Mission City Record
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Friday, April 12, 2019 A15
APRIL 2019
Concerns Rise About Employment Standards Act Reform Project
As a Board of Trade, the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce identifies all changes that can ultimately affect business. The proposed ESA reformations around Statutory Holiday Pay as debriefed, potential raise of zero paid sick days to ten fully paid sick days by the employer, to additional employee leave have our members contacting us for support and guidance.
As forecasted this past December, the changes to BC Employment Standards have arrived. Minister of Labour, Harry Bains, mentioned at the annual BC Federation of Labour Convention that introducing legislation to revisit and revise the Employment Standards Act (ESA) this spring was in the plans. Well, spring has sprung, and there are changes suggested to the ESA that can greatly affect business and not-for-profit organizations.
The BC Chamber of Commerce has created a fillable letter template addressed to the Honourable Minister of Labour for British Columbia Harry Bains, MLA for citizens to address their concerns regarding these changes that will affect business. Please contact the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce for the example letter.
From vacation pay entitlements, minimum working age requirements, to possibly the most controversial; a new consensus on an eligibility rule for statutory holiday pay, the 300-page report by the British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) covers the ESA in its entirety. Statutory holidays are days of the year that have a certain specialty to them, for an employee, it is either a day off or certain wage entitlements. As stated in Section 44 of the Report on the ESA by the British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) “An employer must comply with section 45 or 46 in respect of an employee who has been employed by the employer for at least 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday, and has: (a) Worker of earned wages for 15 of the 30 calendar days preceding the statutory holiday, or (b) Worked under an averaging agreement under section 37 at any time within that 30 calendar day period” (“Report on the Employment Standards Act”, 2018, p. 107)
The proposed revision to the ESA will change those eligibility rules These changes have raised concerns throughout the business community as it will greatly impact staffing for many businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Hard working employees deserve benefits, and it is safe to say that business always stands beside that ideal. However, there comes
Report on the Employment Standards Act (pp. 107-308, Rep. No. 84). (n.d.). © 2018 British Columbia Law Institute. doi:https://www.bcli.org/wordpress/wp-content/
a time especially for Small-Medium Enterprises, when certain imposed “benefits” hurt the aspect of actually conducting a thriving business. BCLI believes that we are now in a time as a society that fulltime indefinite employment is declining and precarious employment is growing. Therefore, the Project Committee of BCLI “believes the eligibility rules in section 44 should be amended to allow greater opportunity for part-time workers” (“Report on the Employment Standards Act”, 2018, p. 114). What does this mean for business? The Project Committee of the BCLI reached consensus to modify the eligibility rule for statutory holiday pay requiring an employee have worked or earned wages on 16 of the 60 days preceding a statutory holiday in order to be paid regular wages for that holiday (“Report on the Employment Standards Act”, 2018, p. 114)
For business, this means an increased operating cost to be able to offer service on a statutory holiday.
uploads/2018/12/Employment-Standards-Act.pdf
“The Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce is actively working towards confirming a visitation to Mission, BC from the Honourable Minister of Labour for British Columbia Harry Bains, MLA. Please stay tuned for confirmation and date. As this is an important matter for our community we encourage you to be involved in the reform process.”
Congratulations to the new board members of the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce!
We are grateful to the Chamber, their staff, and volunteers for all they do to better the business community. I am proud and humbled to represent the Chamber as a board member.
33054 1st Avenue Mission, BC. V2V 1G3 | Phone: 604.820.4570 | Fax: 604.820.4562
www.douglifford.com
DOUG 32 Years Experience
DAPHNE
0 Experience
DONNA 26 Years
Experience
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Mission City Record
Raj Patara
Ellen Nguyen
Sean Melia
Andrea Walker
Manny Deol
Tom Osterberg
Jay Matte
Angel Elias
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As we move forward towards another year of growth for business, I would like to say I am honored to step forward as the President, for the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce. I would like to thank our past president Andrea Walker for her leadership in a year of challenges and successes. In Andrea’s year, the board tackled the final year of our strategic plan and rebranded the chamber, this work needed to be done for us to move forward. The Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce membership has elected a highly competent 2019 board; Ellen Nguyen- Vice President, Sean Melia -Treasurer, Manny Deol -Director, Tom Osterberg – Director, Jay Matte, Director, Angel Elias, Director, Celine Dauphney, Director, Denise Fowle, Director, Doug Lifford – Director, Ethel Lariviere, Director, they will be able to hit the ground running with a platform to create a vision and strategic plan that aligns with the many positive changes that are sure to come for our businesses and community.
In the past, the Chamber reached out to its membership to understand what some of the main issues are with our business owners. We heard the same issues from a large percentage of our membership; staffing, staffing, and staffing. It’s no secret, our businesses struggle to find qualified staff and then retain that staff. As a growing community, we need to make sure we have a plan to help business flourish and be ready for the changes to come. My main focus this year is to make sure our membership has the economic stability they need to succeed but we’ll require the partnership from the community, business, and the District to tackle these concerns. The Chamber is ready to do the work to give our businesses the tools they need to continue to be the backbone that our community was built on. I reach out to you and look forward to hearing your ideas on how to tackle this major issue that affects not only your business but the community as a whole. We have over 450 members that bring much value to the
office an email connect@missionchamber.bc.ca
It is finally taking place; winter is giving way to spring! Many individuals work on cleaning their homes, and patios at this time of the year, really going through the tasks that have been left over the cold winter months. With this entire cleaning and organizing ritual, why have we not thought to do this for our business? The paper that has piled up in the back storage room or the pens that haven’t had ink for months but you simply have just always returned them to their holder rather than the disposal, all things that have been put to the wayside. Have it end here, this spring. Time to go through the documents that you don’t need now, ten-fifteen years later, and bring them to the Rotary Shred-A-Thon on May 4th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Prospera Credit Union in Mission. Or look at the big picture, such as your business premise and buildings; is there any maintenance that needs to be considered? Checking and revitalizing your business infrastructure and space can greatly reduce your risk of accidents, claims, and losses. Here are some good questions to ask yourself about your business: • Are your emergency procedures up to date? What about your safety procedures? • Is there adequate lighting on the outer exterior of your building to prevent slips and injuries? What about your website? How long has it been since you have really read the writing
on there? A website is not only your digital business card; it’s the main source for your brand. Take the time this spring to really make sure it is SEO optimized. Last but perhaps the most important, empty out your inbox; really take the time to do something every business professional has longed to do. There is nothing like the squeaky clean look of an empty email inbox… that is until Monday comes. Happy spring cleaning from your Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce!
Chamber and Community and I look forward to hearing from you. In turn, I will update our members on a monthly basis in the President’s Report on our progress for my agenda towards economic stability. Please, feel free to send the
Celine Dauphney Denise Fowle
Doug Lifford director
Allan Main
Liaison c.F.n.F
Pam Alexis doM Liaison
Ethel Lariviere director
Joanna McBride dBa Liaison
Mindy McPherson
Proud recipient of the Presidents CluB MedAlliOn CluB AwArd 2017 Mindy the TOP REALTOR® of the 3000 Fraser Valley Real Estate Board Realtors, Year after Year! Put your trust and dreams in the hand of a REALTOR who excels at achieving only the best for her NUMBER ONE priority: her clients! Why settle for less! ®
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Visit Mindy’s website: www.mindymcpherson.com • #103 — 33070 5th Ave, Mission, BC • Office Phone - 604-826-9000
Mission City Record
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Mission’s Riverside College puts students in the right programs for the right reasons, and encourages those who engage in their educational streams to “work smarter, not harder to get a competitive, advantage,” said principal Wade Peary. For its focus on student success by equipping them with skills they can use for the rest of their lives, Riverside with its 12 staff and strong partnerships is recipient of the 2018 Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Educational Leader Award. “This is a unique single-campus, multischool facility which continues to evolve,” said Peary. Riverside oversees not only its trade and career programs, but Mission School District’s continuing education for students who may not have graduated yet and adults looking to upgrade.
“There are a lot of businesses that support “It’s not a matter of either/or anymore. If you plan to go into electrical engineering, why us, and we want to support them. Our Chamber not take an electrical course here first, and have relationship allows us to get out there and let the skills to secure employment while paying for businesses know who we are.” An average of 120 students a year are enrolled your university?” Available trade studies include plumbing, in career programs, and another 120 to 150 electrical, automotive technology, carpentry, hair students are in continuing education. “Some of our greatest successes are the styling and cooks training. On the career side, business support specialist, information students who come in here with low self-esteem technology technician, esthetics, community that would not necessarily get into any other post support worker/educational assistant and secondary institution,” said Peary. “To watch them grow as an individual warehousing are offered. Upon completion of the programs, including through their skills, attitudes, their work ethic practical hours, students come away with level and leave this place to go on and get a job and one technical training and are ready to start their later come back and talk about how Riverside College has been a life-changing place . . . those apprenticeship or get to work. “We are a big supporter of Mission Chamber are the things that stick with us,” said Peary. “We have students doing great things and and local businesses. Since we started, Riverside College has volunteered well over a half million having a positive impact on the community.” To learn more about Riverside College hours of work in Mission through work experiences,” said Peary who has served six (33919 Dewdney Trunk Road), click on RiversideCollege.ca or call 604-814-0446. years as principal. www.riversidecollege.ca
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Friday, April 12, 2019 A17
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A18 Friday, April 12, 2019
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