Key Terms

behavioural descriptive questions

Questions designed to identify how an individual has or will perform in certain situations by asking about how a past situation was handled

demographics

The balance and composition of a group of people or population

discrimination

The practice of denying a person or class of persons any accommodation, service, or facility customarily available to the public because of the race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, or age

employee

A person:

1. who is receiving or entitled to wages for work performed for another
2. who an employer allows, directly or indirectly, to perform work normally performed by an employee
3. who is being trained by an employer for the employer’s business
4. who is on leave from an employer

employer

A person or business entity:

1. who has or had control or direction of an employee
2. who is or was responsible, directly or indirectly, for the employment of an employee

Human resources management (HRM)

The management of people within organizations, focusing on policies and systems.

job description

A detailed list of duties, skills, and qualifications required to perform a job

just cause

A legal reason for which an employer is allowed to terminate an employee without any notice or severance

labour shortages

The difference between supply and demand of available labour

labour supply

The number of people available to fill labour demand

manager

A person whose principal employment responsibilities consist of supervising and/or directing human or other resources, or a person employed in an executive capacity

migrants

People who are not currently in the local labour supply; can include Canadians moving to a new area for work or people coming to Canada from other countries to work

misconduct

Behaviour in the workplace that is undesirable

open-ended questions

Questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer

orientation   

Initial training given to an employee when starting a new or different job

overtime

The wages an employee is entitled to under the Employment Standards Act or the terms of an employment agreement for working in excess of the regular schedule

pay period

The number of days for which an employee gets regularly paid

progressive discipline

A series of increasingly severe actions used to address poor performance or misconduct in the workplace

staff turnover

Change in staff due to employees leaving the workplace permanently

termination of employment

The end of the employee-employer relationship

termination pay

Pay for each week of notice a terminated employee is entitled to

wages

1. salaries, commissions or money, paid or payable by an employer to an employee for work
2. money that is paid or payable by an employer as an incentive; relates to hours of work, production, or efficiency

Does not include gratuities; money paid at the discretion of the employer that is not related to hours of work, production, or efficiency; allowances or expenses; penalties; and administrative fees