Approved by the Human Resource Management Association of Manitoba for 6.5 CHRP Continuing Professional Development hours.

THE PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE SEMINAR FOR SUPERVISORS AND STEWARDS (WINNIPEG) 

How to tackle today's most challenging discipline cases with skill and confidence

Winnipeg
Fort Garry Hotel
June 3, 2015

Who should attend?
Front-line supervisors and union stewards from unionized workplaces who need to make informed discipline decisions.

Other labour relations professionals responsible for developing discipline and discharge policy.

ATTENTION LAWYERS: A total of 6.25 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit hours may be claimed from the Law Society of Manitoba for attending this conference.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

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 $139 (standard, single/double plus taxes) have been arranged for registrants at the Hotel Fort Garry, 222 Broadway in downtown Winnipeg.

Phone hotel reservation directly at (204) 942-8251 and ask for the group rate for the "Progressive Discipline seminar." Reserve early as availability is limited.

The Hotel Fort Garry 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: $425 (plus $21.25 GST = $446.25)
Group (3+ each): $395 (plus $19.75 GST = $414.75)
Super Group (7+ each): $365 (plus $18.25 GST = $383.25)

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 May 27, 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.