8.1 Introduction
When working in Operations Management, you may be responsible for work processes and/or people. Either way, you will be required to follow employment legislation that impacts the workers. In this chapter, we will review some of the pertinent employment legislation that impacts a business, such as minimum standards, safety and human rights. This text will focus on employers that fall under provincial legislation. If you are working for a federally regulated employer, such as a bank or a broadcaster, your organization will follow federal employment legislation. Some of the provincial legislation we will explore includes:
- Employment Standards
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Labour Relations
- Human Rights
- Pay Equity
- Accessibility
- Leaves of Absence
- Workers Compensation
Legislative Impact
Every area of your business will be impacted by employment legislation as every department is made up of people. Let’s look at a few areas directly impacted by employment legislation.
Talent Acquisition
From the creation of interview questions, job descriptions, to advertising jobs, conducting job interviews and finally selecting the successful candidate, employment legislation impacts every area of this process.
Payroll
Your organization will be responsible for the accurate payment of overtime, holiday and vacation pay. In addition, your organization will need to accurately record hours of work and maintain these records.
Safety
Whether it be the installation of new equipment, workplace inspections, reporting injuries or hazard assessments, employment legislation outlines the expectations of the worker and the employer.
Supervisory/Management Roles
How you treat your employees, how you promote your employees and how you reward your employees are key to the success of your company. The best way to attract and retain employees is to be known as an employer of choice for the way you conduct business and the way you respect your employees. Employment legislation reinforces the ways in which employers handle employment matters.
Terminations
If an employer terminates the employment of a worker, employment legislation provides direction on payments that may be owed to the employee, such as severance or termination pay.
