Advancing Women In Skilled Trades
Female Engineer in a hardhat

Retention Appendices

Appendix 2.A /

Welcome Package

Orientation Welcome Package Template

Dear [employee name],
We are pleased you will be joining us as [position title] at [Company Name].
Your main responsibilities include:

At [Company Name], we are dedicated to workplace diversity and respect. You will receive training and a copy of our policies at your Orientation Session on [date]. At the orientation you will receive [details of orientation], and will need to provide [proof of certification, photo ID, etc.].

Your training period will begin [date] and extend to [end date]. Key expectations and milestones of training include [key training days, or expectations for completion of training]. If you need to purchase safety gear, attached you will find a page with local companies that sell equipment and work clothes for both women and men [See Appendix 2.C].

To make your transition to the new position easier, we would like to inform you of key workplace resources. We provide [list benefits, either formal such as health and dental, investment opportunities, pension details, or informal such as employee appreciation events]. We offer the following resources for physical and mental health [gym memberships, mental health benefits/programs such as Lifeworks, etc.]. Your transit options include [bus routes that are nearby, and/or onsite parking lots]. If you require childcare, we recommend [either an onsite childcare facility or a list of facilities nearby].

Your pay schedule is as follows: [detail your pay schedule]. We would like you to be aware of our holiday, paid leave, and sick-day policies [attach, or include here, your company’s policies].

We are dedicated to encouraging continuing education. To assist you in your ongoing learning, we provide [education compensation, adjustable work hours to attend classes, provide onsite training, etc.].

To help you become better acquainted with the requirements of the job, [mentor name] will show you around [key areas, safety procedures, etc.]. If you have any questions, feel free to contact them at [contact info].

We are pleased that you have joined us and once again welcome you to our company.

Sincerely,
[Sign here]
[Print name here]

Appendix 2.B /

Standardized Employee Onboarding

Orientation Template Manual

Welcome to [Company Name]. As part of your orientation, you will have to review the following package by [deadline].

This orientation manual has been developed to onboard staff. The manual is to be used to assist new employees to gain an understanding and develop a sense of belonging in their local work area.

Your workplace mentor for the next three months of your orientation program will be [mentor name]. They will assist you during your induction phase within the work unit and ensure that you are introduced to the staff.

Once you’ve read through the manual, complete and sign the checklist. The completed documents will be kept as part of your personnel file.

The orientation program contains: [Include checklist of items, examples below]

Appendix 2.C /

Gear That Fits

To be inserted into Employee Welcome Package, or handed out to new hires.

Here at [Company Name], we know that women sometimes have difficulties finding safety equipment that fits properly. Here is a list of retailers that have merchandise that fit women.

Covergalls

Apparel made in Sudbury, ON.
WEBSITE: covergallsworkwear.com

Danner

Apparel made in Sudbury, ON.
WEBSITE: covergallsworkwear.com

Dickies

Apparel, including women’s work pants. Available in store and online.
WEBSITE: dickies.ca

JB Goodhue Boots

Available through many retailers including Mark’s Work Warehouse. Common order for
women is size 5 in men’s.
WEBSITE: marks.com/shop

Mister Safety Shoes

Footwear expert for over 40 years with a section for women’s wear on their website shop.
WEBSITE: mistersafetyshoes.com/collections

Moxie Trades

Apparel for women in trades.
WEBSITE: moxietrades.com/products-page

Rosies

A women- and family-run overalls and coveralls company.
WEBSITE: rosiesworkwear.com

Tiga Workwear

Canadian company that provides top quality CSA approved safety boots designed
with women in mind.
WEBSITE: tigaworkwear.com/products

Work Authority

Apparel found both online and in store (2255 Barton St. East, Hamilton, ON).
WEBSITE: workauthority.ca

**DISCLAIMER: [Company Name] is not affiliated with any of the above stores**

Appendix 2.D /

Child Care Information

Go Day Care

This site has a database of child care centers.
WEBSITE: godaycare.com/ontario/hamilton/1

Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic Child Care Centres (HWCCCC)

This is a not-for-profit corporation governed by community representatives and personnel
from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

Each child care centre in the corporation is licensed by the Ministry of Children and Youth
Services and must comply with the regulations of the Day Nurseries Act.
WEBSITE: hwcccc.ca

Hamilton Child Care Subsidies

Apply for childcare subsidies in Hamilton, ON
WEBSITE: hamilton.ca/social-services/child-care

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

The linked HWDSB site assists families find quality child care services.
WEBSITE: hwdsb.on.ca/earlyyears/childcare/

Information Hamilton

This site is used to find child care: daytime, evening, and weekends, PA days, March
and winter breaks, and camps. Also find early years and early learning centres near where
you live.
WEBSITE: informationhamilton.ca/redbook/childcare

One HSN

Register for licensed childcare in Hamilton, ON
WEBSITE: onehsn.com/hamilton

Ontario Child Care Support

Find resources to help find a child care centre and financial support
WEBSITE: ontario.ca/page/find-and-pay-child-care

Today’s Family

Provides child care in partnership with, or independent of, employers in Hamilton, ON
WEBSITE: todaysfamily.ca

Appendix 2.E /

Employee Rights and Responsibilities

This is to be distributed in the new-hire Welcome Package (Appendix 2.A), or displayed as a poster/notice in an area accessible to employees. It is important employees are aware that not only do they have a right to a harassment-free workplace, but they have a legal obligation to ensure this is the case.

Employee Rights

Human Rights

According to the Ontario Human Rights Council, employees have the right to

Safety

According to the Ontario Health and Safety Act (OHSA), produced by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, all employees have the right to

Employee Responsbilities

Human Rights

Employees are legally responsible for:

Safety

Workers have a general duty to take responsibility for personal health and safety, which means they should not behave or operate equipment in a way that would endanger themselves or others. Section 28 of OHSA lists additional specific duties:

The main way that workers can participate in workplace health and safety is through
exercising their rights and duties in a responsible manner and by supporting their Joint
Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). The JHSC is made up of worker and management
representatives and has the power to:

Appendix 2.F /

Assess Your Workplace, For Employers

Workplace assessments are useful to determine your current workplace culture and knowledge. They are also helpful in finding any areas that need to be fixed or addressed. Assessments can help you establish a baseline and then develop strategies to improve your policies and procedures.

QuestionYesNo Unsure
Does your organization have respect policy that includes violations of respect categorized as unprofessional conduct, harassment (including bullying, cultural insensitivity and discrimination) and workplace violence?
Does your organization have a Workplace Respect Administrator?
Is the Workplace Respect Policy readily available to supervisors and employees?
Is this policy reviewed during orientation/onboarding
Are employees trained to recognize and respond to violations of respect in the workplace?
Is management trained in dealing with violations of respect?
Do employees know where to go for more information, and who to contact if a violation occurs?
Is your workplace reasonably free from violations of respect?

Note: If you answer “no” or “unsure” to any of these questions, you will need to take action to implement or improve your Workplace Respect Policy.

Appendix 2.G /

Assess Your Workplace, For Employees

Workplace assessments are useful to determine your current workplace culture and knowledge. They are also helpful in finding any areas that need to be fixed or addressed. Assessments can help you establish a baseline and then develop strategies to improve your policies and procedures.

Instruct your employees to complete the checklist below. Collect their responses anonymously and analyze them to see if any trends emerge. For example: If you notice that no respondent feels that job titles, job descriptions and job ads are inclusive of women, you can use our tools to fix that.

General Workplace Culture

QuestionYesNo Unsure
Do coworkers show that they are aware of the challenges that women may face in traditionally male workplace environments?
Are job titles, job descriptions and job ads inclusive of women?
Are the physical working conditions (e.g. equipment, clothing, shower, and toilet facilities) appropriate for men and women?
Do workplace decisions reflect individual differences rather than assuming that all women (and/or all men) have the same needs/concerns?
Are promotions, pay, and performance evaluations clearly available and based on objective criteria?
Is mentoring encouraged/provided?
Do women in the workplace have the opportunity to see and communicate with women role models in senior roles?
Is it made clear to all levels that harassment complaints are taken seriously, quickly addressed, and resolved without negative consequences for the complainant?
Are you aware of the formal and informal mechanisms for handling conflict?

Do you have any additional comments or concerns you wish to share regarding harassment
in the workplace? Provide your answer here.

Violence/Harassment Employee Survey

QuestionYesNo Unsure
My employer has a written violence/harassment prevention policy.
My workplace has clearly established procedures and expectations for violence/harassment prevention.
My workplace has its violence/harassment prevention policy posted in a place accessible to all employees.
I have received formal training in the area of workplace violence/harassment.
I know what constitutes workplace violence/harassment.
I know the disciplinary action that can be taken against me if I cause a workplace harassment/violence incident.
I know what to do when I witness, or am involved in, a workplace violence/harassment incident.
I am aware of the controls and safety procedures implemented in the workplace to protect me from workplace violence/harassment.

Appendix 2.H /

Harassment Prevention Policy

The following example of a harassment prevention policy provides practical guidance on developing a policy for your workplace. Most of the content is retrieved from Manitoba’s “Guideline for Preventing Harassment and Violence in the Workplace.” This is a sample document and can be adjusted to fit your company’s needs. It is for example purposes only and neither the YWCA Hamilton nor WPH will be liable to you for any damages, direct or indirect arising from the use of this template.

HARASSMENT PREVENTION POLICY FOR: [Company Name]

Here at [Company Name], we are committed to:

Employees have the responsibility to treat each other with respect. Any employee who experiences harassment or sees another person harassed should report the incident(s) to: [insert name here].

What is harassment?

According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, harassment occurs when someone makes unwelcome remarks or jokes about your race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, a conviction for which a pardon has been granted.28 When someone threatens or intimidates you or makes unwelcome physical contact with you, such as touching, patting, pinching or punching which can also be considered assault.

Examples of harassment include remarks, jokes, sexual innuendos, and comments that demean, ridicule, intimidate or offend; displaying or circulating offensive pictures or materials in print or electronic form; bullying; and inappropriate sexual touching, advances, suggestions or requests.

Often times, sexual harassment is about power, and not about sex. The abuse is a social and economic power that can be used to create inequality, and as such is a human rights concern.

What is not considered harassment?

In skilled trades, there is a fine line between what is considered harassment and crude workplace culture.

The following are not considered harassment:

If you believe you are being harassed

What to expect after you’ve reported harassment

The supervisor may decide to speak to the harasser, arrange for mediation, in which a
neutral third party helps the people involved reach an acceptable solution or conduct an
investigation. The company and its managers will not identify a complainant, an alleged
harasser or any circumstances about a complaint, to anyone, except: when it is necessary
in investigating the complaint if it is part of disciplinary action where required by law.

What to do during an investigation
Employer responsibilities

The harassment prevention policy at [Company Name] does not discourage or prevent persons from exercising their legal rights. [Company Name], its managers and supervisors are responsible for keeping a safe work environment, free of harassment. If you are a manager and you become aware of harassment you must do everything in your power to stop it, whether or not a complaint is made. Managers who ignore harassment leave themselves and their employer open to legal consequences.

Retaliation

Anyone who retaliates in any way against a person who has complained of harassment, given evidence in a harassment investigation or been found guilty of harassment, will be considered to have committed harassment and will be subject to corrective actions described previously.

Education

[Company Name] is committed to making sure employees and managers learn about harassment and the company’s harassment policy.

Monitoring

[Company Name] will monitor this policy and make adjustments whenever necessary. If you have any concerns with this policy, please bring them to management.

Remedies

The policy could include the following remedies:

The employee(s) that was (were) harassed may be entitled to one or more of the following remedies, depending on the severity of the harassment and its effects:

Appendix 2.I /

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

The following sample is adapted from the Ontario Ministry of Labour. The workplace harassment policy should be consulted whenever there are concerns about harassment in the workplace.

The management of [Company Name] is committed to the prevention of workplace violence and is ultimately responsible for workers health and safety. We will take whatever steps are reasonable to protect our workers from workplace violence from all sources. Example:

Workplace violence can be, but is not limited to

Violent behaviour in the workplace is unacceptable from anyone. This policy applies to [levels of employees to whom this policy applies, especially if it applies to people other than workers such as visitors, clients, delivery persons and volunteers, etc.] Everyone is expected to uphold this policy and to work together to prevent workplace violence.

There is a workplace violence program that implements this policy. It includes measures and procedures to protect workers from workplace violence, a means of summoning immediate assistance and a process for workers to report incidents, or raise concerns specify and expand upon the components of the workplace violence program here

[Company Name], as the employer, will ensure this policy and the supporting program are implemented and maintained and that all workers and supervisors have the appropriate information and instruction to protect them from violence in the workplace. Supervisors will adhere to this policy and the supporting program. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that measures and procedures are followed by workers and that workers have the information they need to protect themselves.

Every worker must work in compliance with this policy and the supporting program. All workers are encouraged to raise any concerns about workplace violence and to report any violent incidents or threats. An employee will never receive negative consequences for, in good faith, reporting an incident of workplace harassment or discrimination.

Management pledges to investigate and deal with all incidents and complaints of workplace violence in a fair and timely manner, respecting the privacy of all concerned as much as possible. [Provide more information about how incidents and complaints will be investigated and/or dealt with, if necessary].

Appendix 2.J /

Employee Workplace Respect Agreement

This document should be given to all new and existing employees to maintain accountability of their actions. Commitment forms should be reviewed by employees as well as employers and be taken seriously.

Here at [Company Name], we believe that all staff should be treated with respect. As such, all employees are asked to read over and sign this Workplace Respect commitment form.

I will
I will not

Employee who violate their commitment to the Workplace Respect Policy will face consequences in the form of: [Examples include: written/verbal warnings, write-ups, suspension, etc.].

Appendix 2.K /

Handling Harassment Complaints

If someone at work has made a harassment complaint, follow the tips from Bernardi Human Resource Law LLP,30 to know what actions to take:

Human Resource Law Tips

01 / Complaints must be taken seriously and acted upon promptly.

02 / The investigator should be independent, objective, and neutral.

03 / The investigator should not be in a position of authority over any of the parties to the complaint.

04 / The findings should be reported to someone with sufficient authority to enforce them.

05 / Investigators must be knowledgeable about the law, the organization’s policy and complaint procedure, and understand the methods for conducting investigations.

06 / The parties to an investigation should have the right to representation, such as a union steward or legal counsel.

07 / The investigator should make and keep written notes of the investigation and any report that is prepared.

08 / Investigators should take steps to protect confidentiality to the extent possible. Information should only be shared on a need-to-know basis.

08 / Investigators should take steps to protect confidentiality to the extent possible. Information should only be shared on a need-to-know basis.

09 / The investigation must be “impartial, timely, fair, and address all relevant issues.”

10 / The investigation report should summarize the allegations, what steps were taken during the investigation and the evidence gathered. The report should also contain findings on each allegation.

11 / Investigations should commence as quickly as possible and finish in a timely fashion. The Human Rights Commission suggests a time frame of 90 days.

Appendix 2.L /

Employee Abuse Report Form

This document is to be filled out by an employee reporting abuse at the workplace. You can customize this template with your company name and logo and any additional information you’d like to collect. It is for example purposes only and neither YWCA Hamilton, nor WPH will be liable to you for any damages, direct or indirect arising from the use of this template.

***Download form here***

Appendix 2.M /

Is Your Workplace Respect Policy Enforceable?

Note: If you answer “no” or “unsure” to any of these questions, you will need to take action to implement or improve your Workplace Respect Policy and its enforceability.

QuestionYesNoUnsure
Are all employees aware of your Workplace Respect Policy?
Is the policy clearly and consistently communicated to all employees?
Do supervisors understand their obligations with regard to reporting incidents?
Do supervisors receive training on recognizing and handling incidents of workplace disrespect?
Does your organization have processes in place to deal with incidents of unprofessional conduct, harassment (including bullying, cultural insensitivity, and discrimination), or occupational violence (violations of respect)?
During orientation, do you have employees sign a non-violence/anti-discrimination agreement?
Is your policy meaningful and understandable?
Do the senior leaders in your organization model behaviours that support a respectful workplace?

Appendix 2.N /

Articles About Women in the Skilled Trades

Below is a list of articles about some of Canada’s most successful women in the trades. These can be used as inspiration (or a template) for your company’s publicity of its successful women.

Karma Huntern

Co-owner of Cree-Con Construction

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/karma-hunter

Evonne Edwards

Ironworker

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/evonne-edwards

Ani Bogovic

Owner of Dekla Developments

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/ani-bogovic

Lisa Langevin

Service Electrician

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/lisa-langevin

Lori Baker

Framer

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/lori-baker

Martha George

Stone and Brick Mason and Company General Manager

WEBSITE: careersinconstruction.ca/en/testimonial/martha-george

Appendix 2.O /

Addressing Harassment

Sometimes people do not understand what the “big deal” is about commenting on a woman’s appearance, or how jokes can be hurtful. Here is a sheet to help you and your employees understand some barriers that women face:

“What’s the big deal with having girls in bikinis on the calendar, or pinned in a locker?”

Calendars with women posing in bikinis are not workplace appropriate. It is sexually objectifying women. Objectification happens when a person is treated as a physical object of male sexual desire and leads to dehumanizing women. When women are objectified, they are often seen as less competent and exposure to images of sexually objectified women causes male viewers to be more tolerant of sexual harassment. Simply put, when women are depicted as objects they are treated as objects and not taken seriously. So do your workplace a favour, and take them down.

“What’s the big deal with commenting on a woman’s body?”

Greeting someone with “Hey Anne, you’re looking hot” causes internal reactions of anxiety, depression, hostility and anger towards coworkers. Are these really the reactions that you want your employees and colleagues to have while at work?

“What’s the big deal, it was just a joke!”

Verbal abuse may take the form of a joke. Repeatedly saying that someone isn’t good enough at a task, spreading rumours that a woman is sleeping with every man on site, or insinuating sexual demands can be considered verbal abuse. Even if it’s said lightly, verbal abuse causes people to feel violated, uncomfortable, insulted, anxious or afraid. These feelings may even lead to:

Jokes are interpreted differently by everyone. The intention may be harmless, but the impact can be significant.

“What’s the big deal? People are too sensitive and should just ‘get over it’.”

When someone is harassed or abused, they should be able to speak up without fear of punishment. When an incident goes unreported, it allows the perpetrator to continue this behavior and normalizes the experience. Simply put, harassment becomes normal and establishes a place in the work culture when people ‘suck it up’ rather than feel comfortable, safe, and included in the workplace.

Appendix 2.P /

Workplace Equality Training

Another way to help the workplace understand women’s issues is through scenario questions and role play.

Scenario 1: Colleague scenario

Anna Grant is an apprentice welder. She is one of two women at the job site where there are 12 other employees. Some of her male colleagues frequently engage in sexual banter at the beginning of work day. They often share stories about their sexual exploits, joke about their sexual expertise, and at times make sexually suggestive gestures. Anna is very upset and uncomfortable with this conduct and reports it to her supervisor.

Questions to consider

01 / Is this scenario a situation of sexual harassment

02 / What should the supervisor do?

03 / What should Anna do?

04 / What should the other woman do?

05 / What should her colleagues do?

Scenario 2: Supervisor Scenario

It is Denise’s first day at a new company. Her supervisor, Mike, has been very helpful in
orienting her to the new workplace and answering all her questions. On subsequent shifts
he singles her out for attention, and chats with her after work about the day. Denise feels
grateful because Mike has been helping her out a lot.

One day, Mike asks Denise for coffee after work and she accepts. During the outing Mike
talks a lot about himself and how lonely he is, and at the end of the evening gives Denise a
kiss on the cheek. Denise is very uncomfortable with what has happened and tries to avoid
him in the future—concerned that if she tells him to stop it will make her work difficult.

Denise feels pressured to respond nicely to Mike’s advances to avoid possible negative
consequences at work.

Questions to consider

01 / What should Denise do?

02 / What should Mike do?

03 / What should their coworkers do?

04 / do Mike’s actions leave him open to allegations of sexual harassment?

Scenario 3

Suzanna and Hank enjoy a great working relationship and just recently have started dating. They can’t seem to get enough of each other. They take breaks and lunch together and are often seen flirting at the copy machine. They are clearly infatuated with each other.

Questions to consider

01 / Romance has no place at work. This couple’s behavior is clearly at risk for sexual harassment. True or False? Explain why.

02 / What is appropriate behaviour for Suzanna and Hank in the workplace?

03 / What could their coworkers or supervisors do if they felt uncomfortable?

Scenario 4

Alexander frequently tells off-color jokes during team meetings. Lily is very offended. She doesn’t think Alexander’s jokes are so funny.

Questions to consider

01 / Alexander’s behaviour is not sexual harassment because his jokes are all in fun, and he does not intend to sexually harass anyone. True or False? Explain why.

02 / What could Lily do about Alexander’s jokes?

02 / What could Alexander’s supervisor and coworkers do about the jokes?

Remember: A woman is someone’s mother, daughter, sister, partner and friend. Treat women with respect.

Appendix 2.Q /

Case Studies of Harassment in the Workplace

The following case studies are not meant to discourage you from hiring women; they are just examples of the struggles women commonly face in the workplace, and highlight the role the employer has in preventing and stopping harassment.

Case Study 1: Dalhousie University and sexist students

In early 2015, Dalhousie dentistry school made headlines because of culture that permits sexism, misogyny, homophobia and racism. A report was released in June 2015 which reported that students would not speak up for fear of retaliation and inappropriate actions and behaviours were ‘swept under the rug’. Thirty-nine recommendations were proposed to prevent recurrence of the negligence and discrimination apparent at the school. Staff and students are now committed to changing behaviours to create a better culture.

Case Study 2: Fort Myer Construction

Fort Myer Construction Corp. has agreed to settle charges, paying out $900,000 in a suit
involving 371 women and minorities. They were found to have violated Executive Order 11246
by failing to provide equal employment opportunities to employees and job applicants
at 413 construction sites in the D.C. metropolitan area.

CASE STUDY 3: INDIRECT HARASSMENT RULED LEGAL GROUNDS FOR FIRING

Workopolis.com reports that a supervisor was fired for using derogatory comments about women employees, even though they weren’t present at the time of the remarks. Waschuk Pipeline was sued by the worker they terminated, but were found to be in compliance with Saskatchewan law since, as the judge ruled, the individual “showed a complete disregard for his responsibilities as a supervisor over a significant period of time. He created a hostile work environment. He sexually harassed women staff.”

CASE STUDY 4: A FIRED PREGNANT EMPLOYEE

Auto parts retailer AutoZone was ordered to pay a record-breaking $185 million in damages to a former employee who claimed she was demoted and fired for being pregnant. “Cases of pregnancy discrimination have been over the last two decades, outpacing the rate of women entering the workforce. And many have to do with being fired, as of the gender-based cases related to discriminatory hiring were about pregnancy over the same time period.”

Appendix 2.R /

Provincial Labour Laws: Maternity Leave

The following can be posted, or distributed to new hires, so that they are aware of maternity leave laws

Rights for employees taking pregnancy and parental leaves

Employees on pregnancy or parental leave have several rights.

01 / The right to be free from penalty

Employers cannot penalize an employee in any way because the employee took a pregnancy or parental leave, plans to take a pregnancy or parental leave, is eligible to take a pregnancy or parental leave, or will become eligible to take a pregnancy or parental leave.

02 / The right to reinstatement

In most cases, an employee who takes a pregnancy or parental leave is entitled to the same job the employee had before the leave began, a comparable job, if the employee’s old job no longer exists, or pay consistent with that earned before the leave began.

03 / The right to continue to participate in benefit plans

Employees on pregnancy or parental leave have a right to continue to take part in certain benefit plans that their employer may offer. These include: pension plans, life insurance plans, accidental death plans, extended health plans, and dental plans.

04 / The right to earn credits for length of employment, length of service and seniority

Employees continue to earn credits toward length of employment, length of service, and seniority during periods of leave.

Key Points and Definitions

01 / Pregnancy Leave

Pregnant employees have the right to take pregnancy leave of up to 17 weeks of unpaid time off work. In some cases the leave may be longer.

02 / Parental Leave

New parents have the right to take parental leave–unpaid time off work when a baby or child is born or first comes into their care. Birth mothers who took pregnancy leave are entitled to up to 35 weeks’ leave. Birth mothers who do not take pregnancy leave and all other new parents are entitled to up to 37 weeks’ parental leave.

03 / ESA and EIA

The rules governing the right to take time off work for pregnancy and parental leave under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) are different from the rules regarding the payment of maternity benefits and parental benefits under the federal Employment Insurance Act (EIA). It is extremely important that employees obtain information about their rights to EI benefits if they are considering taking a pregnancy or parental leave under the ESA. For information about maternity and parental benefits, contact Service Canada: Employment Insurance.

Appendix 2.S /

Examples of Maternity Leave Policy

This maternity policy is adapted from Royal Roads University. You can use it as a guideline to help create your own.

01 / Documentation

In addition to the applicable sections of the Employment Standards Act, regular full-time and regular part-time employees who are not on lay-off or leave of absence are eligible for this benefit. In order to qualify for maternity leave, a regular full-time or regular part-time woman employee must:

02 / Length of Leave

Upon receipt of this application, [Company Name] shall grant maternity leave to the employee consisting of:

03 / Top up and bridging benefit

Top up and bridging benefits will apply to only one of either Maternity or Parental Leave, but not both. Top up and bridging benefits will only apply to those employees who, due to their term of employment will satisfy the ‘return to work’ criteria set out in this guideline. During the period of maternity leave, an employee who has applied for and received Employment Insurance Benefits pursuant to the Employment Standards Act is entitled to a maternity leave allowance as follows:

04 / Pension/Benefits while on maternity leave

Pension/benefits will only apply to the extent of the employee’s coverage at the time of commencing leave. During the period of maternity leave, (insert company name) will continue to pay the benefit premiums normally paid for the eligible employee. Should the employee wish to continue Optional Life coverage, post-dated cheques shall be required
from the employee for the period of leave to be covered.

05 / Payment

To receive the benefits defined in paragraph 3, the employee shall supply [Company Name] with proof of application to the Employment Insurance Commission On completion of maternity leave the employee shall return to her previous position. Service credit shall continue to accrue during the period of Maternity Leave for benefit entitlements and vacation purposes. The payment of the Supplementary Employment Benefit shall be as follows:

06 / Probationary Employees

An employee who commences maternity leave while on probation in a regular full-time or regular part-time position shall be reimbursed in a lump sum the difference between the Employment Insurance benefit and the employee’s normal weekly salary to ninety-five percent (95%) upon returning to work and successfully completing the probation period.

07 / Return to work

Employees who have received maternity leave benefits must return to work for a minimum of twelve (12) months of continuous service following maternity leave, or a combination of maternity and parental leave. If an employee who has received these benefits does not return to work or leaves the organization prior to completing twelve (12) months of service, they will be required to re-pay the top up and two (2) week bridging benefits (on a pro-rata basis – repayment reduced 1/12th for every month of service completed).

08 / Casual Employees

Casual employees shall be entitled to maternity leave in accordance with the Employment
Standards Act but shall not receive top up or bridging benefits.

This policy was last revised [insert latest revisal date]

Appendix 2.T /

Fetal Protection Policy

This maternity policy is adapted from Royal Roads University. You can use it as a guideline to help create your own.

Reproductive Hazards Policy

01 / Introduction

This policy outlines [Insert Company Name]’s approach to protecting employees from the effects of workplace hazards which could affect reproductive health, known as reproductive hazards. Guidelines are provided to ensure potential risks are addressed accordingly.

02 / Approach

[Company Name] has an established process of assessment and control of occupational exposures during the course of work. Exposures are controlled to safe levels by engineering controls, using safe procedures, isolation from hazards, or protective equipment.

These hazards are assessed on a regular basis and updates on existing and new exposures are communicated to employees in affected areas.

The following have been identified as areas for job assessment/accommodations that may be required for reproductive health:

[List here job-specific hazards such as locations with extreme heat, fumes that may affect pregnancy, and chemical exposures].

03 / Guidelines

Employees who have concerns regarding their pregnancy, attempting pregnancy, reproductive risks, or are experiencing reproductive difficulties are encouraged to take the following precautions:

If an employee remains concerned after the above steps are completed, they may request a job reassignment.

04 / Seniority

An employee who is pregnant and who has consented to reassignment will have all seniorities protected during her pregnancy.

For more information contact:

YWCA Hamilton

(905) 522-9922 ywcahamilton.org