The Progressive Discipline Seminar for Supervisors and Stewards (Vancouver)
This conference has been accredited by the Human Resource Management Association for 6 CHRP points.
THE PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE SEMINAR FOR SUPERVISORS AND STEWARDS (VANCOUVER)
How to tackle today's most challenging discipline cases with skill and confidence
Vancouver
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
March 31, 2015
Who should attend?
Front-line
supervisors and union stewards from unionized workplaces who need to make
informed discipline decisions.
Labour lawyers and inhouse counsel responsible for counselling clients on discipline and discharge.
ATTENTION LAWYERS: This conference has been approved for credit (6.25 hours) by the Law Society of BC.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
Registration: 8:00
Seminar
8:30 -- 4:30
Lunch
12:00 -- 1:15
The Fundamentals of
Progressive Discipline
Key concepts and underlying principles governing
progressive discipline in the unionized workplace:
- Questions to ask before any discipline is imposed
- The key stages of progressive discipline
- Just cause, mitigating factors and culminating incidents
- Effective and ineffective warnings
- When discipline should never be used
Discipline and Human
Rights
Accommodation and other human rights protections to
consider before discipline is imposed:
- When to discipline, when to accommodate
- Enforceability of automatic-termination clauses
- Enforceability of zero-tolerance policies
- Enforceability of last-chance agreements
Drugs, Alcohol and
Discipline
Guidelines for handling cases of misconduct
involving drugs or alcohol:
- Distinguishing between substance abuse and dependency
- Handling impairment at work
- Dealing with the employee in denial
- Practical considerations for accommodating substance-dependent employees
Poor Performance and
Bad Attitude
What are appropriate standards of employee
performance and how should they be measured?
- Appropriate and inappropriate responses to poor performance
- Defining the standards and communicating them to employees
- Performance standards for probationary employees
- Can an employee be disciplined for bad attitude alone?
Dealing with
Excessive Absenteeism
What are some legitimate employer responses to
excessive innocent absenteeism?
- When is absenteeism considered innocent vs. disciplinary?
- How much absenteeism is considered excessive?
- When does termination become an option?
- When can absenteeism policies be challenged on human rights grounds?
Dealing with Pattern
Absences
What options are available to employers when
dealing with suspicious absences?
- When do employers have just cause to intervene?
- Appropriate employer responses
- When substance abuse is suspected as the root cause
- Surveillance and other options available to verify suspicious absences
Enforcement of Employer Rules
When are employer rules valid and enforceable and
when are they subject to union challenge?
- The legal requirements for valid employer rules
- The impact of an unreasonable rule
- How should rules be communicated to employees?
- Enforcing rules that have been unevenly enforced
PRESENTER
Grant Mitchell, Q.C.
Grant
Mitchell is a labour lawyer with over 30 years of experience representing
clients in labour law matters. Mr. Mitchell has addressed thousands of union
and employer representatives across Canada on progressive discipline techniques
and has earned top ratings for his clear and effective communication style.
Grant Mitchell is a partner in the Winnipeg law firm, Taylor McCaffrey LLP.
Hotel accommodations
Special guestroom rates starting at $199 (standard,
single/double plus taxes) have been arranged for registrants at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900
West Georgia Street, in downtown Vancouver.
Please phone Reservations directly at (604) 684-3131 and ask for the group rate for "The Progressive Discipline Seminar."
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is a unionized hotel.
Tuition
Includes one-day program, conference binder, Certificate of Attendance,
continental breakfast and refreshments. Accommodations and other meals are not
included.
Individual: $395 (plus $19.75 GST =
$414.75)
Group (3+ each): $365 (plus $18.25 GST = $383.25)
Super Group (7+ each): $325 (plus $16.25 GST = $341.25)
To qualify for group rates, registrants must be from the same organization, or union local, and register together.
CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations must be in writing and received by March 24, 2015 in order
to qualify for a full refund less a $50 administration fee. Non-compliance will
result in liability for the entire tuition.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions may be made at any time.