How to Build a Compliance Strategy That Keeps Pace With Changing Employment Laws
Employers in Canada also work in a challenging legal environment where employment laws keep on changing. Organizations should be ready to adapt fast to evade liability because of fluctuations in minimum wage levels to emerging workplace safety concerns and human rights requirements. These proactive compliance strategies are not merely that of achieving the minimum standards but rather developing a structure which enables smooth adaptation of business to the changing regulations. The construction of such a strategy needs foresight, planning and clear understanding in the way employment law can affect day to day operations.
Appreciating the Essentials of Compliance
Employers do not have the choice to comply with the law, and negligence in adhering to legal demands may prove to be quite expensive. Claims of wrongful dismissal, human rights, and breaches of employment criteria may turn out to be huge financial and reputational losses. Compliance is a one-time exercise to employers whose businesses are usually revealed when the laws are modified. Through the realization of compliance as a continuous process, business organizations will be in a better position to adjust to changes in regulations with little interference.
Another important relationship is that of compliance and the workplace culture. Employee trust and morale increase when they realize that the employer is concerned with his fair treatment and with his legal duty. Reactive and inconsistent compliance strategies instead result in resentment and an increase in turnover. Employers that take the responsibility of keeping in touch with employment laws are very responsible and this enhances both the internal functions and image.
On Track Legal Developments
Maintaining compliance at the federal and provincial level can be achieved by the first step which is to keep abreast with legal developments. The law on employment in Canada is not standardized, and companies that conduct their business across more than one province should be aware of jurisdiction-related regulations. As an illustration, discharge regulations and entitlement of leaves may vary greatly between Ontario and British Columbia. The employers who fail to monitor such changes are likely to use the wrong standards and face a liability.
It is necessary to have a systematic mechanism of keeping track of updates. Employers can avoid falling behind by subscribing to government bulletins, reading updates by law firms and being part of industry associations. There are also numerous companies that have an employment lawyer on board to give specialized advice. An employment lawyer is able to read between the lines and provide recommendations on how the new rules are to be used in a specific workplace situation to make sure that compliance plans are correct and realistic.
Integrating Compliance into Policies and Procedures
After the employers get to know about the legal changes, the second thing to do is to incorporate them in the existing policies in the workplace. Handbooks, codes of conduct and employment contracts should also be revised on a regular basis to ensure that they are up to date with the current requirements. This will help the organization to have enforceable policies and the employees understand their rights and responsibilities. Obsolete policies cause more confusion as well as may compromise the stand of an employer during a dispute.
Written documents should not be the limit when it comes to implementation. Employers should ensure that the policies are implemented by means of training and communication. Supervisors and managers have to know how they can put upgraded standards to practice and the employees should know their rights in a simple manner. Being consistent between the policies that are documented and those that are implemented in the workplace is one of the pillars of an effective compliance strategy.
Continuous Compliance Training and Education
The training is a very important component of maintaining a compliance strategy. The legislation on harassment, safety and accommodation change and even the lowest level worker is expected to handle these requirements. The regular workshops and online training modules can be used to make sure that the staff is aware of the changes and that they know how to change them in their everyday operations.
Leadership teams are also important to be educated. The senior managers should be made to understand the bigger picture of not complying, both of reputational loss and the financial cost of litigation. Getting an employment lawyer on board to ensure your training is well rounded may also be a good idea. An informed leadership team will be able to devote more resources to compliance initiatives and make them a priority in the general business strategy.
Analyzing and Enhancing Compliance Practice
A compliance plan is not supposed to be fixed. Employers ought to periodically analyze the effectiveness of their practice in accordance with the existing laws and in what way they can be improved. Internal reviews and audits can be helpful in identifying a loophole, either in documentation, training, or enforcement. Periodic evaluations will help companies to deal with their weaknesses before they cause legal issues.
Listening to employees is also necessary to help in continuous improvement. Employees can tend to identify what is wrong during practice in a manner that is not visible in the official reviews. The feedback can be encouraged to expose the blind spots and assist the employers to optimize the strategy. A compliance plan, which is continuously developed with the contributions of the management and personnel has a higher probability of staying pertinent.
