DEPRESSION UNDER WRAPS
Montreal — Forty per cent of Quebecers answering a recent survey said if they suffered from depression they wouldn’t dare tell their bosses. The poll of 600 adults, conducted by Impact recherche for the non-profit Quebec Mental Illness Foundation, also found two-thirds of respondents perceive workplace depression is on the rise.
WHISTLE BLOWERS NEED PROTECTION
Edmonton — Alberta ethics commissioner Bob Clark says he favours legislation to protect whistle blowing employees from retribution. And firms can show a commitment to ethics by establishing an ombudsperson workers could go to, he told University of Alberta MBA students.
FARM WORKERS SEEK UNION
Toronto — Ontario is not honouring a Supreme Court of Canada ruling allowing farm workers to unionize, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union charges. As a result of Ontario legislation that will allow workers to form an association but not a union, the UFCW will ask the court for further interpretation of its recent ruling. The outcome could also affect Alberta the only other province which restricts farm workers from unionizing.
MUSIC PIRACY AT WORK
Los Angeles — Hollywood and the music industry are taking their battle against copyright infringement into the workplace. A letter, sent to the 1,000 largest U.S. firms, warns companies they could be held liable for copyright infringement if corporate resources are used to download and pass around copyrighted movies and songs. The letter was signed by the Recording Industry Association of America, the Motion Picture Association of America, the National Music Publishers’ Association and the Songwriters Guild of America.
B.C. LIMITS PUBLIC-SECTOR SEVERANCE
Victoria — British Columbia has introduced legislation to cap severance deals for any government worker earning more than $60,000 at 18 months’ salary, down from the current 24 months. Cash payouts for unused sick time will be eliminated and executives earning more than $125,000 will have their contracts made public.
CEO RESUME LIE MEANS NO BONUS
Rochester, N.Y. — Bausch & Lomb chief executive Ronald Zarrella will not receive his 2002 US $1.1-million bonus as punishment for lying about his MBA qualifications on his resume. He offered to resign, but the contact lens manufacturer’s board determined the financial penalty was sufficient and that Zarrella is still the right person to lead the firm.
HEALTH CARE NEEDS NATIONAL HR PLAN
Ottawa — It’s time to put an end to the cycle of health-care layoffs and staff shortages, the Canadian Policy Research Network (CPRN) told the Romanow commission on health care. A national health human resources planning co-ordinating agency should be created to integrate workforce planning into health system design, CPRN recommends.
Montreal — Forty per cent of Quebecers answering a recent survey said if they suffered from depression they wouldn’t dare tell their bosses. The poll of 600 adults, conducted by Impact recherche for the non-profit Quebec Mental Illness Foundation, also found two-thirds of respondents perceive workplace depression is on the rise.
WHISTLE BLOWERS NEED PROTECTION
Edmonton — Alberta ethics commissioner Bob Clark says he favours legislation to protect whistle blowing employees from retribution. And firms can show a commitment to ethics by establishing an ombudsperson workers could go to, he told University of Alberta MBA students.
FARM WORKERS SEEK UNION
Toronto — Ontario is not honouring a Supreme Court of Canada ruling allowing farm workers to unionize, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union charges. As a result of Ontario legislation that will allow workers to form an association but not a union, the UFCW will ask the court for further interpretation of its recent ruling. The outcome could also affect Alberta the only other province which restricts farm workers from unionizing.
MUSIC PIRACY AT WORK
Los Angeles — Hollywood and the music industry are taking their battle against copyright infringement into the workplace. A letter, sent to the 1,000 largest U.S. firms, warns companies they could be held liable for copyright infringement if corporate resources are used to download and pass around copyrighted movies and songs. The letter was signed by the Recording Industry Association of America, the Motion Picture Association of America, the National Music Publishers’ Association and the Songwriters Guild of America.
B.C. LIMITS PUBLIC-SECTOR SEVERANCE
Victoria — British Columbia has introduced legislation to cap severance deals for any government worker earning more than $60,000 at 18 months’ salary, down from the current 24 months. Cash payouts for unused sick time will be eliminated and executives earning more than $125,000 will have their contracts made public.
CEO RESUME LIE MEANS NO BONUS
Rochester, N.Y. — Bausch & Lomb chief executive Ronald Zarrella will not receive his 2002 US $1.1-million bonus as punishment for lying about his MBA qualifications on his resume. He offered to resign, but the contact lens manufacturer’s board determined the financial penalty was sufficient and that Zarrella is still the right person to lead the firm.
HEALTH CARE NEEDS NATIONAL HR PLAN
Ottawa — It’s time to put an end to the cycle of health-care layoffs and staff shortages, the Canadian Policy Research Network (CPRN) told the Romanow commission on health care. A national health human resources planning co-ordinating agency should be created to integrate workforce planning into health system design, CPRN recommends.
