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BCjobs Blog

RobertKSmithson

Posts by RobertKSmithson:

April 12th, 2011

Too Much, Too Soon or Too Little, Too Late

Too Much, Too Soon or Too Little, Too Late

Few things seem to stir the pot in B.C. as much as discussion about raising the minimum wage rate. Now, it’s much more than a discussion as B.C.’s new premier has instituted a graduated raise in the minimum wage from $8.00 per hour to $10.25.
I’ve read reviews of this long-awaited increase which variously describe it as “too much, too soon” and “too little, too late”. That shows just how polarized parts of the business community and the labour movement are on this topic.

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January 26th, 2011

When Terminating for Cause, Measure Twice and Cut Once

When Terminating for Cause, Measure Twice and Cut Once

It is a rare employer who is not aware of its employees’ entitlement to reasonable working notice of termination (or pay in lieu thereof). At the same time, it also seems to be a rare employer which has a full grasp of the other costs which can arise upon termination.
That is perhaps because most employees who are terminated (on a without cause basis) are owed little more than some pay in lieu of notice at the time of termination. A smaller category of employees has a range of other entitlements and these can be quite valuable.

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August 24th, 2010

How Long Have You Worked Here?

How Long Have You Worked Here?

Our common law of wrongful dismissal establishes most employees’ entitlement to notice of termination (or pay in lieu) based, primarily, on the employee’s tenure. What some employers don’t know is that a court may regard that tenure as continuous through one or more breaks in service.

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April 26th, 2010

No Pint of Beer at Lunch for You

No Pint of Beer at Lunch for You

According a recent article by Randy Shore, published in the Vancouver Sun, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) has implemented a policy banning consumption of alcohol by employees during the work day. Unfortunately for ICBC, its work day includes a lunch period for which employees are not paid.

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January 26th, 2010

New Year’s Resolutions for Human Resources

New Year's Resolutions for Human Resources

Now that we’re into the first January of a new decade, it’s as good a time as any to assess how we perform our jobs on a day-to-day basis. Human resources managers are no different, and here are my five suggestions of things they might consider trying in 2010.

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December 18th, 2009

Video Evidence Of Employee Conduct Is Here To Stay

Video Evidence Of Employee Conduct Is Here To Stay

The recent Report Following a Public Interest Investigation respecting the death of Robert Dziekanski relied heavily on video evidence produced by a bystander. I’m thinking employers should get accustomed to facing such evidence of the actions of their staff.

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August 28th, 2009

Getting Employees Off The Telephone

Getting Employees Off The Telephone

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has reported that, at the time of a recent mid-air collision between an airplane and a helicopter, the air traffic controller was making a personal telephone call. The crash killed nine people and is an example of what can happen when an employee is engaged in personal business rather than focused on work duties.

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April 23rd, 2009

AVOIDING THE PITFALLS OF ENTICEMENT

AVOIDING THE PITFALLS OF ENTICEMENT

In employment law circles, the terms “enticement” or “inducement” refer to the more aggressive methods by which an employer will woo an individual to accept an employment offer. In a competitive job market, employers will often go to great lengths to convince a person to leave his/her existing employment and join the team.

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February 23rd, 2009

Employers and Employees can Weather the Storm

Employers and Employees can Weather the Storm

I’m not a fan of the phrase, “economic meltdown”. It’s an exaggeration of the negative aspects of the current economic climate and, in Chicken Little fashion, ignores all the positives.

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December 2nd, 2008

Hiring older workers, a legal perspective

Hiring older workers

Hiring older workers seems to be part of an employer bandwagon. The shiny, new era of the elimination of mandatory retirement policies in British Columbia is but a few weeks old. That legal change seems to have come at an opportune moment for older workers.

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