Calendar of Events

In an unstable economy, employers are faced with some tough decisions surrounding layoffs and employee terminations. During this webinar, Jamie Knight of Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP will give you the tools you need to successfully determine, administer, and oversee the temporary or permanent reduction of your work-force. Jamie will walk you through tips on how to effectively communicate to your staff, ways to manage rumours and response reactions and how to ensure that the ‘survivors’ remain engaged and motivated. More details. In this webinar you will earn: Two (2) CHRP Recertification Points; The Termination Module from HR Training Tools in PowerPoint to help in the training of managers after the webinar is completed. Regular price: $169. ** HRANB member price: $139. Please note: One (1) participant per registration.

These days, no organisation can claim to manage its human resources without the help of some form of information technology. By looking at current HR technologies used in north-American companies, we will see how well Quebec companies rank in comparison and identify to what extent new technologies have been integrated to human resources management. How much do companies plan to invest in human resources information technologies (HRIT)? What will be the potential solutions? Which technologies are losing ground? How are suppliers positioning themselves in the market? What is the maturity level of today’s technologies? Here are but some examples of themes that will be addressed during this webinar.

Social Auditing is a way of measuring and reporting on an organization’s social and ethical performance. An organization which takes on an audit is transparent and makes itself accountable to its stakeholders. This presentation will explore the roots of social auditing, a typical audit process (including a review of applicable standards such as SA8000), and the associated benefits and challenges. Linkages to corporate sustainability and its use as a management tool and accountability mechanism will be discussed.

Under their contract of employment, employees within your organisation have certain rights. More specifically they have rights to privacy. However, employees are expected to be loyal to their employer during their work contract, and, depending on the circumstances, this loyalty may also extend for a period of time beyond their end of employment. But when an employee goes home after a day’s work, how does this obligation of loyalty fit into his or her everyday life? To identify instances where an employee’s privacy rights are secondary to his or her obligation of loyalty, when it comes to his or her personal activities, we will begin by stating the extent of these rights and obligations and by defining the notion of conflict of interest according to applicable laws and recent rulings. Then, we will analyse the principles by applying them to specific situations. • The possibility that an employer may intervene regarding an employee’s blog or an employee’s sharing of opinions that could affect an organisation’s reputation. • The conditions that would allow an employee to publicly denounce its employer. • An employer’s valid requirements when faced with one of its employee’s participation in a group’s activities whose mission or ideas are incompatible with the organization’s objectives.

All Registrants receive 30 days of FREE* access to CCH’s “Master Negotiation Skills” archived webinar. What does it take to foster a culture of leadership? Dr. Brad McRae, CSP, provides the tools you need to implement a strategic plan that encourages the growth and development of effective leaders. You'll compare the traits of managers vs. leaders as well as the actions, skills and strategies that HR professionals need to foster within their organizations to optimize leadership.

The Productivity Challenge: Working Smarter, not Harder More than just cliché, Working Smarter is imperative for every employee. And yes, the skills for higher productivity, control, and focus can be learned and integrated into your organization. Both the Gartner Institute and the American Management Association reported that the average office worker is spending over 2 hours per day in their inbox simply dealing with the deluge of email and electronic information. This coupled with constant juggling of priorities, meetings, deadlines, projects and commitments characterize today’s work environment. And the results are concerning; longer working hours, increased stress, errors, absenteeism and employee turnover to name just a few. By the time you leave, you will have: o Discussed the impact of the most common productivity challenges for your organization. o Reviewed the fundamentals of optimizing technology usage in the workplace, specifically Microsoft® Outlook, MS Exchange service and Blackberry. o Identified several productivity strategies which you can apply immediately following the session. o Link common productivity challenges to competencies within a workplace culture.

The Northwest Chapter of the Human Resources Association of New Brunswick invites you to a special presentation with Mr. Sasha D. Morisset on: Downsizing and control of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. Agenda: French presentation by Mr. Sacha D. Morisset, associate of Stewart McKelvey law firm. Mr. Morisset’s practice has been primarily focused on advising and representing employers in all labour and employment matters including discipline and terminations, workplace health and safety issues and human rights issues. Mr. Morisset will present on: 1. Downsizing human resources 2. Reasonable accommodation 3. Controlling drugs and alcohol

Richard Petrie, of the law firm of Stewart McKelvey. His practice is concentrated in representing corporate employers with respect to labour and employment law; including administrative and tribunal law, judicial reviews, arbitration, collective bargaining, wrongful dismissal claims, occupational health and safety matters; union certifications and unfair labour practice complaints. He has appeared before numerous arbitration tribunals; labour relations tribunals in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, WorkSafe NB tribunals and in all levels of Courts in New Brunswick. Appeared in Courts in Nova Scotia. Presenter at various labour and employment law seminars and conferences in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Author of numerous labour and employment law articles and publications.

All Registrants receive a FREE* eBook on “Implementing Best Practices in Human Resources Management, 2nd Edition”! (500+ pages and valued at $149) A discussion of best practices in human resources based upon leading research and the client-focused consulting experience of our session leaders. This webinar will focus on three best practice areas: • Employee Engagement • Change Management • The competencies HR professionals need to lead the evolution of HR in their organization.

Common work health and safety management indicators (accident frequency and severity) are reactive result indicators, thus deficient in nature. As organisations heighten their level of performance, it becomes increasingly important to apply proactive and predictive management indicators that show if the health and safety system is indeed under control. Objectives • Understand the basics of work health and safety performance measures. • Understand the variances, the scope and the limits of reactive and proactive indicators in health and safety management. • Know how to adequately choose the performance management indicators needed to track the work health and safety management system activities. • Develop a work health and safety trend chart for upper management showing performance management elements. Content Overview • Basics o Performance o Performance measures o Performance management indicators o Comparisons and internal and external criteria • Limits of common indicators (reactive) • The need for proactive and predictive indicators • Work health and safety performance determinants and examples of indicator determinants • Work health and safety management trend charts

Pleas join the HRANB executive members for the annual general meeting. The meeting will follow the Moncton chapter monthly breakfast meeting.

Please join us for an exclusive breakfast seminar designed for HR professionals, managers and supervisors on maintaining employee engagement in times of uncertainty. In today’s turbulent economic times, employee engagement is becoming a critical leadership challenge. Many organizations are forced into the challenging situation of having to make workforce reductions while simultaneously increasing the productivity of remaining staff. Even if your organization has not had to downsize, negative news in the media has left employees uncertain about their jobs, questioning their futures and finding it difficult to stay focused. As employee engagement declines, productivity suffers along with your organization’s ability remain competitive. Anita Belliveau and Anna Marenick from Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette will discuss key management strategies that will help you increase employee engagement. Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette is Atlantic Canada’s largest human capital solutions firm with offices across our region.

Absenteeism is extremely costly to organisations. In fact, indirect costs due to absenteeism (production losses, quality decreases, group insurance premiums, CCST premiums, replacement fees) can easily make up more than 20 % of payroll expenses. So how can we reduce absenteeism rates? What information may an employer request in medical certificates? What items should be included in an absenteeism management policy? This session will look to explore these questions. Objectives • Learn what an employer has the right to request in a medical certificate: diagnosis, prognosis, medical certificate of incapacity, etc. • Learn in which specific situations an employer may require surveillance and how such surveillance may be implemented. • Identify when it is appropriate to observe employees in the workplace and what are the legal limits of such actions. • Learn what should be included in an absenteeism management policy. Content During this session, you will learn which control methods may be used by employers such as medical certificates and their content, employment medical exams, video surveillance and screening tests. You will also learn how absenteeism policies are key to reducing absenteeism in the workplace.

Prior to our half day Professional Development session, HRANB (Fredericton) will be holding a brief AGM starting at 8:15 a.m. Various reports will be given, including Financial, PD Events, Mentorship, Students, CHRP, and Marketing. The term for the position of Treasurer will end effective December 31, 2009. The incumbent has reoffered for the position; a call for other nominations will be made at the meeting.

Enterprise Chaleur and its partners are pleased to invite you to the 2009 Human Resources Forum. The conference will be concerning the trends and challenges of management: the impact of various generations in the work place. Details:  Breakfast and lunch included  Choice of two workshops during the day  Networking possibilities with other persons in the field of human resources  Sharing of knowledge and best practices in human resources  Information booths on human resources services and organization Please read the attached documents to register or for more information.

Workplace culture affects all workplaces and all types of employees. While a negative workplace culture can be the root cause of major problems, a good workplace culture can accelerate a business and its employees to reap competi¬tive advantage while retain¬ing valued employees. Join us for this half day ses¬sion which will provide you with proven tools to enhance employee engagement.

Many Canadian businesses have offices outside of the country. And managers within these companies often ask themselves what are the applicable laws concerning work assignments abroad or foreign worker arrivals in Canada. They also wonder what options are available to them. This conference will shed light on international worker mobility. It will underline the differences and similarities between Canada and other countries (mainly the United-States), pertaining to immigration and visa options.

Your Saint John Chapter executive will be hosting a casual evening at Sebastian’s on Thursday, Dec. 3. Drop in after work for a chance to see some of your Human Resource colleagues and kick off the holiday season. Light refreshments will be served.

All Registrants receive a FREE* module on “HR Answers Now - Employee Relations, Employee Development and Staffing””! (valued at $149) HR professionals are striving to become strategic partners; a key success factor is the ability to measure results. Join us as Kathline Holmes CHRP, walks you through best practice tools and techniques that are used to measure HR results. Guidance around HR Metrics, benchmarking and how to present these results successfully, in order to build buy in from the executive team, will also be covered.

In times as competitive as these, making sure one’s employees are loyal can be quite difficult for an employer. New industry and technology developments as well as increased investments in employee training have forced employers to arm themselves against volatile workers and the negative impacts these individuals can have on business. In fact, unless a non-competition clause is added to a contract, an employee is free to leave his or her job at any time to go work for your main competitor. That is why an increasing number of employment contracts in Quebec include restrictive clauses such as non-solicitation and non-competition clauses. However, these clauses can often not be used by employers because they have not been properly drafted. Clauses are only useful to employers if they can be enforced. Clauses must be modified to fit a specific situation. Too often, businesses use ill constructed models that fall short when it comes time to apply them. This presentation will point out the key elements of restrictive clauses. • What are the validity criteria for non-competition and non-solicitation clauses? • Can a restrictive clause be applied when an employment contract is terminated without serious cause? • Can a penalty clause be added? All these questions and more will be addressed during this presentation.

Enclosed is your personal Invitation to the HRANB Christmas Social evening taking place on December 15, 2009 from 5 - 7 PM. This is a holiday networking opportunity where you can enjoy Trio Carte Blanche have some finger foods and feel free to bring your spouse if you wish. On behalf of the Food DEPOT Alimentaire, a registered non-profit charity that services more than 20 food banks, community kitchens and agencies in southeastern New Brunswick HRANB encourages you to bring along a non-perishable food item with you. (A list of suggested items to bring are canned vegetables, flour & sugar, pasta (dried, canned, noodles, rice), canned meat & fish, peanut butter, baked beans, canned fruit, canned or powdered milk, soups, stews & breakfast cereal.) Each food item will earn you a door prize ticket. Come join us for some Holiday Cheer!