Contents:

• Welcome
• Upcoming Events
• What's New
• GrandMaster Update

Welcome!

May 2005 - Welcome to the latest edition of The Payroll News. As always, please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and associates who are interested in keeping up with the latest changes in the Payroll industry. Or better yet, subscribe them for free using the Tell Others About Us link.

Upcoming Events

Listed here are recent changes in legislation on Federal and Provincial levels that may impact your payroll calculations. Please view the following list for changes that affect your region.

FEDERAL:

April 25, 2005 - Government of Canada Announces Internationally Trained Workers Initiative - The Government of Canada today launched the Internationally Trained Workers Initiative, delivering on the commitment made in the Speech from the Throne to improve the integration of immigrants and internationally trained Canadians into the work force. The launch was held simultaneously in Toronto and Vancouver. (Full Story)

April 26, 2005 - Statement of Account for Current Source Deductions - E-PD7A is an online service being offered that lets you receive and view your Statement of Account for Current Source Deductions. E-PD7A replaces the paper version of the PD7A and the PD7A(TM). This online service is secure, convenient, and environmentally friendly. It is cheaper than sending paper, it ends errors caused by re-keying data, and it provides quicker turnaround. (Full Story)

April, 2005 - Québec Parental Insurance Plan - The Government of Canada concluded a final agreement with the province of Quebec to establish the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP). The plan will be implemented on January 1, 2006 and will pay maternity, paternity and adoption benefits to Quebec residents. The agreement includes a financial mechanism whereby the Government of Canada reduces Employment Insurance premiums of Quebec workers and employers to allow the Government of Quebec to collect premiums for its own program. (Full Story)

CPA Issues New Cheque Specifications in Preparation for Cheque Imaging - The Canadian Payments Association (CPA) has published new specifications for Canadian cheques in preparation for the transition to image-based clearing. Under the new specifications, all cheques used by customers of financial institutions operating in Canada will require some changes. The new specifications, as outlined in CPA Standard 006, Part A, are necessary to ensure that high-quality cheque images can be captured, both for clearing purposes and for delivery to clients, and to enhance processing efficiency. (Full Story)

Alberta:

April 25, 2005 - Minimum wage will increase to $7.00 an hour September 1, 2005 - Alberta's minimum wage will increase from $5.90 to $7.00 an hour on September 1, 2005. About 45,000 Albertans in entry-level jobs will benefit directly from the wage increase. More than 1,900 Albertans participated in a public consultation conducted from February 24 until March 29, 2005. Participants were asked whether the minimum wage should be introduced in one step or in stages. A majority of all respondents agreed that the increase should be introduced all at once. (Full Story)

April 11, 2005 - New occupations provide more options for Albertans - The Alberta government has designated Oil and Gas Transportation Services and Well-Testing Services Supervisor as the newest designated occupations in Alberta. The change means there will now be provincially-recognized industry standards in these careers. "The trades are vital to Alberta's economic success, and designating these occupations identifies them as viable and desirable career options for Albertans," said Advanced Education Minister Dave Hancock, who issued the first certificates on April 11. (Full Story)

British Columbia:

April 28, 2005 -WCB commemorates the Day of Mourning - The Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia (WCB) today observed the annual Day of Mourning to remember workers who were seriously injured or killed as a result of workplace injury, illness, or disease. The ceremony featured a procession to the memorial and a moment of silence. (Full Story)

Information for Employers about the Employment Standards Self-Help Kit - Beginning back in July 2002, the Employment Standards Branch implemented a new complaint resolution process. These changes give employees and employers tools and information to solve problems without direct government intervention. Employees who feel they have an employment standards problem are now required to use the Employment Standards Self-Help Kit. (Full Story)

Manitoba:

April 12, 2005 - Manitoba Workers Compensation Act Modernization Proposed - Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan today introduced legislation which would modernize and improve the Workers Compensation Act based on recommendations supported by Manitoba workers and employers. The proposed changes would include improved benefits, increased focus on prevention, new measures for employers, measures to allow government to expand coverage following consultation, new occupational disease presumptions for firefighters and strengthened governance and accountability measures as well as improved financial oversights. (Full Story)

April 11, 2005 - WCB and WSHD Join Forces to Hold First Ever Safety Summit - The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) and the Government of Manitoba's Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) are holding their first ever SAFE Work Safety Summit on April 11 and 12. The summit is targeted to safety and health coordinators in the healthcare field and to those working for a cross-section of employers. Conference topics include SAFE Work, ergonomics programs in healthcare, safe patient handling programs, BACK Safe programs, the WCB Rate Model and employer presentations on prevention plans in action. (Full Story)

April 12, 2005 - WCB 2004 Annual Report Promotes Safer Workplaces, Shows Reduced Injuries, Records Operating Surplus - The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) released its 2004 Annual Report today, reinforcing its commitment to injury prevention, and maintaining positive financial results. The WCB also released its 2005 to 2009 Five Year Plan focusing on continued efforts with government’s Workplace Safety and Health Division (WSHD) to create and maintain a safety culture in Manitoba. (Full Story)

New Brunswick:

April 8, 2005 - New Brunswick's unemployment rate 9.4 per cent for second month in a row - New Brunswick's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained in single digits for the second month in a row in March standing at 9.4 per cent, Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney reported today. Other figures that Statistics Canada released today show that there were 349,600 New Brunswickers working in March and the labour force stood at 385,900. The labour force measures those working or actively seeking work. (Full Story)

April 29, 2005 - Minister's Message / NAOSH Week - A message was issued today by Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney, in recognition of North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 1 - 7, 2005: "NAOSH week emphasizes the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. This year's theme is 'Equip, Educate, Empower'. In New Brunswick, this annual initiative is led by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering in partnership with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada." (Full Story)

Newfoundland and Labrador:

April 8, 2005 - Minister announces new Vice Chairperson to the Labour Relations Board - Joan Burke, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, announced today the appointment of Mr. Karl Inder as Vice Chairperson of the Labour Relations Board. The appointment is for a five-year term, effective immediately. The Labour Relations Board is a quasi-judicial body, which has the authority to deal with a wide range of labour relations practices for employers and employees in both the public and private sectors. (Full Story)

Nova Scotia:

April 8, 2005 - Minimum Wage Advisory Committee Submits Report - An advisory committee is recommending that Nova Scotians get a 30-cent increase in their minimum wage this fall. The Department of Environment and Labour released a report today, April 8, from the Minimum Wage Review Committee that recommends the minimum wage be increased to $6.80 per hour from $6.50 effective Oct. 1 . It also recommends an increase to $7.15 effective April 1, 2006. (Full Story)

April 26, 2005 - Work Safe. For Life. - With a unique design reflective of its new safety focus, the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia’s 2004 Annual Report, Caution: Work Safe. For Life, highlights how the WCB is encouraging Nova Scotians to create a workplace safety culture; providing benefits for injured workers with chronic pain; and continuing to focus on stakeholder consultation. (Full Story)

April 14, 2005 - WCB Staffs Up to Issue Chronic Pain Decisions Faster - The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia will streamline its process and hire about 70 additional employees to ensure that claims for workers requesting chronic pain benefits are reviewed as quickly as possible. The new employees also will ensure that workers currently under active case management and those injured into the future, benefit from what is learned about preventing and managing chronic pain. (Full Story)

Ontario:

April 5, 2005 - Key business leaders pledge support for workplace health and safety - The Ontario government fully supports 68 key business leaders who today jointly pledged to make workplaces safer by signing the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter, said Labour Minister Chris Bentley. The Charter is based on the principle that effectively managing health, safety and wellness is essential for a business to succeed. (Full Story)

April 27, 2005 - Mcguinty government calls for renewed commitment to workplace safety to honour fallen workers - The McGuinty government is urging Ontarians to mark tomorrow’s Day of Mourning and to reaffirm a shared commitment to workplace safety, Labour Minister Chris Bentley said today. April 28 is recognized each year as a Day of Mourning to pay tribute to those who have died, suffered injury or experienced illness due to work-related causes. Day of Mourning is being recognized by most governments in Canada, including the Ontario government. (Full Story)

Prince Edward Island:

May 1, 2005 - WCB Hosts 6th Annual Workplace Health and Safety Conference - The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) as part of its continuing effort to reduce soft tissue injuries in Island workplaces has developed and distributed a new poster called Rules of Lifting. The poster supports WCB’s earlier soft tissue injury prevention poster called Let’s Stretch which has received excellent feedback. (Full Story)

Saskatchewan:

April 21, 2005 - Saskatchewan workplace safety record shows improvement - Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board figures for 2004 show the time loss injury rate in Saskatchewan workplaces has declined by 11 per cent over the past two years. A time loss injury is an injury serious enough to require the worker to leave the job site for medical care. (Full Story)

April 28, 2005 - Student employment program set for another year - With summer approaching, a newly enhanced provincial employment program is set to continue linking Saskatchewan students with meaningful job opportunities. The Centennial Student Employment Program (CSEP) now offers participants developmental resources aimed at enriching the opportunity for employers and students. (Full Story)

April 25, 2005 - Reference materials for 2005 WCB AGM available in advance - The WCB holds its Annual General Meetings on May 10th in Saskatoon and May 11th in Regina.The meetings are open to anyone interested in learning about the WCB, its operations and performance. At the meetings, the WCB will provide information on its strategic and operational plan, policy changes made during the year, 2004 financial results, and 2004 operating results. (Full Story)

Yukon:

April 11, 2005 - Board Amends Policy on Lump Sum Payments - The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board has amended its Lump Sum and Advances Policy, following public consultation. The policy applies to earlier workers’ compensation legislation and affects about 30 workers injured before 1993. (Full Story - PDF Format)

April 15, 2005 - YWCHSB Launches Consultation: Working Together on Prevention - The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board is launching a consultation with workers, employers and the public on how all parties can work together to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. The impact of workplace injuries in the Yukon is growing. In 1992, the average length of a claim for someone injured severely enough to miss work was 35 days. In 2004, the average was more than 100 days. (Full Story - PDF Format)

The current release of GrandMaster Suite (4.01.07) incorporates a number of changes to make it even easier to use the program and perform your payroll tasks. Recent program changes since our last Payroll News issue include.

• Employee Payroll Profile report now supports detailed hours - The Employee Payroll Profile report has been modified to include a breakdown of employee hours by earning for each pay sequence. This change relates to the detail report only and the summary report has not changed.
• Option added to link directly to Internet download site - With this release we have added an option to the System Manager dialog Help menu that allows you to directly access the Internet download site providing that you have an Internet connection.
• Payroll Range Report date range confusing - When you printed the Payroll Range Report and selected a specific date range, the dates shown on the report did not accurately refer to the start date and end date of the range. Prior to this change the report would display the sequence end dates as the start and end dates. With this release the Payroll Range Report will accurately display the start date for the starting sequence and the end date for the ending sequence.
• Pay Statement hours truncated showing 4-decimals - A change made on a prior release to display Pay Statement hours to 4-decimal places could result in your Pay Statement truncating employee's hours yet show 4-decimals. With this release we have added a drop down box option to the Selects tab of the Pay Statement dialog that allows you to select the number of decimal places you wish to see for hours on the employee stub. This drop down option sets the decimal places for hours options in the report. (Earning Hours, Earning Hours YTD, Accumulator Accrued Hours and Accumulator Balance Hours) The drop down box provides you with three options 2-decimal, 3-decimal and 4-decimal places with 2-decimal places set as the default. You will not need to make a change to your form if you wish that the statement display the hours to 2-decimals. If you wish that the statement displays the hours to 3 or 4 decimals simply select your option and save the change with the applicable report form.
  

• • •

Visit CanPay's News page and view the latest Release Notes for a complete listing of program changes.

Link Opportunity! - If you are a CanPay customer wanting more exposure for your Website, please send us a 50-word description along with a copy of your logo. We'll add you to our Customer Links page and create a link directly to your website. It 's a great way to expose your goods and services to the community. Logos should be a maximum of 160 x 70 pixels and provided in the .gif or .jpg format. Send your e-mails to admin@canpay.com.

It's interesting how the world of work changes and trends come and go.

For instance, in the early 1960s "testing" of individuals for school and job placement was more common place. In the '70s, it collapsed under the weight of multiple court decisions and hefty legal costs. The risk of discrimination just became too great.

In today's turbulent global world, pre-employment testing is a growth industry. For instance, three years ago a competitive business environment and a need to improve workforce quality was the driving force behind the increased use of pre-employment testing. Then, a thrust to reduce corporate health-care benefit costs by identifying pre-existing medical conditions fuelled its growth.

Today, fear of violence in the workplace and a general backlash to unethical business and professional practices is once again bringing the issue of pre-employment testing to the forefront.

With candidate assessment now becoming common place, job hunters need to develop a better understanding of this growing trend and perhaps even take advantage of it. After all, knowledge is power.

The most common assessments in the marketplace include personality and communication style, leadership/management style, interest inventories and integrity testing. In most cases, the assessments are now typically conducted on-line with interpretation and report writing being completed by national research centres.

Most assessments examine the more generic traits that help to ensure a good fit with the corporate culture as well as an ability to get along with people. This is important because experience shows that more people are terminated because of cultural fit rather than their technical skill set. These generic traits are also growing in importance as corporations turn toward flatter organizations, larger teams and generally more teamwork,

Personality Assessments
These assessments are typically quite broad in their assessment focus. They examine a variety of personality dimensions such as reliability or sociability. However, despite taking a broader view of individuals, these assessments have also been validated and have been proven to predict behaviours such as absenteeism or potential disciplinary problems. This is certainly a valuable piece of information from the recruitment point of view. A challenge for employers with the more sophisticated assessments, however, is that most of these assessments require a qualified psychologist to conduct the interpretation.

Communication Style
Communication style assessments attempt to identify, classify and categorize a personality and communication style and then match it to a work style and environment. While some professionals feel this is too informal an approach, it is widely used both for recruitment, career development and for the development of strong teams. My experience is that traits identified through these assessments are also quite accurate.

Management/Leadership Style
There are a number of management and leadership style assessments on the market as well. Once again, these are often on-line instruments that can have your results back within less than 24 hours. All are research based and include well-known factors and behaviours that proven leaders exhibit. Once again, my experience has been that these are quite accurate.

Interest Inventories
These are more commonly used for career development, but are also highly effective in the identification of skills themes that can be applied in the workplace. In other words, it helps to identify broad areas within which a person may have interests or talents. For companies that have cross training and career mobility, this assessment can be a valuable asset.

Integrity Tests
With corporations losing thousands of dollars to employee theft, misreporting of time worked, lying and/or abusive behaviour, integrity assessments are now being more widely used. These assessments evaluate an individual's attitude, values and behaviours toward truthfullness or any wrongdoing. Eliminating candidates with a predisposition to stealing or dishonesty has been proven to save up to six per cent of total annual revenue.

But, there are a number of issues a candidate must keep in mind when going through this process. First of all, declining to participate in an assessment process is more than likely the kiss of death on your job candidacy, so don't get yourself all in a tizzy if you are somewhat fearful or reluctant. Keep in mind that an employer will not be using any of these assessment tools as their primary source of decision making; there are several other selection strategies that are also important in their overall decision.

But there are indeed privacy issues that you need to inquire about. Ask some the following questions before participating:

• What role does the assessment play in the overall recruitment decision?
• What job factors in the assessment tool relate to the position you are applying for?
• Is the assessment available in other languages if English is not your first language?
• Is an in-person debrief of the assessment results available to you prior to being forwarded to the selection team?
• Will a complete copy of the assessment results be provided to the selection team or just a summary?
• What is done with the assessment tool should you not be the successful candidate?
• Is a copy of the results for your own record available?

Frankly, with pre-employment assessments becoming such common place, it might be wise for job seekers to undergo their own assessment accompanied by a personal, face to face, debrief session. Then there are no surprises; you will know exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are and how these can be applied to different workplaces. In fact, you can use these assessment results as a tool to better understand what kind of work culture you best fit and to better position yourself for your overall job search.

Source: Being Honest About Being Dishonest, Bernie Eisenberg and Linda Johnson, SHRM, March 2001, Personality Testing in Employment, D. Shaffer and R. Schmidt, SHRM, Oct. 1999.

* * *

Article Courtesy of Barbara J. Bowes - barb@bowesgroup.com