HR Professional - October/November 2008 - (Page 16)

UPFRONT L E G I S L AT I O N | H I R I N G | L A B O U R R E L AT I O N S REGULATORY TRAGEDY LEAVES OF ABSENCE QUEBEC HAS INTRODUCED NEW RIGHTS TO UNPAID LEAVES OF ABSENCE FOLLOWING FAMILY TRAGEDIES. A CANADIAN FIRST, THE NEW PROVISIONS GIVE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THEIR EMPLOYER FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS THE FOLLOWING UNPAID LEAVES OF ABSENCE: • UP TO TWO YEARS LEAVE IN THE WAKE OF THE EMPLOYEE BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF BEING THE VICTIM OF A CRIMINAL ACT • UP TO TWO YEARS LEAVE IN THE WAKE OF THE EMPLOYEE’S CHILD BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF BEING THE VICTIM OF A CRIMINAL ACT • UP TO TWO YEARS LEAVE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE EMPLOYEE’S SPOUSE OR CHILD AS A RESULT OF BEING THE VICTIM OF A CRIMINAL ACT • UP TO ONE YEARS LEAVE FOLLOWING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE EMPLOYEE’S CHILD • UP TO ONE YEARS LEAVE IN THE EVENT THE EMPLOYEE’S SPOUSE OR CHILD COMMITS SUICIDE Government M E D I AT I O N C R I T I C A L There has been a recent trend toward labour stability in Ontario. During the ﬁrst quarter of 2008, there were 14 strikes and lockouts across the province, as compared to 28 strikes and lockouts in the same period in 2007. Mediation has been critical to this decline. Ministry of Labour mediators and conciliators can assist parties throughout the collective bargaining process. “In 2005, we passed the Labour Relations Statute Law Amendment Act, which improved fairness and balance in labour relations by eliminating measures that promoted unhealthy working relationships among employers and employees, re-established a card certiﬁcation system for the construction sector and prevented consecutive strikes in the homebuilding industry,” says Ontario Labour Minister Brad Duguid. “Ministry of Labour conciliators and mediators also work to reduce conﬂict and help to avoid work disruptions,” says Susanna Zagar, assistant deputy minister of Policy, Program Development and Dispute Resolution Services Division. The ministry recently launched two training initiatives to ensure mediators’ skills are current and to train future mediators. “The training gives mediators a greater understanding of the expectations of labour and management. It also gives them insight into the techniques that senior mediators use, as well as any new approaches that may exist in mediation,” says Zagar. The annual training program was created after a Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL) report predicted a shortage of mediators and conciliators in Ontario and across Canada due to retirements, turnover and lack of qualiﬁed replacements. Led by Ontario, CAALL appointed an advisory council and working group to set up the training program. Representatives from labour, management, academia and government were involved in establishing the program. More recently, the Ontario Ministry of Labour launched its new pilot Mediator Internship Program. The two-year program, funded by the ministry, features six to eight month assignments with each of the parties involved in negotiations—unions, employers and government. –Belinda Sutton, senior writer, Ontario Ministry of Labour RECRUITING PAY I N G N E W H I R E S T O Q U I T For online shoe retailer Zappos, the most critical question they pose to new hires is “will you take $1,500 to quit your new job?” If they say yes, the person gets the $1,500 and a fare thee well. If they say no, Zappos knows they’ve got a keeper—someone who’s committed to the company. Zappos’ HR staffers pose the question to all new hires after one week of training. Only two to three per cent take them up on it. The company started making the offers after it found itself growing rapidly three years ago. In an effort to maintain employee engagement as it expanded, Zappos’ HR department offered $100 to anyone who would take it to quit, ﬁguring those that accepted the offer weren’t ideal employees. They boosted it to $1,500 after deciding $100 wasn’t much of an incentive. Source: Chicago Tribune 16 O c t o b e r / N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8 HR P R OF E S S I ON A L

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - October/November 2008

HR Professional - October/November 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Upfront Legal Compensation Human Capital Talent Management Murphy’s Law Wise Counsel On Message HR 101 Interview with Joseph McCool Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - October/November 2008

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