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April 5, 2012
- The Federal Budget – “Jobs Growth and Long-Term Prosperity”
- Employee Quit During Notice Period, But Wrongful Dismissal Damages Awarded
- Allegations of Discrimination and Harassment at the RCMP
- The Cost of Discrimination Against Gay and Transgendered Employees in the U.S.
- Attracting, Engaging & Retaining Older Workers
- Changes Planned – and Proposed - to Canada’s Immigration System
- Gender Gaps, Wage Gaps, and The Pill
- The Minimum Wage Debate in the U.S.
- Canada at a Glance
- Work Life Balance – Lessons From Other Countries
- Are Robots Taking Our Jobs?
- Pawsitive News
- Book of the Week
The Federal Budget – “Jobs Growth and Long-Term Prosperity”
“Canada faces a fast-changing global environment, with increasing competition from emerging market countries and a global economy that remains fragile and uncertain. For this reason, the Government remains focused on an agenda that will deliver high-quality jobs, economic growth and sound public finances. Economic Action Plan 2012 will help further unleash the potential of Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs to innovate and thrive in the modern economy to the benefit of all Canadians for generations to come.”
Federal Budget 2012
Budget in Brief (PDF, 26 pages)
The Conference Board of Canada “concludes that the government is firmly on track to eliminate its deficit by 2015–16. Document Highlights: Fiscal restraint remains the main focus in Budget 2012, putting the government back on track to balance its budget by 2015–16; A long list of departmental budget cuts will see total federal employment shrink by over 19,000 over the next three years; The government has placed much emphasis on promoting long-term growth, with a myriad of measures that encourage investment and address Canada’s labour market challenges.”
The Conference Board of Canada, March 2012: Federal Budget 2012. Free access.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, March 29, 2012: Federal budget commentary and analysis
CBC News, April 4, 2012: “CBC to cut 650 jobs over next 3 years”
The Globe and Mail, April 4, 2012: “Public servants brace for details of 19,200 Tory job cuts”, by Bill Curry
CBC News, April 4, 2012: “Federal job cuts could be higher than projected: National Defence hit first with 1,100 civilian job losses”
The Globe and Mail, April 2, 2012: “How the budget will affect public service retirements”, by Tammy Schirle
The Globe and Mail, April 1, 2012: “Just days after Harper’s budget, the axe begins to fall”, by Steven Chase
The Toronto Star, March 30, 2012: “Federal budget 2012: Conservatives to cut 19000 public service jobs”, by Joanna Smith
The Globe and Mail, March 29, 2012: “From Harper's Tories, a budget that dials back the role of government”, by Bill Curry and Jeremy Torobin
Employee Quit During Notice Period, But Wrongful Dismissal Damages Awarded
“The Court of Appeal of British Columbia recently held that an employee was entitled to damages for wrongful dismissal, even after he refused to work during the 5-week notice period provided by his employer. The employee argued that working through the notice period would have been “intolerable”.”
Giza v. Sechelt School Bus Service Ltd., 2012 BCCA 18 (CanLII), January 13, 2012
Canadian Employment and Pension Law, March 30, 2012: “Employer liable for damages, despite employee quitting during notice period”, by Kelly O’Ferrall and Nasim Jamasbi
The Globe and Mail, April 4, 2012: “The ins and outs of job severance”, by Daniel A. Lublin
Allegations of Discrimination and Harassment at the RCMP
Lawyers representing a former female RCMP officer in B.C. have filed a class-action lawsuit for alleged sexual harassment against the RCMP: “Janet Merlo alleges she endured 20 years of sexual harassment, sexual pranks, lewd comments and double standards from male supervisors.” Commissioner Bob Paulson, head of the RCMP, says the force is moving quickly to find ways to increase female representation in its upper ranks, but admits he must make sure such efforts aren't perceived as token appointments. "If it is, then I'm dead in the water," he said. "The women have been quite clear on this. 'Don't do us any favours, commissioner. Just be fair to us. Don't be promoting women because they're women. Promote them because they're qualified.'" Paulson would not comment on the lawsuit, except to say, "I don't need a class-action suit to tell me the organization needs to change. We're changing it."
Janet Merlo v. The Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Justice of British Columbia(PDF,18 pages)
Ottawa Citizen, March 30, 2012: “RCMP head moves to boost women in upper ranks: Appointments will not be token: commissioner”, by Douglas Quan
Winnipeg Free Press, March 29, 2012: “Manitobans join RCMP suit: Sexual harassment alleged; dealing with bosses 'challenging'”, by Gabrielle Giroday
CBC News, Mar 27, 2012: “RCMP face sexual harassment class-action suit”
The Globe and Mail, December 5, 2011: “RCMP took two years to respond to officer’s sexual harassment complaint”, by Gary Mason
The Globe and Mail, December 3, 2011: “Former Mountie paints picture of near daily harassment”, by Gary Mason
CBC News Posted: Nov 8, 2011: “More B.C. Mounties complain of harassment”
The Cost of Discrimination Against Gay and Transgendered Employees in the U.S.
$64 billion is the estimated annual cost of losing and replacing more than 2 million American workers who leave their jobs each year due to unfairness and discrimination - a significant number of whom are gay or transgender individuals who have been treated unfairly because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. 42 percent of gay individuals say they have experienced some form of employment discrimination at some point in their lives. 90 percent of transgender individuals experience some form of harassment, mistreatment, or discrimination on the job, including 47 percent who said they had been fired, denied employment, or not received a deserved promotion because of their gender identity. It is not illegal in a majority of states to fire someone because they identify as gay or transgendered.
Crosby Burns, March 2012: The Costly Business of Discrimination: The Economic Costs of Discrimination and the Financial Benefits of Gay and Transgender Equality in the Workplace. (PDF, 46 pages)
Attracting, Engaging & Retaining Older Workers
“A new research paper by the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College finds that workplace flexibility initiatives, when properly matched to employee needs can provide strategic benefits to older workers and their employers.“Flex Strategies to Attract, Engage & Retain Older Workers” is a series of corporate case studies across a variety of industry sectors that demonstrate the value of workplace flexibility’s ability to recruit, retain, and engage older workers.”
Sloan Center on Aging and Work, Boston College, March 2012: Flex Strategies To Attract, Engage & Retain Older Workers (Full Report, PDF, 31 pages)
The Globe and Mail, April 3, 2012: “Last years on the job made more meaningful”, by Diane Jermyn
Postmedia News, March 19, 2012: “Many companies not willing or ready to hire older workers: Ageism a huge block to many being able to find jobs after 60”, by Misty Harris
Changes Planned – and Proposed - to Canada’s Immigration System
Ottawa wants to overhaul the immigration system to allow international companies and Canadian professional organizations to assess the education and credentials of any potential immigrant. Under the new system, employers, not bureaucrats, will decide who comes to Canada. “Employers are going to do a much better job at selection than a passive bureaucracy,” he said, “because they can’t afford to recruit people to come to Canada who can’t work at their skill level on arrival.”
The Globe and Mail, April 5, 2012: “Jason Kenney wants to 'stop the madness' in immigration system”, by Anna Mehler Paperny
Institute for Research on Public Policy, April 4, 2012: “Making It in Canada Immigration Outcomes and Policies”, by Garnett Picot and Arthur Sweetman (Full Report, PDF, 48 pages). “Canada needs a balanced approach to immigration that addresses both short and long-term labour market and other goals, and focuses on highly skilled immigration.”
The Toronto Star, April 3, 2012: “Ottawa’s insistence on high immigration levels during downturns questioned in report”, by Nicholas Keung
The Globe and Mail, April 3, 2012: “New approach proposed for immigrant recruiting”, by Wallace Immen
ALLIES (Assisting Local Leaders with Immigrant Employment Strategies), in a project jointly funded by Maytree and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation , has produced a new report: “Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have enormous potential as employers of skilled immigrants. At the same time, they can benefit from the skills, experience and innovation that skilled immigrants can bring to their organizations. Our research looks at programs and policies that can engage and influence the human resource practices of SMEs.”
ALLIES, 2012: Global Talent for Small and Medium Enterprises: Finding Solutions. Executive Summary (PDF, 3 pages). Full Report (PDF, 24 pages). Business Case (PDF, 2 pages)
Statistics Canada, March 7, 2012: Table 282-01051,2 - Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by immigrant status, educational attainment, sex and age group, Canada, 3-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality.
Gender Gaps, Wage Gaps, and The Pill
“The introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s did more for U.S. women than provide greater control over when, and if, they wanted to have children. According to a new University of Michigan study, a woman's access to oral contraceptives at an early age added up to an eight per cent wage gain over women who didn't take the pill.”
National Bureau Of Economic Research Working Paper No. 17922, March 2012: “The Opt-In Revolution? Contraception and the Gender Gap in Wages”, by Martha J. Bailey,Brad Hershbein andAmalia R. Miller. (PDF, 45 pages)
The Calgary Herald, April 2, 2012: “Birth control pill led to wage gains”, by Darah Hansen
The Minimum Wage Debate in the U.S.
“The current value of the federal minimum wage – $7.25 per hour – is often compared to the cost of living, the average wage in the economy, or the productivity of the average worker. By all of these benchmarks, the current federal minimum is well below its historical levels. But the current minimum wage looks even worse when compared to two kinds of purchases strongly associated with a middle-class standard of living or the ability to move up to the middle class: health insurance and a college degree.”
Center for Economic & Policy Research, March 19, 2012: “New CEPR Issue Brief Shows Minimum Wage Has Room to Grow”, by John Schmitt
Center for Economic & Policy Research, March 2012: “The Minimum Wage Is Too Damn Low”, by John Schmitt. (PDF, 3 pages) (Flash format)
Center for Economic and Policy Research, March 2012: “Affording Health Care and Education on the Minimum Wage”, by John Schmitt and Marie-Eve Augier. (Full Brief, PDF, 5 pages) (Flash format)
Center for Economic and Policy Research, April 2012: Low-wage Workers Are Older and Better Educated than Ever”, by John Schmitt and Janelle Jones. (PDF, 6 pages) (Flash format)
Wall Street Journal, March 13, 2012: “How to Keep More Kids on the Streets: New Jersey is the latest state that may price teens and young adults out of the labor force”
Labor Notes, February 27, 2012: “Living Wage Laws: Worth the Effort?”, by Stephanie Luce
Atlanta Journal Constitution, February 14, 2012: “Opinion: Minimum wage hike a bad idea”, by Kyle Jackson.
Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2012: “Romney: Adjust Minimum Wage for Inflation”, By Danny Yadron
Wall Street Journal, January 1, 2012: “Washington is first state with $9 minimum wage: San Francisco reported to have highest minimum in U.S., at $10.24”
Middle Class Political Economist (blog), September 8, 2011: “Labor Day: Of Nine OECD Members with a Higher Minimum Wage than U.S., Seven Have Lower Unemployment Rates”
OECD, StatExtracts: Real hourly minimum wages [in OECD countries], 2000 - 2010
Canada at a Glance
“Canada at a Glance presents current Canadian demographic, education, health and aging, justice, housing, income, labour market, household, economic, travel, financial, agricultural, international trade and environmental statistics. Updated yearly, this booklet is a very useful reference for those who want quick access to current Canadian statistics and important international comparisons.”
Statistics Canada, April 4, 2012: Canada at a Glance 2012
Work Life Balance – Lessons From Other Countries
“German companies are seeking to find ways to better understand the factors that may affect the employer-employee value proposition. This briefing provides background information on the demographic, political, economic, social and cultural environments in Germany, as well as implications for organizations planning to implement work-life initiatives there”.
The Boston College Center for Work & Family: Work-Life in Germany (PDF, 8 pages)
Work and Family Volume 21 Number 2 Fall 2011: “International Perspectives on Work-Family Policies: Lessons from the World's Most Competitive Economies”, by Alison Earle Zitha Mokomane Jody Heymann. (Full Report, PDF, 20 pages)
The Glasshammer, March 27, 2012: “How Do You Measure Work/Life Balance”by Melissa J. Anderson
Are Robots Taking Our Jobs?
Read articles, and listen to podcasts from American Public Radio’s Marketplace to learn how technology – from factory robots to self-checkout machines — are changing the future of American jobs.
NPR, Talk of the Nation, April 4, 2012: Look Out! There Are Robots All Around (Podcast, 30:18 minutes)
American Public Radio, Marketplace Series – “Robots Ate My Job”. Descriptions and links to all stories in the series, listed below, are here.
- Robots Ate My Road Trip: Day 6
- Robots lose out in hospitality
- Robots across America
- Robots and people can all get along
- The future of... cupcakes?
- Robots: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
- Robots get personal
- Robots Ate My Road Trip--Day 5
- A trip across the country with no human contact
- Robots and the hourglass economy
Bloomberg BusinessWeek [Boston Herald], April 1, 2012: “Bay State robot developers to test shopping assistant”
Slate, March 29, 2012: “Should Teachers Use Automated “Robo-Readers” To Grade Students’ Essays?”, by Torie Bosch
New York Times, March 25, 2012: “Disruptions: At Amazon, the Robot World Comes a Little Closer”, By Nick Bilton
Computerworld, October 31, 2011: “Robots are taking mid-level jobs, changing the economy: High-tech workers should fare well as tech transforms the workplace”, by Sharon Gaudin
Pawsitive News
“Man's best friend may make a positive difference in the workplace by reducing stress and making the job more satisfying for other employees, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study.”
ScienceDaily, March 30, 2012: “Benefits of Taking Your Dog to Work May Not Be Far-Fetched”
The Globe and Mail, March 30, 2012: “Could dogs help de-stress your office?”, by Dave Mcginn
The Toronto Star, March 9, 2012: “Therapy dog tops in class at University of Ottawa”, by Kenyon Wallace
Book of the Week
Labour Markets, Industrial Relations and Human Resources Management in Europe. From Recession to Recovery [Paperback], edited by Roger Blanpain. Kluwer Law International, 2012. 272 p. ISBN-13: 978-9041140043
Social models are always contested and ambiguous. This is particularly evident in the field of human resources management, where decisions that ultimately affect the patterns of social relations are made every day. This collection of in-depth essays focuses on some central human resources elements: gender, youth, ageing, educational background, training, workers rights; providing an up-to-date summary and analysis of how employers are dealing--and should be dealing--with workforce characteristics under current globalized forces. The emphasis is on Europe, but valuable insights come also from Chile, Canada, and the United States.
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