Invest in Management
& Supervisors, or risk being held liable
By: Holly Ormsbee
Management carry great
responsibility and influence in the workplace.The implications of their actions
and decisions can open up an employer to liability and legal action.An
average of 2,500 discrimination cases are filed every year in Ontario. This
startling statistic provides evidence that it is critical for management to have
a clear understanding of employment related laws. By acting in accordance to the
law, employee complaints and law suits will be reduced. This in turn reduces the
employer's operating costs, aggravation and energy spent on dealing with legal
issues and minimizes the fallout to both employee and public relations. The time
and resources that are subsequently freed up, can be redeployed to focus
on revenue generating activities.
In Ontario the key employment related legislation include but are not limited
to:
- The Employment Standards Act, 2000
- Ontario Human Rights Code
- Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
- The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
- The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA), this legislation is only applicable in some workplaces
- Pay Equity Act
It is especially important in workplaces that do not have a
dedicated Human Resources Professional that Management has a good understanding
of the
above mentioned legislation. These Managers need to operate as their own mini
HR Managers. Management have an obligation to uphold the employer’s integrity
and
lawful responsibilities and reduce risk.
Investing in training
your management team on employment legislation and your company’s related
policies will have a significant return on investment (ROI). Legal action can
cost
an employer a fortune and can have a detrimental impact on public
perception, and the ability to recruit and retain staff and clients.
HR-Fusion can customize appropriate training to suit your needs.
Helpful links
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_00e41_e.htm
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h19_e.htm
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_97w16_e.htm
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o01_e.htm
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/P-8.6/FullText.html
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90p07_e.htm
