Ottawa Half Day Workshop June 2010 Topic: Successful Labour Relations in Uncertain Times: Stay In Control presented by Dan Palayew, Partner, Heenan Blaikie and Daryl Bean, President, MD Solutions Labour Relations Consultants Successful Labour Relations in Uncertain Times: Stay In Control The recent recession, which was the most significant since the Great Depression, fundamentally altered labour relations in the province of Ontario. Plants were closed, wages were frozen and labour disputes in the public sector increased. As we emerge from this period, the labour management relationship is more critical than ever to an organization's success. This special half day program is designed to help you improve your relationship with labour. Many organizations also have employees changing roles, making the transition from union to management. How can you make the transition go smoothly? We have two of the country’s top experts providing both the legal and practical perspective as well as a Question and Answer segment to help you get the answers you need in dealing effectively with labour. In this interactive session, attendees will hear from Dan Palayew, a management side labour lawyer with over 15 years of experience who brings a practical, business-minded and cooperative approach to labour relations. Dan will cover some of the major "life events" in the labour management relationship including: Collective Bargaining, Workplace Health and Safety, The Duty to Accommodate, Managing Absenteeism, and Grievances and Arbitration. Daryl Bean, past National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, will discuss making the transition from union to management. Having made the transition himself, he inherited the responsibility for managing and overseeing the work of over 300 staff members at the PSAC with interesting challenges. Daryl will provide updates on the role of unions, relationship building, understanding the collective agreement and the importance of consultation and communication. Participants will gain a better understanding of pitfalls to avoid, problem areas, how to overcome them and the keys to success. Both of our well-known presenters will share their personal experiences and provide tips, plans and strategies on how to better manage in a union environment. The session will end with a panel discussion including a question and answer segment to help all participants get a better handle on labour relations, regardless of organization and size. Click here for information on Dan Palayew Click here for information on Daryl Bean Ottawa Half Day Workshop November 2009 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Patricia Brethour, LL.B., Associate, Hicks Morley Issues & Solutions: Mental Health in the Workplace presented by Karen Shipman, Program Manager, Canadian Mental Health Association Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This informative session will explore today's hot issues in Employment Law. Our well-known legal expert will provide updates in a number of areas, including performance management, progressive discipline, termination, absenteeism and accommodation. With performance management, participants will look at the supervisor’s role and coaching. Obtain current updates on legalities of termination for performance issues or absenteeism and interrelationship with human rights code. We’ll review the steps, process and issues involved with progressive discipline as well as culminating incidents. Discover the latest trends in termination with cause, without cause and wilful misconduct. Learn about the legal aspects of absenteeism management, culpable versus non-culpable and termination for innocent absenteeism. Participants will also acquire updates on accommodation, the Human Rights Code, employer’s responsibility, undue hardship and the accommodation process. Participants will review the latest trends, cases and strategies to avoid needless litigation. Click here for information on Patricia Brethour Issues & Solutions: Mental Health in the Workplace This session will help employers to recognize when an employee may be struggling with a mental health issue in the workplace. Participants will come away from the session with some awareness and recognition of mental health issues which might have an impact at work. Solutions to deal with these mental health issues will be discussed. The session will explore how to approach employees with these issues and consider ways to help employees stay productive when dealing with emotional distress. Valuable resources will also be provided for dealing with issues that may arise in the future. The object of the session will be to increase employers' comfort level in supporting employees with mental health issues. Participants will have the opportunity to watch and listen to real people with mental health problems talk about their working lives and consider practical strategies for dealing with these situations. Click here for information on Karen Shipman SOLD OUT Ottawa Half Day Workshop June 2009 Topic: Fraud & Deception in the Workplace- What Can the Employer Do? presented by David Elzinga, CA-IFA, CFE, National Leader, Grant Thornton Forensic & Investigative Accounting Services Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Dan Palayew, B.A., LL.B., Partner, Heenan Blaikie, Ottawa Fraud & Deception in the Workplace- What Can the Employer Do? Statistics show that chances that an employee in Canada commits a corporate fraud are 4 in 5. Chances that the organization will recover its money are slightly better than 1 in 10. Do you realize that fraud occurs at all levels of the organization? Canadian companies are losing millions of dollars to fraud each year thus efforts to detect and prevent it are on the rise. This special presentation will look at some of the areas where fraud is likely to occur, reasons why it is on the rise, how to detect is and how to deal with it. Deception also happens prior to the employee hire. We will review the current business landscape as it relates to electronic data and some of the related pitfalls in failing to do proper background checks. Participants will be given an understanding of the technology at play and some tools to set up procedures that meet the needs of the organization to properly check new employees. We will look at employee theft and its many forms. The troubled economic climate causes employees to move around more and set up their own businesses. Employers must know how to safeguard all of their assets. Participants will discover the most current trends, tips, plans and strategies to implement in organizations of all sizes to minimize the risk and properly deal with situations that may arise. We will also examine the investigation process itself. Internal investigations may result from fraud, theft, harassment, conflict of interest, breach of IT policies, or allegations of workplace violence. We will review the best practices for undertaking an internal investigation including conducting an appropriate fact-finding meeting with an accused employee. We will provide a model protocol to ensure that the investigation is properly conducted and will also address avoiding defamation actions as a result of the inquiry. We will also discuss dealing with the police if the inquiry relates to a criminal offence. This presentation will provide HR and Administration Managers the necessary information in order to review or develop your present strategy, plans and procedures as well as understand potential problem areas in order to avoid needless litigation in the courts. Click here for information on David Elzinga Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This session will explore today’s hot issues in Employment Law. Our well-known legal expert will provide updates in several areas beginning with Managing Critical Issues in the Employment Relationship. From the courting stage (recruiting), to the prenuptial agreement (employment contract) to divorce (termination), the employment relationship has become complex and fraught with peril for employers. Join us as we examine some of the crucial steps in the relationship and learn how to manage the legal issues surrounding a number of them. With the hiring stage, we will review background checks, pre-employment medical testing and application forms. In the employment phase, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of employment contracts, drug and alcohol testing and discipline. In the termination stage, participants will review what is cause, reasonable notice and what can we as employers do not to get sued? Participants will discover the latest trends, cases and strategies to avoid needless litigation. Click here for information on Dan Palayew Ottawa Half Day Workshop November 2008 Topic: Manage Absenteeism: Make it Work! presented by Bruce Beakley, CHRP, CMO, AMCT, Director of Human Resources, County of Renfrew Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Dan Palayew, B.A., LL.B., Partner, Heenan Blaikie, Ottawa Manage Absenteeism: Make it Work! Now is the time to consider your approach to managing employee absenteeism. Consider why not all management will be on side with attendance management programs or attendance support programs. What is the difference between culpable and non-culpable absenteeism? What is the accepted policy pertaining to accepting a doctor’s note? Why should employers have to pay for medical related information? This session will provide insights to these questions and more, including the case study of the programs implemented at the County of Renfrew, which has 9 divisions, 700+ employees, 5 unions and 27 site locations. Participants will review both an Attendance Management program (AMP) and Attendance Support Program (ASP) implemented across the County. Learn about the cultural shift that is required in the way employers approach the types of programs that are implemented and the hostility that can be experienced at all levels of the corporation related to program implementation and expectations. All managers of any organization, regardless of size, in both union or non-union environments, will benefit from this most informative session. Click here for information on Bruce Beakley Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law Session highlights include: Technology and the Changing Workplace Discover how technology has facilitated more flexible work arrangements and hours of work. We will examine the various legal issues this raises such as monitoring of performance, security of company documents and confidential information, computer and network use policies and surveillance. Through continually enhanced technology, employers can communicate with, monitor and locate employees. The increased use of cell phones and PDA’s for emailing brings a new dimension to monitoring or surveillance. Today’s more open exchange of information on the Internet via blogs and Facebook delivers further challenges. What can employers now do? What about the right to privacy for the parties involved? Participants will obtain tips, plans and strategies to develop and implement the necessary policies and ways to avoid needless litigation, staying out of the courts. Managing Absenteeism in the Workplace This update will provide insights on how to proactively manage difficult absenteeism and disability cases in light of recent decisions of the courts and human rights tribunals. Participants will receive information on managing this issue from a legal perspective. Click here for information on Dan Palayew Ottawa Half Day Workshop June 2008 Topic: Engaging Employees Through Performance Management presented by Ramona Packham, Senior Consultant, Hay Group, Ottawa Engaging Employees Through Performance Management Many organizations today are focused on enhancing levels of employee engagement. In the rapidly changing environments we now face, where roles and responsibilities are continually evolving, organizations must count on employees to act on their own in ways consistent with organizational cultures, objectives, and values. And faced with a challenging global economic environment, organizations need to do more with less, making the discretionary effort of employees willing to “go the extra mile” for the organization all the more important. Those who enjoy high levels of employee engagement struggle with performance issues. Engaging employees, while clearly important, is not sufficient to sustain maximum levels of individual and team effectiveness over time. This session will feature the latest tools and trends in performance management. How prevalent is linking performance with compensation? What are other factors to consider when developing a plan? Employee engagement and support for success are distinct outcomes that are influenced by different factors. Discover ways to improve the effectiveness of your teams and determine whether performance issues are the result of a lack of engagement, a lack of support for success, or both. Click here for information on Ramona Packham Ottawa Half Day Workshop November 2007 Topic: Balance Your Work and Health: Work-Life Balance & Workplace Wellness presented by Laurent Lapierre, Professor, University of Ottawa, Randy Thompson, Regional Director of Business Development, Shepell-fgi, Renée Ouimet, Director, Capacity Building & Education, Canadian Mental Health Association, Glenn Robinson, Triathlon & Running Coach and Health Promoter, Centretown Community Health Centre Balance Your Work and Health: Work-Life Balance & Workplace Wellness Employees, managers and organizations are challenged daily with ensuring workplace wellness and work-life balance, while maintaining productivity. Come hear the different perspectives presented by our panel of experts and engage in the discussions. Preventing Work-Family conflict: An Overview of Promising Strategies Laurent Lapierre will provide an overview of recent research on work-family conflict prevention methods, including employees’ personal life-management strategies, specific forms of support provided by their family members, and family-supportive organizational practices and policies. Changing the Landscape of Employee and Organizational Health Randy Thompson will talk about how organizations can use integrated health and wellness strategies to manage rising benefits costs and how to increase employee awareness of the value of the health and wellness programs that are available to them. The session will help participants better understand the advantages of health solutions that encompass all aspects of physical, mental and social health issues. Mental Health in the Workplace Renée Ouimet will discuss the growing concern about mental health issues in the workplace. She will focus on workplace hazards and protective factors as it pertains to the mental health of employees. She will also discuss the importance of training and skill development for managers to effectively manage performance and productivity issues with employees with mental health problems. An overview of the Mental Health Works Program philosophy and workshops, developed by CMHA, Ontario will be presented. Self-Care in our Turbulent Lives: What’s in it for me? Glenn Robinson will challenge participants by asking if they are taking as good care of themselves as they think they are. Between hectic careers, active families, aging parents and diverse personal and professional interests and commitments, people’s lives are becoming increasingly demanding and stressful. He will explore how people can maximize their time and health without losing their sanity. Hear about different experiences and learn various strategies for self-care. Click here for information on Laurent Lapierre Click here for information on Randy Thompson Click here for information on Renée Ouimet Click here for information on Glenn Robinson Ottawa Half Day Workshop June 2007 Topic: Coaching & Mentoring: Maximizing Organizational Effectiveness presented by Linda Vanderlee, Organization Effectiveness Consultant, Coach, Founder of Rendezvous Rupert. Coaching & Mentoring: Maximizing Organizational Effectiveness Are you interested in taking your team or organization to the next performance level? Are you also interested in attracting and retaining high performers? This workshop is a must for managers and human resource professionals interested in developing or refining coaching or mentoring programs and skills. Mentoring and coaching programs have the potential to be effective ways for organizations to focus and align employee development needs with organizational needs. Fostering healthy, pragmatic learning relationships via mentoring and coaching programs is one route to that end. The facilitator will invite one or two clients to share information about the opportunities and challenges they encountered in the development of such programs in their organizations. Join us for an informative and interactive workshop. Share your experiences and learning with others. Practice and take away some tools to assess your organizational readiness to implement or refine your coaching or mentoring programs. • Come explore the differences and relationships between mentoring and coaching • Learn when each technique is most effective • Hone key skills required to be an effective coach or mentor • Hear how others employ or plan to implement these techniques in their organizations Click here for information on Linda Vanderlee Ottawa Half Day Workshop October 2006 Topic: “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Implementing the Values and Ethics Mandate Speaker: Jennifer Fiddian-Green, CA, IFA, CFI, Partner, Forensic Accounting & Investigative Services, Grant Thornton LLP, Toronto Paul Maillet, President, Paul Maillet Center for Ethics, Ottawa, ON “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Public awareness of corporate wrong-doing and fraud has never been higher. How do you minimize the risk that fraud is occurring in your organization? What do you do when faced with the prospect that it has occurred? What are the responsibilities and obligations of an employer and how are they balanced with the rights of an employee who has been accused of and/or investigated for fraud or other wrong-doing? This informative session will provide HR and administrative professionals with insight into the occurrence of fraud, strategies for its prevention and detection, and how to appropriately react to suspicions of fraud. Participants will understand how fraud could be occurring in their organization, recognize the indicators, develop strategies to prevent and detect it, and considerations when reacting to fraud. Topics Covered: • Fraud: what is it, who does it and why • Environments favorable to fraud • Indicators or “red flags” of fraud • Deterrents to fraud • Reacting to allegations of fraud in your organization • Balancing the rights of employers and employees “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Jennifer Fiddian-Green is partner with Grant Thornton’s Forensic Accounting and Investigative Services in Toronto. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Waterloo in 1993, her CA designation in 1995 and her CMA in 1996. She is a certified Fraud Examiner and certified Forensic Investigator. She specializes in the areas of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. She has investigated, reported and managed numerous large fraud investigations for both government organizations and private companies. Previously, she completed a two-year secondment as the sole in-house forensic accountant for the RCMP. Jennifer has spoken to numerous corporate audiences on the topic of workplace fraud. Implementing the Values and Ethics Mandate There is no doubt that both global and national trends, and societal expectations, are encouraging the development of more formal applications of ethics and values in governance, leadership and workplace practices. In addition to economic capacities, notions of corporate social responsibility and organizational ethics are emerging as important components to global competitiveness and corporate success. The challenge is to find effective and supportive approaches to meet these expectations. This session will examine current ethics best practices, and propose a framework for dealing with ethics in current governance structures. This session will explore best practices designed to create organizations, in which governance, leadership, workplace practices, and stakeholder relationships commit to being “ethically awake, to being able to reflect on ethical issues in terms of ethics and values, and supported in living and acting in terms of these values. The capacity to effectively balance controlling wrongdoing with building integrity, will be explored, as will ethical decision-making. Learn how to create organizations that support ethical behaviour. Explore best practices and an ethics framework that integrates ethical expectations with awareness and training, leadership models, decision-making models, voice mechanisms and accountability, with economic and operational activities. Engage in an interactive format to explore tools, decision-making and ethical issues relevant to professional managers. Implementing the Values and Ethics Mandate Paul Maillet is a specialist in the field of organizational ethics with extensive knowledge and practical experience in the development and implementation of ethics programs. He is the president of the Paul Maillet Center for Ethics, a company that specializes in applications of business and public sector ethics. He is also responsible for the Ethics and Values Group of the First Nations Development Network Inc. Paul is on the Board of Directors for the Ethics Practitioners Association of Canada (EPAC). Paul is also partner for Ethics, Values and Spirit at the Strathmere Management Center. He is an associate and former Director of Integrity Services for the Governance Network (TGN), a company that specializes in governance modernization in international and national arenas. Paul is a retired Air Force Colonel with 33 years experience in the Canadian Department of National Defense and served for four years as the Director of Defense Ethics. Project work has involved ethics and values framework development and implementation, internal disclosure mechanisms development, and ethics training for numerous federal departments; and on international projects in developing countries, notably Belize and Iran.