![]() The story about the Ontario man fired from a retail store due to insensitive online posts about the death of Amanda Todd, is not the first time we've seen a story like this. More and more we are seeing companies run into trouble when it comes to their employees using social media. Now, more than ever, companies need to be including a social media policy in their employee manual. With the future of employees being a generation that grew up online, specific rules and guidelines must be set out so companies can avoid stories like the one above. Where do I begin? Social Media Today posted a list of 100 companies and their social media policies that they have implemented. This is a place to start and get ideas on what needs to go into your policy. Something to think about "A big issue is the tradeoff that employers expect employees to make. If they want their employees to be available 24/7 and are giving them BlackBerry's and PC's to contact them outside of business hours, it is inevitable that people are going to use those devices on their personal time as well as business time. That's an inevitable consequence of asking people to be on call beyond eight hours a day" -Frank Addairo, Mitchell LLP What should employers do?
Basic rule of thumb: An employer has no authority over what employees do once they're off the clock unless the employer can show its legitimate business interests are affected. We'd love to connect with you!
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October 7-13 is Fire Prevention Week. Although this week is geared toward fire safety at home, it's still a good time to think about fire safety in the workplace. Did you know that every 85 seconds a fire breaks out somewhere in Canada? Being prepared is not only a matter of life and death - it's a legal obligation. Although it might not be on the top of your to-do list, OHS laws require you as an employer to take steps to protect workers in the event of a workplace fire. There are three basic sets of obligations for employers:
Although some workplaces are more vulnerable than others, fire hazards exist in every workplace. It is important that you are using due diligence in order to be preventive and keep your workplace safe. What is Due Diligence? When applied to occupational health and safety, due diligence means that you as the employer must take all reasonable precautions to prevent injuries or accidents in the workplace. When exercising due diligence, you must implement a plan to identify possible workplace hazards(example - fires) and carry out the appropriate corrective action (example - fire safety procedure) to prevent accidents or injuries arising from these hazards. Establishing a Due Diligence Program in Your WorkplaceThere are specific criteria for you to follow when establishing your program:
When it comes to health & safety in the workplace, the topic can be overwhelming. Clear Path offers two upcoming learning sessions: Intro to Health and Safety and Due Diligence. The sessions cover:
Upcoming sessions:
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This October marks the 12th year of Canada's Healthy Workplace Month – A celebration to introduce workplace health to organizations and support those already promoting it. From now until Halloween, workplaces across Canada will be taking part in initiatives and activities to encourage a safe and healthy workplace. So far 1,861 people from 317 organizations, coast to coast, are participating in this initiative. The goal of Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month is to increase awareness of workplace health in Canada by focussing on three elements of a healthy workplace:
Each week of October has a specific theme with suggested activities, all surrounding workplace health and safety:
Week Two – Improving Workplace Culture It’s not news that workplaces embracing positive cultures have happier and more productive employees. So here are some simple ways for you to create a positive work environment for your employees:
Safe and healthy workplaces don’t happen by accident. Staying informed and keeping up to date with current Health and Safety legislation both play a part in creating a culture of safety in your office. Check out our Intro to Health and Safety workshop to learn more about keeping your workplace a safe and healthy place! We'd love to connect with you!
Hiring Well Doesn’t Happen By AccidentHiring Well Doesn’t Happen By Accident Stories like that of Scott Thompson, former CEO of Yahoo who was let go after he falsified his academic credentials, are a reminder of the challenges business owners face when hiring new employees. Here are some tips to keep in mind when hiring a new team member:
So, you've hired the potential employee of your dreams, however that person is just not working out and you think it is time to part ways. What do you do next? Firing Someone Isn't Like You See On TV:![]() Before you pull a Donald Trump, remember that following a few steps during an employee termination can save you an awful lot of future headaches (and potentially money as well). A company can terminate anyone they wish. However, if it is a "not for cause" termination, you will be required to pay termination notice and potentially severance (if employed for longer than five years). If you want to terminate "for cause", make sure you have grounds and documentation that will support terminating that employee. Some examples of grounds for a "for cause" termination are:
Although all these are valid reasons for termination, there are many factors that come into play when firing an employee that may increase the dollar amount of your termination package exponentially:
Important:When deciding on termination for cause, it always makes sense to seek professional advice to ensure that you are not making matters worse by stepping into a wrongful dismissal suit. Want to learn more?Need to know the best practices for hiring employees effectively, changing terms of employment or understanding "for cause" vs. "not for cause" terminations?
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