Unfortunately for Alberta employers, a large number remain unfamiliar with the monumental responsibilities thrust upon them by recently enacted Bill 30.
And perhaps the least understood aspect of Bill 30 is the employer’s duty to inquire into the physical and mental health of employees.
Case in point: how does an employer respect privacy rights (PIPA) when probing into an employee’s personal life? Suppose one of your key workers is uncharacteristically moody, hasn’t shaved in weeks, and there’s alcohol on his breath at 8am — how do you confront this in a duly-diligent manner while respecting legal boundaries?
This is but one example, and let’s face it, most of us lack the training to broach that socially (and legally) delicate conversation. In most cases, notwithstanding a company policy, we tend to turn a blind eye and avoid the matter altogether. I’ve seen these sensitive conversations go off the rails too many times, especially when there’s underlying tension between superior and subordinate. Hence, Shift OHS Inc. Reasonable Cause training is invaluable for the legion of managers out there who agonize over these difficult interactions — and doubly so now that substance abuse has spiked by 47% YoY.