Our Union of Environment Workers Component President Todd Panas has championed the cause of a respectful workplace and he has launched and anti-bullying campaign vigorously. The following information needs to be read and understood. Employees have rights and those rights need to be understood in every workplace.
If you are a victim of bullying in the workplace, talk to your union advocate – there is hope and support available.
Managers can be open to the concept of flexible hours and to temporarily reassigning work when they see symptoms of stress. Additionally, they can encourage an open dialogue about the employee’s needs and attempt to work with the employee through a difficult time. Many stress-related circumstances are temporary in nature.
Disability Insurance: Information for PSAC Members
Do you need help with a Disability Insurance (DI) Claim?
• Often problems related to DI claims can be prevented through counselling provided by your departmental or agency human resources office. You should get most of your information from them.
• The PSAC as your union tries to help our members understand the complexities of the Disability Insurance Plan. We also explain who does what in the union, and how to contact them.
• PSAC represents members with DI claims. You do not have to pay union dues while off work on DI.
• The Disability Insurance (DI) Group Policy No. 12500-G between Treasury Board as policy holder and Sun Life explains what is covered. Information is available on the Treasury Board website.
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions on the key areas where members have difficulties getting benefits.
In return-to-work situations, it is important to note that the obligation to accommodate is neither unlimited nor one sided.
An employer is able to terminate based on undue hardship. Nevertheless, the responsibility for the employer to create and maintain a respectful workplace remains, and a return-to-work must be accommodated as far as reasonably possible.
Employees cannot insist that they be removed from the department and appointed to a substantive position in another department but they can insist that the hardships they faced – which forced them to leave their work or which are forcing them to contemplate “flight” – are resolved by the employer.
The employer is obliged to provide a respectful, harassment-free work environment, and to remove obstacles to a successful return to work.
The employer is obliged to examine the possibility of adjusting the occupational requirements of the work to facilitate the employee’s return to work, or to make serious efforts to find the employee alternative work. The employer may not refuse to help the employee return to his or her job unless it can be demonstrated that the changes to the occupational requirements would themselves cause undue hardship.
The employer is obliged to provide assistance in resume preparation and referrals to available positions in other departments, should that be the chosen option of the employee.
The employer is not obliged to appoint an employee to a position in another department.
For his or her part, the employee must be receptive and open-minded to the efforts being made by the employer to achieve a successful return-to-work, either in the substantive position or in another position within the department.
Role of the Union
The union can assure their members of support and guidance when issues develop in a workplace that force a member to consider going on sick leave as a remedy and we can help with the return-to-work transition.
It is very important that members contact their local representative early. Remember that Labor Relations represents management, and the union represents the membership.
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hr-rh/bp-rasp/benefits-avantages/dip-rai/dis-eng.asp
“Disability Insurance (DI) Benefits”/ “Who is eligible to receive DI benefits?”
According to the plan, you are eligible to receive benefits for up to 24 months if you become totally disabled (i.e., you are in a continuous state of incapacity due to illness or injury and are prevented from performing the duties of your regular occupation).
The 90-day elimination period does not mean that your claim will be approved in 90 days – that is the elimination period that must pass before your claim is considered “active.” This means you will not be covered by Disability Insurance for the first 90 days, and may or may not be covered thereafter.
The following website links will provide you with the information you need in order to be well informed about disability insurance and medical retirement:
http://www.pensionetavantages-
If you become disabled, and your claim is approved by the insurer, your monthly benefits will equal 70% of your insured annual salary. Benefits under DI or LTD begin once you have used up all your sick leave and provided that you have met a minimum waiting period of 13 weeks. Benefits continue for as long as you meet the test of total disability under the plan. If you are permanently disabled, your DI or LTD benefits will continue until you reach age 65.
The Performance Management initiative has been advertised as a tool for managers to use in order to establish realistic expectations for employees – expectations that are to be defined, measurable and achievable.
I wanted to share with our members a recent article featured in the Ottawa Citizen that talks about Canada’s working class. The author shares his thoughts about the Temporary Foreign Workers program in Canada and its implications for the Canadian working class.
One of the most important tool – ever! This stuff really should be taught in schools.
This is an awesome tool when someone is having problems coming to terms with uncomfortable feelings, which applies to almost everyone at some time or another..
When we feel sad, lonely or hurt our natural tendency is to choose not to feel these feelings because they are painful.
We resist them, and then alternate between running away from them in panic and running after them to try to catch and control them.
This running to and from painful feelings, reinforces them because they want to be felt and are shouting, “Feel me!”
These 3 R’s set up a vicious cycle…
However, the real problem is not our painful feelings but our reaction to them.
The solution is to learn to become aware of the feelings, to befriend and accept them.
This then establishes a virtuous circle …
* By accepting the feeling and allowing it to be in your life, you acknowledge that there is room for all feelings – room for tears and room for laughter.
Jackie Lee Agnew –SSW Life Success Coach
Many of you who have heard me speak know, how a series of life ‘crises’ catapulted me into a severe depression…and then to my story of recovery. The response I received since then tells me that I’m not alone in this plight, and that many of us have experienced a similar personal crisis.
One of the hardest parts of my ordeal was that, in the midst of it all, I still had to be a functional adult and stay on top of my job responsibilities. And while there are many great books and websites about how to deal with depression or anxiety at work, I also want to share some suggestions based on my own experience for making it through the tough times — and even thriving.