagine you enjoy the work that you do and your employer is treating you fairly,” said Minister Thomas Lukaszuk in a recently posted video blog. “However, if that is not the case, now you have a new, innovative way in which you can file your complaint with Employment Standards.”

In addition to the more traditional methods of mailing a complaint or dropping by in person, Alberta workers can now use the new online complaint process to complete an online complaint from start to finish. The form can be accessed at employment.alberta.ca/EScomplaint.  

There are over two-million workers in Alberta. Employment Standards receives about 5,000 complaints annually.

For more information on your Employment Standards responsibilities, and to better understand your workplace rights, call the Employment Standards Contact Centre at, toll free in Alberta, 1-877-427-3731.

Click here to view Minister Lukaszuk’s video blog.

Bill 120, the Securing Pension Benefits Now and For the Future Act, 2010 fulfils the government's commitment in the 2010 Budget to build on recommendations of the Expert Commission on Pensions, advice from the Advisory Council on Pensions and Retirement Income, and discussions with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.  Amendments were also made during extensive consultations with partners and the public.

This second set of reforms addresses almost 40 recommendations from the expert commission and would:  

• strengthen funding rules;
• permit more flexible funding rules for certain multi-employer pension plans and jointly sponsored pension plans;
• clarify pension surplus rules and provide a dispute resolution process to allow members, retirees, and sponsors to reach surplus-sharing agreements on plan wind-up;
• provide a more sustainable Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund; and
• further strengthen regulatory oversight and improve plan administration.

These proposed reforms are the outcome of extensive consultations and build on Bill 236, the Pension Benefits Amendment Act, 2010 that passed in the Legislature unanimously on May 5, 2010. Before Bill 236, pension rules in Ontario had been largely unchanged for more than two decades.

The government's reforms to date have responded to about two-thirds of the 142 recommendations in the expert commission's report that were addressed to the Ontario government. Remaining recommendations will be considered for inclusion in future reforms.

Ontario regulates approximately 8,350 employment pension plans, which comprise more than 40 per cent of all registered pension plans in Canada. Research conducted for the Expert Commission on Pensions found that 62 per cent of Ontario families with a member in the workforce have some degree of pension coverage.

As part of the Open Ontario plan, the Ontario government says it supports a multi-pronged approach to reform of the retirement income system and playing a leading role in national discussions on retirement income system reform to help Ontario families.

Manitoba recently proposed amendments to the act which would add four new occupational disease presumptions for firefighters. If enacted, these amendments would apply to full-, part-time and volunteer firefighters.

"Manitoba was the first jurisdiction in Canada to enact a firefighter's disease presumption," says Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard, minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act. "These new amendments reflect our ongoing commitment to the brave men and women who risk their lives on a daily basis."

The four new cancers which would be added to the list are multiple myeloma, primary site prostate, skin and, for the first time in Canada, breast cancer. Ten primary-site cancers have been listed since the first presumptive legislation in 2002:  brain, bladder, kidney, lung, ureter, colorectal, esophageal and testicular cancers, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia.   

Manitoba firefighters have worked with government to help bring together the scientific and medical research showing that firefighters experience higher rates of certain cancers, the minister said.

"Firefighters lay their lives on the line not only at the fire scene itself, but also face a higher risk of developing cancer in later years," said Alex Forrest, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg. "Firefighters in Winnipeg and across the province applaud the government of Manitoba for recognizing that fact in this important legislation."

In 2002, Manitoba became the first jurisdiction to have a firefighter disease presumption. Five cancers were initially included. In 2005, the Workers Compensation Act was amended to expand the presumption to part-time and volunteer firefighters, add three more cancers and presume heart injuries within 24 hours of an emergency response to be work-related injuries. In 2009, testicular and esophageal cancers were added.

Employment in British Columbia has reached an all-time record high, breaking the previous employment record set two years ago, Finance Minister Colin Hansen announced at the start of December.

“B.C.’s economy is continuing its recovery from the global downturn and employment has now exceeded pre-recession levels,” said Hansen. “Retail sales and exports are also showing growth compared to last year, but we remain mindful of ongoing instability across many sectors and international markets.”

According to the Labour Force Survey released today by Statistics Canada, B.C. created 4,300 jobs in November, resulting in a total of 2,326,100 people working in B.C. in November. B.C.’s employment is now 2,600 jobs above the all-time high of 2,323,500 jobs reached in July 2008, prior to the start of the global economic slowdown.

Year-to-date to November, B.C. has created 46,600 more jobs than the same period last year. Since December 2001, B.C. has added 307,000 full-time positions and 120,000 part-time positions.

Terms of Engagement: New Ways of Leading and Changing Organizations. 2nd Edition
By Richard H. Axelrod
Barrett-Koehler Publishers; $29.95 (U.S.)

Consultant Richard Axelrod says the idea for his book, now newly launched as a second edition, was to provide line managers with a guidebook for implementing organizational change. Axelrod focuses on four core principles and three practices that enable leaders to build strong employee commitment to change efforts. He shows how the old change management model actually discourages engagement.

Axelrod first destroys six common change management myths and then shows leaders how to involve everyone in an organization-not just select committees or working groups – in designing change efforts. He offers strategies for creating connections between people at all levels and building communities within the organization enthusiastically engaged in fostering change.  Underpinning all these efforts, he insists, must be a fundamental and transparent commitment to fairness in planning, implementation and outcome.

This revised edition features many new interviews and three new chapters. It includes a summary of recent findings in neuroscience that support Axelrod’s change model, and advice on how you can encourage engagement through everyday conversations, staff meetings, and work design.

Click here for more information (Axelrod speaks in a brief video on the book), or to order the book.

Canadians aged 25 to 34 fear that they will have to work longer into their golden years, according to a new poll commissioned by Edward Jones. This is a concern that has increased over the past four years – in 2006, 28 per cent of Canadians aged 25 to 34 listed this as their top fear about retirement, while today 40 per cent say this is their top fear.

A similar trend can be seen in the U.S. In 2006, only 15 per cent of Americans aged 25 to 34 listed having to work longer as their number one retirement fear, while now nearly one-fourth (23%) list this as their top fear.

"The recession has been a wake-up call for many investors – especially those that are still early in their careers," says Sucharita Maitra, principal, retirement planning, Edward Jones. "Many fear that they will have to work longer to supplement their savings making retiring at 65 a pipe dream, a worry that has become even more pronounced since the recession. I can't stress enough the importance of starting to save early to avoid having to work longer."

"Quelling fears about retirement comes back to planning and preparation," says Maitra. "Developing a financial strategy early and sticking to it will assist in calming those worries and allow young Canadians to finish the rat race in record time."

The Canadian survey results are based on a telephone survey of 1,005 nationally representative adults between October 28 and 31 by Harris/Decima.  A sample of this size will provide results that can be considered accurate within plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.   

The U.S. survey results are based on a telephone survey of 1,008 nationally representative adults between October 28 and 31 by Caravan. A sample of this size will provide results that can be considered accurate within plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.   

Edward Jones is a full-service investment dealer with one of the largest branch networks in Canada.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) recently launched a survey to learn more about the human rights issues and barriers people with mental health and addiction disabilities face. The survey kicks off a broader consultation process on human rights and mental health-related issues.

The questions are aimed at learning how discrimination because of a person's mental health issue or addiction may affect their ability to find and keep a job, get an apartment or connect with education and health-related services.

"Mental health is a priority for the OHRC," says Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall. "There are many ways we will add our voice to advancing rights for people living with mental health and addiction issues; the first step is to open this dialogue with the people who know first-hand the lived realities of mental health challenges."

The surveys are part of a broader public consultation that will hear stories from people with mental health disabilities and addictions, their families and friends, employers, service providers and housing providers in a number of communities across Ontario.

The OHRC will apply what it learns to its work in this area, which will include developing an effective, meaningful and relevant policy to help people living with mental health and addiction-related disabilities as well as the people who serve and employ them.

The survey is available online in two different formats, one for people with a mental health disability or addiction, and one for friends and family members. People are invited to fill out the survey online or print it out and mail it to the OHRC before the end of February 2011.

More information is available on the OHRC website at www.ohrc.on.ca, and regular updates will be posted on Facebook and Twitter. 

Despite the distractions of decking the halls and planning for parties, Canadian managers believe that workers actually increase their focus and attentiveness prior to the holidays. One-third (32 per cent) of senior managers surveyed recently by Accountemps said their employees are generally more productive the week before a major holiday event, compared to just 24 percent who said staff are less productive.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, a global staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 300 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees.

Managers were asked, “In your opinion, are employees more or less productive the week before a major holiday?” Their responses:

• 7 per cent: Much more productive         
• 25 per cent: Somewhat more productive          
• 44 per cent: No difference          
• 22 per cent: Somewhat less productive          
• 2 per cent: Much less productive            

“Although the results may seem surprising at first, it is evident that the need to stay focused and get as much work done as possible before the break is a priority amongst many employees,” says Kathryn Bolt, Canadian district president of Accountemps. “To enjoy the season’s company parties, family festivities and other activities, it becomes greatly beneficial to put in that added effort during the work hours leading up to the break.”

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Although productivity may increase as the holidays draw closer, many employees still struggle with balancing work and personal demands. Accountemps offers these five tips to help workers juggle multiple priorities during this season:

1. Make a list, and check it twice. Examine deadlines for upcoming major projects and adjust them as needed due to holiday schedules. Check in with coworkers on their plans to avoid unexpected delays or setbacks due to employee absences.

2. Tie up loose ends with a bow. Don’t leave people hanging while you’re away.  Before leaving early to attend a seasonal function or departing for holiday vacation, update your voicemail and e-mail auto responses, and show coworkers how to find critical information.

3. Exchange the gift of time. Delegate time-sensitive tasks and responsibilities to colleagues and offer to return the favour when they’re out.

4. Make merry selectively. Prioritize the events that are most important to you, and don’t feel pressured to attend every holiday function. Likewise, even if you aren’t traveling for the holidays, consider taking time off to shop, plan meals or attend to other holiday tasks.

5. Remember, Santa’s not the only one with helpers. If your department is spread thin, consider interim staff to help with year-end projects. If you are taking time off, prepare transition materials to help temporary professionals get up to speed quickly.

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Accountemps has more than 350 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com. Follow Accountemps for workplace news at twitter.com/accountemps. For Accountemps’ take on year-end, watch our new video on relieving work overload: www.accountemps.com/holiday. 

With the holiday season just around the corner, workers who plan to bargain hunt while on the clock should do so with caution. Four in ten (40 per cent) chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed by Robert Half Technology said they block access to online shopping sites; another 28 per cent said they allow access but monitor activity for excessive use. The CIOs whose companies allow shopping said they expect employees to spend four hours per week, on average, bagging online deals while at work this holiday season.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 120 CIOs from Canadian companies with 100 or more employees.

CIOs were asked, "What is your company's policy regarding employees shopping online while at work?" Their responses:

• 40 per cent would block access to online shopping sites  
• 28 per cent would allow access but monitor for excessive use
• 26 per cent would allow unrestricted access  

CIOs whose companies allow access to online shopping sites also asked, "How many hours per week do you think the average employees in your organization spends shopping online during the holiday season?" The mean response was four hours.

"Although some companies allow online shopping, they may be monitoring their employees' use of time on retail sites – and excessive use may be seen as a red flag," says Lara Dodo, Canadian regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "Employees should exercise sound judgment while shopping on the job, especially if it hinders productivity or causes deadlines to slip."


Robert Half Technology offers four tips to shop wisely in cyberspace this holiday season:

1.  Know your limits. Some employers permit online shopping, within reason. Know your company's policy, including sites or hours to avoid, before bargain-hunting on the Web.
    
2.  Prevent personal information from being 'shoplifted.' If a holiday offer looks too good to be true, it likely is. Avoid clicking on links or sites that could infect your company's network with phishing attacks or viruses.
   
3.  Buy rather than browse. Your employer may allow online shopping, but not at the expense of your job duties. A liberal computer use policy is not a license to spend all day filling your shopping cart.
   
4.  Score some deals after work. If you have projects that require immediate attention, save your holiday shopping for the evening or weekend. No online promotion is worth putting your career at risk.

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The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 120 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the survey to be statistically representative, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of the number of employees within each region.

With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com. Follow Robert Half Technology on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RobertHalfTech.

Over 50,000 Canadians have pledged their support for a National Work From Home Day and their voices were heard on November 24 by Parliament when Liberal MP and Human Resources and Skills Development Critic Mike Savage championed the idea in the House of Commons.  

“We’re thrilled that Mike Savage, one of Parliament’s hardest working MPs, is helping Workopolis champion this initiative to help employers create the type of flexible, highly productive workplaces that can deliver many benefits,” says Gabriel Bouchard, president and chief brand officer of Workopolis.

At the forefront of the movement, the mayor of Ottawa proclaimed Wednesday, November 24, 2010 as a Telework Day in the City of Ottawa and encouraged employees working in Canada’s capital to work from home, where feasible, on this day to demonstrate support for an annual National Work From Home Day. The Proclamation is on the heels of the motion put forward by Councillor Maria McRae, and approved by Ottawa City Council on August 25, 2010 directing city staff to proceed with telework implementation where operationally feasible.  

Going green by working from home
According to a recent poll for Workopolis, four in ten (39 per cent) Canadians said the most important benefit associated with working from home would be a reduction in traffic congestion and pollution. In lockstep with this goal, Workopolis will make a $10,000 donation to WWF-Canada to support the organization’s many initiatives aimed at greening the workplace, such as the Living Planet @ Work campaign.

“As a nation we need to rethink the world of work and the option to work from home should be part of that national discussion,” says Savage, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbor. “It’s good for the environment and work-life balance, and will improve our nation’s productivity, which adds to greater business success. I applaud Workopolis for their efforts to spearhead this initiative and urge the government to listen to the thousands of Canadians who support a National Work From Home Day. This is part of the new reality of work.”  

Canadian workers willing to make sacrifices for option to work from home
While the onus is on the employer to ensure that secure technology and clear policies are in place, workers have made it very clear that they’re willing to go the extra mile to be able to work from home.  The Harris / Decima poll commissioned by Workopolis reveals:

• Half (51 per cent) of Canadians said they would be willing to use their own resources, such as their own personal computer, to work from home.  
• More than a quarter (28 per cent) indicated they would work longer hours, and two in ten (19 per cent) even said they would take a pay cut to be able to work from home.  
• Sixteen per cent of workers would give up vacation days to take advantage of the added flexibility a work from home day would provide.

Win-Win for employees and employers

• Better health: greater work-life balance and lower stress are strong selling points for working from home.
• Zero commute: the home worker can transition from down time to work time in seconds and accommodate typical family responsibilities with little or no impact on the working day.
• Reduced costs for business: employers stand to gain from a lower employee turnover rate and greater productivity.
• Recruitment and retention: offering a work from home option is also seen as a perk by many employees and can help an organization attract and retain top talent.  

“With a looming labour shortage it is becoming increasingly important for employers to set themselves apart to attract the right talent,” says Bouchard. “New concepts such as offering staff the option to work from home allow employers to demonstrate their respect for work-life balance – something more and more candidates have told us they are looking for in new career opportunities.”

Research commissioned by Workopolis earlier this year found that good work-life balance was the top attribute workers are now seeking in a job opportunity, with over three-quarters (78 per cent) citing this as their top choice.

The evolution of a work from home day
The idea for a National Work From Home Day came to life when a blog article was posted on the Workopolis site discussing the notion of working from home and its benefits. A Workopolis home page poll followed, asking visitors if they would support a Work From Home Day in Canada. Over 20,000 votes were recorded with more than 80 per cent of Canadians voicing their support for the movement. A National Work From Home Day would follow on the heels of Work Wise Week which was established in the UK in 2005 and sees an average 5.8 million people telecommute on their designated day.

The following organizations have pledged their support for the campaign: The Canadian Telework Association; WorkShift Calgary; a regional initiative to promote, educate and accelerate the adoption of telecommuting in the business community; and Work Life Harmony; an organization dedicated to creating supportive work environments, strong families and healthy communities by facilitating work-life balance.  

Visit www.facebook.com/Workopolis today to learn more or to join the movement.

The Workopolis Work From Home Day Poll was conducted by Harris/Decima between October 28th and October 31st, 2010 via a national omnibus telephone survey among Canadians, not necessarily employed. A total of 1,005 Canadians were surveyed.  The study has a margin of error of +/-3.1%.

Workopolis provides Canadian employers and candidates with unrivalled access to one another by combining unique employer branding tools with the largest pool of candidate resumes on the Internet. Through the reach and scope of www.workopolis.com, extended by exclusive partnerships and community sites including social networking and mobile applications, Workopolis allows employers to engage with qualified candidates, allowing both parties to best assess fit online.   

Workopolis was chosen as the first organization to be given the Best Emerging Organization distinction as part of Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures program and was a recipient of the 2010 50 Most Engaged Workplaces award.