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Compensation and Benefits

Why learn about various compensation and benefits plans and their effectiveness?

Aerial photograph of an office. The room is full of open cubicles. Most cubicles have an employee sitting at a desk.Personnel costs (including compensation, benefits, and taxes) represent a business’ largest expense. According to Paycor, “labor costs account for as much as 70% of total business costs.” However, despite this, Paycor found that HR professionals invest only 15% of their time managing these costs.[1]Given the significance of personnel as a human capital and cost, it’s critical for HR management to ensure that these resources are being allocated in a way that supports organizational strategies and values. That is, that the types of compensation and benefits offered are what employees value—and, therefore, are effective in motivating them—and that they are distributed intentionally and equitably.

Meeting Employee Needs(Examples)

Government of Canada invests to make communities and workplaces barrier-free for persons with disabilities-Statistics Canada-

When everyone can participate fully in all aspects of society, our communities thrive, our economy prospers and all Canadians benefit. That is why the Government of Canada is investing to ensure accessibility and disability inclusion is prioritized in Canadian communities and workplaces.

Today, as part of National AccessAbility Week, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced $67.1 million to support projects by 959 organizations across Canada through the Enabling Accessibility Fund. $10.3 million of this funding went to 159 organizations in Quebec.

Also as part of today’s announcement, Minister Qualtrough launched a new call for proposals under the EAF Youth Innovation component. Up to $1M is now available to fund approximately 100 youth-driven projects that will help address accessibility barriers in Canadian communities. Interested youth must submit their expressions of interest in being named a Youth Accessibility Leader (YAL) by October 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. EST online at:  

Canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/enabling-accessibility-fund-youth-innovation.html.Eligible organizations must submit their funding application(s) in collaboration with the YAL by October 31, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Minister Qualtrough made the announcement at Oasis des enfants de Rosemont in Montreal, Quebec, a center that supports children up to12 years old and their families, especially those in vulnerable situations, and contributes to their emotional, physical and intellectual development through accessible activities and services. The center received $46,876 in support under the EAF Small Projects component to help improve access to their facility for persons with reduced mobility with a new outdoor ramp, accessible doors, and a renovated washroom.

The EAF is a federal grants and contributions program that supports construction projects that make Canadian communities and workplaces more accessible for persons with disabilities. The program funds vital infrastructure projects involving building or installation of such things as ramps, automatic doors and accessible washrooms.

These investments support the Government’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan, which is focused on reducing poverty among persons with disabilities, helping persons with disabilities into good quality jobs, facilitating easier access to federal programs and services, and building accessible and inclusive communities while fostering a culture of inclusion.  

EI - Employer responsibilities

Service Canada works closely with employers to ensure that the Employment Insurance (EI) program is run fairly and efficiently. As an employer, you are responsible for:

  • advising employees to register for EI benefits as soon as possible after they stop working.
  • accurately recording the reason for separation, hours worked, gross earnings and any money paid or payable on separation.
  • ensuring the information on the Record of Employment (ROE) is accurate. If you knowingly make false or misleading statements, you may be subject to penalties.
  • issuing ROEs when employees stop working. (Find out when you have to issue an ROE.):
  • promptly responding to all Service Canada requests for information.
  • storing blank paper ROEs in a safe place and for your business use only.
  • contacting Service Canada if:  
    • you offer work to an EI claimant who does not accept it;
    • you must pay an employee an arbitration award or similar settlement.

What about provincial privacy legislation?

Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta currently have private-sector privacy legislation that applies to the disclosure of employee information by an employer. In all these cases, disclosure to a government institution is permitted, as long as the government institution has the lawful authority to obtain that information. Subsection 126(14) of the EI Act gives Service Canada the lawful authority to request information about a specific employee.







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