British Columbia’s labour laws
Human rights
When starting a business in British Columbia, you must be aware of the basic human rights each person has. No one should be discriminated against on the basis of:
- race
- gender
- religion
- marital status
- physical or mental disability
- sexual orientation
- age
- political beliefs
Keeping these basic human rights in mind when setting up a workplace is vitally important as you and your company can be in a lot of trouble if someone thinks their human rights have been violated. Remember that it doesn’t necessarily matter what your intentions were, if someone feels as though their human rights have been violated, you could be in trouble. These rights should be taken very seriously and everyone in a company—boss and employees alike—should know the rules around them.
Related article: How to Conduct an Employee Evaluation Harassment
All workplaces must be free of harassment. Harassment is seen as unwanted attention or behaviour towards an individual and is prohibited not just by BC labour laws but also through the Government of Canada. In British Columbia, the definition of harassment includes the following:
- unwelcome sexual suggestions or requests
- unwelcome touching or physical contact
- staring or unwelcome comments about someone’s body
- jokes based on gender, sexual orientation , race, or religion
- insults based on gender, sexual orientation , race or religion
These categories are important to keep in mind as there should be a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that could be seen as harassment. By creating a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to harassment in the workplace, you can create an environment of trust and respect.
Minimum employment standards
There are certain standards that all companies in British Columbia have to comply with. These standards are in place to make sure that workers are treated fairly. The following are some of the workplace standards that should be applied at every company in British Columbia:
- minimum wage is $15.20/hour
- standard workday is 8 hours, meaning a 40-hour week
- employer must give vacation pay and holiday pay
- employer must give leave of absence for: parental leave, compassionate care leave, and illness/injury
Knowing the minimum employment standards is the responsibility of the employer, so make sure to read through all of the standards mandated by the Government of British Columbia. Remember that these standards apply to companies based in British Columbia, but also to workers who live there, regardless of where the company they work for is located. For example, if your company hires remote workers and one of your remote workers live in British Columbia, then that employee is entitled to these minimum employment standards.
Workplace safety
Having a safe work environment is one of the most important workplace rights in British Columbia. All employers in BC must register with WorkSafeBC, which outlines workers’ rights in regard to health and safety. Standards include:
- creating health and safety programs for employees
- regular inspection of the workplace
- proper training for all staff, including fire safety rules
Any employee who feels unsafe can complain to WorkSafeBC.
Job termination
Terminating an employee is never an easy task. In order to do this properly, the Government of British Columbia has a set of steps that can make the task a little easier:
- Each employee must have a record of employment created by their employer so that if fired, they can claim Employment Insurance (EI). This is the only mandatory step for terminating someone in BC, so make sure at the very least that each employee has a proper record of employment.
- Severance pay is when the employer will pay the person being terminated some money to make up for the loss of income. This is not something that all companies do, but can make the termination process go smoothly.
- Gather any contact information you might have for resources the person can use to find a new job or apply for social services. This can allow the employee to feel taken care of even though they have lost their job.
- Draft a reference letter for the employee, which they can use when looking for a new job. This type of consideration can make the process of terminating someone much easier.
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