It is not uncommon for disputes to arise about employees' eligibility for payment for travel time. Employment law regarding travel time can be complicated. Therefore, British Columbia employers are advised to draft a company policy that includes information about travel time in the employment contracts when new staff members are appointed.
Here is what the BC Employment Standards Act says about paid and unpaid travel time:
There are many different forms of discrimination that can exist in the workplace. You could experience discrimination based on personal characteristics - such as your age, race or gender. Discrimination can also be identified through unequal opportunities or disciplinary actions.
Incidents involving discrimination may remain unreported because workers are unaware of their protections under the law. The Canada Labour Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and British Columbia-specific employment laws all offer protections against workplace discrimination. In today's post, we will outline some of the common ways that discrimination can present itself on the job:
Before starting a manufacturing plant in British Columbia, business owners must familiarize themselves with certain labour laws. In Canada, many matters related to human rights, health, safety and employment fall within the province's jurisdiction.
Here are three important rules to be aware of:
Drug testing happens before and during many jobs throughout the country. While such tests may seem straightforward, the results aren't always as cut and dried as you might think.
Certain conditions can create false-positive test results - leading to serious problems for you as an employee. Here's what you need to know:
Employees in British Columbia are protected against discrimination. For those employed by organizations falling within federal labour jurisdiction, the Canadian Human Rights Act prevents discrimination or harassment based on race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation or other protected grounds. Victims of such behaviour in the workplace could file complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. (Other employees who fall within provincial jurisdiction will have recourse through the BC Human Rights Tribunal.)
Navigating such a complaint could be a daunting prospect, and the complainant must include specific information with the claim. The first requirement is to describe the nature of discrimination and the particular grounds that were violated. The employee must also explain:
When British Columbia employers conduct job interviews, they must take care to avoid discriminatory inquiries. Broadly speaking, employers may not ask prospective employees questions about any of protected grounds under the Bc Human Rights Code, including:
Employees in British Columbia who are concerned about how their employers handle their personal information might have questions about their legal rights. According to privacy laws, employers may not share personal information with other employees. The only exception is when such information is essential for others in carrying out their jobs.
When an employer collects an employee's personal information, that information is protected, and access or disclosure rights are limited under the law. The size of the organization or company and its structure will play a role in allowing access to the information of employees. For example, suppose the employee's manager was not involved in the hiring process. In that case, that individual might not have any need for access to a worker's health information, Social Insurance Number and other personal information.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal within minutes. Any workplace where fuel-powered engines run could be a hazardous area where employees could be overwhelmed by this deadly gas.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the silent killer because it is tasteless, odourless and colourless, making it undetectable. A workplace accident involving a worker in a confined space where CO is present almost always ends in tragedy.
Nowadays, the world lives on social media. More and more people get their news from platforms like Facebook and Twitter than ever before. If you need to spread the word about an upcoming event or opportunity, utilizing social media seems like a logical place to start.
It makes sense, then, that many employers have moved away from the classified ads section of the newspaper and have started using Facebook to advertise their job postings.
WorkSafeBC recently announced updates to safety protocols for residential construction work. It released a new publication - entitled Safe Work Practices for Residential Construction - as well as a Notice of Project (NOP) postcard. The aim of these measures is to improve health and safety standards and limit preventable workplace accidents in British Columbia.
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