As the first compliance deadline for Canada's proactive Pay Equity Act has passed, federally regulated employers should be preparing to meet key obligations aimed at closing the gender wage gap. Passed in 2018 and enacted in August 2021, this legislation places the onus on employers to proactively assess and adjust pay practices at set intervals, ensuring that employees in roles commonly held by women receive equal pay for work of equal value. By requiring employers to regularly review their compensation systems, the Act represents a significant move toward lasting pay equity in the workplace. 

Workplace conflict refers to the disputes that arise between coworkers. Conflict is a natural human tendency, and can result in positive outcomes when people raise dissenting opinions in a fair and respectful way. When negative conflict becomes disruptive to your business or starts affecting other employees it can become a problem.

Edited by Kendra Hinton

 One of Legacy Bowes’ core tenets is to build capacity within the communities and organizations that we serve. But what does that mean, exactly?

Through our learning and development services, we assist and support communities and organizations in building capacity to further develop their organization. We help by providing real-life tools and techniques that can be immediately applied into peoples’ daily lives.

Read on to learn about what capacity development is, why it is so important, and how Legacy Bowes can help you on that journey. 

Senior Human Resources Consultant Kent Brown facilitating the Lateral Violence to Lateral Kindness program.

 A Lateral Kindness Warrior is a person who fights for kindness. It is a person who chooses to be kind even when people and the world can be unkind, someone who always keeps the sacred teaching of Love in their forethought, they always care about others, and are ferociously compassionate. A Lateral Kindness Warrior never tolerates lateral violence, intimidation or disrespect, and always stands up for those who don’t have a voice.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like somebody I’d definitely want in my corner. Better yet, that sounds like someone I want to be. While the idea is straightforward, earning the honour of “Lateral Kindness Warrior” is not a simple journey; it involves reflection and introspection, as well as dedication to being kind. Before becoming a Lateral Kindness Warrior, we must first understand what lateral violence is and learn how to deal with it.

Each year, Sept. 30 is recognized as National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. Many workplaces may find themselves in a situation where they are asking themselves, “What does this day mean for our organization?”

First and foremost, this day is to honour children who attended residential school, remembering those who did not make it home, and recognizing survivors and their families.

For federally-regulated employers, this day is considered a statutory holiday, meaning workplaces close or employees are paid time-and-a-half. For non-federally-regulated employers, it is a bit more complicated.

On February 1, 2024, the minimum requirements for notice periods regarding the individual termination of employees changed, with notice amounts now tied to the individual’s length of employment. These amounts are outlined below and are in addition to any severance amounts that the employee may be entitled to under the Canada Labour Code.

If your employees are not showing up to work, it can be frustrating.

Chronic absenteeism is the habitual pattern of frequent, unplanned and unauthorized absences from work, as well as any failure to report for scheduled work, or to stay at work when scheduled. Chronic absenteeism represents a breach of the implicit social contract between employee and employer - the employee is expected to be available and able to work when scheduled and that the employer pays the employee in exchange for work.

Absenteeism can cost an organization greatly, but the costs are often not well understood and easily dismissed.

To help you understand, we have compiled a definitive guide to dealing with the problem so you can set expectations, make decisions that are compliant with employment regulations and get staff at work!

Have you ever had an employee fail to show up to work for an extended period of time, with no word or warning, and marked them off as a case of job abandonment?

Many employers have a job abandonment policy which states something along the lines of “after three consecutive, unauthorized absences an employee shall be considered to have abandoned their job”. There is a common misconception that this legal and correct.

In all actuality, the employer has a high threshold that they must meet in order to prove that the employee abandoned their job. A resignation must be clear and unequivocal.

How do your team members feel about you?

Research shows around 9% of Canadians from 2020 to 2022 said their bosses were "bad," and 16% described them as "meh."

Using the right leadership style when managing a team will increase your chances of being called a "good" boss instead.

There are different supervision styles that managers can use. Let's explore how to identify and embrace the leadership style that works best for your team.

Gone are the days when we stay at one job until retirement. And while it hasn’t been unheard of to change jobs every couple of years, a new trend is emerging.

Quick quitting is when employees are leaving their new jobs that they’ve had for less than a year in search of greener pastures. This is in part due to inflation, and the rising costs of groceries and gas, but it can also come down to employee engagement. You should also be sure to not confuse quick quitting with quiet quitting. While quick quitting refers to an employee leaving a role after a short tenure, quiet quitting occurs when an employee quits going above and beyond and only do what is required of them through their job descriptions.

So what are the signs of quick quitting? Read on to learn more.

No one likes a complainer. They are thought to be looking for the negative in any situation, clouding the mood of the company, and enticing an audience to share in their woes. It can feel like they are always trying to dial down the positivity of whatever room they’re in.

There are, however, different kinds of complaints – and different kinds of complainers. By examining the benefits of these bellyachers, a culture of complainers can be successfully transformed into a meaningful source of innovation for your workplace.

If you are a federally-regulated employer, and the organization pays vacation pay each pay period, the federal labour program would say that this not compliant.

All employees, regardless if they are full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary or casual, must receive their vacation pay in one (1) of the following ways:

1. Within fourteen (14) days before the employee takes their vacation leave
2. On the regular pay day during or immediately following the employee’s vacation leave

Jennefer Nepinak, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Reconciliation, speaking during the Truth2Action official launch on April 13, 2023.

The TIPI Group of Companies is pleased to announce the official launch of its Truth2Action initiative. This initiative focuses on the TRC Calls to Action and is aimed at improving the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. With a mission of facilitating the healing process through increased understanding, respect, and collaboration, the Truth2Action team focuses on endeavors that promote truth-telling, justice, restitution, and addressing closing the economic gap.

Officially launched in the spring of 2023, this initiative offers support and guidance to organizations on their journey towards reconciliation through a number of programs.

Legacy Bowes is always looking for ways to build capacity with our clients. We respond to client requests for training and HR support and can design and customize our offerings to clients’ needs. When we get a request that we do not have the expertise to deliver, we do our best to find a partner who can.

Following a client request for de-escalation training, Legacy Bowes made a connection with Krypteia Group International Canada (KGICA). They specialize in community and building safety planning, security audits, risk analyses, fire and disaster plans writing, hazard assessment, emergency response strategies and the implementation of subsequent recommendations.

Beginning Dec. 1, 2022, the federal government implemented changes surrounding the NEW Paid Medical Leave. As a result, all federally-regulated employers should be looking at their policies and current sick leave benefits to ensure compliance with these legislated changes.

Please read on for a summary of changes that have come into force.

Learning is an ongoing process for professionals. With how quickly things can change in the workplace, it's important that professionals lean into becoming lifelong learners to make sure they keep current and on top of trends.

But where should you turn to ensure you're keeping up-to-date? We're sharing our team's favourites from 2022, including podcasts, books, and blogs, that can help keep you in the know. These picks were all included in our quarterly newsletter called the HR Rundown, which provides human resources professionals and managers with quarterly updates on legislative changes, information on latest trends, and more.

The term “quiet quitting” has hit headlines in a major way. Not only has the hashtag #quietquitting been trending on TikTok, but major media outlets have also joined the conversation, expanding the discussion across mainstream media.

Quiet quitting is the concept where employees quit going above and beyond and only do what is required of them through their job descriptions. This comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and during a time when employees are re-evaluating what work could look like.

While some workplaces grapple with how to manage this trend, there are some things employers can proactively do to help with employee engagement and satisfaction. We have collected a list of topics and supports to assist employers.

Your workplace culture affects everyone within it, as well as everyone who interacts with it. This makes having a good, healthy, and non-toxic culture so important!  

Workplace culture is made up of the values, attitudes, and behaviours of employees and leaders within your organization.  So, what is the difference between good and bad workplace culture? Let’s take a look at what negative aspects contribute to a toxic workplace culture, and what positive aspects can create a healthy workplace culture.

Although human resources professionals spend a lot of time building structures, policy, processes, and procedures, we have to admit that we also spend a great deal of time navigating the gray of human behaviour and how to deal with issues when they arise. While there are judgement calls that need to be made when dealing with people, those decisions should be consistent, fair, and defensible.

At no time is this more true than when confronted with a workplace complaint.

There are many different complaint or grievance procedures that any business or organization could follow. When deciding on your course of action, there are a couple of factors you should keep in mind.