As we prepare for Phase II in BC following this coming long weekend, we can begin focusing on other topics and moving forward. This week, in addition to bringing you up-to-date on provincial and federal programs, we are highlighting the joy of mentoring. Having a “coach” in your corner can help you gain valuable perspective and provides a wonderful sounding board to discuss your own personal and professional leadership development or even work through operational challenges and priorities. We hope you might consider connecting with or becoming a mentor to someone. It is very rewarding.
Here are this week’s topics for you:
- Mentorship
- Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
- BC’s Minimum Wage Increase
Mentorship
Find Your Mentor
As business owners and operators, we sometimes struggle to find a path forward, particularly when our future is a little uncertain. This is a great time to reach out to your mentor – the one person you connect with from time to time for advice and ideas on how to grow as a business, as a leader or just personally. If you don’t have a mentor currently, reach out to someone you have in mind and ask them to provide this role to you. Chances are they will be delighted to hear from you and be honoured by your request. Connections are so important during a pandemic. It helps us energize, avoids the sense of isolation, and often points us in a path we may not have recognized. So, think about your mentor or mentor-to-be and contact them today. Chances are they will be at home, so a phone call will be appreciated. And chances are they will be pleasantly surprised to hear from you.
Be A Mentor
While we all need to lean on mentorship to guide us from time to time, please don’t forget that a mentor resides within each of us. If you are an established mentor, don’t forget to reach out to your mentoree(s). They may not be in contact with you, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to hear from you. And if you have yet to mentor someone, there are plenty of avenues online to connect with someone in your field or through one of our post-secondary institutions. This is an excellent time to offer your ideas, gentle wisdom, or just an ear to the phone for someone who is starting out in their field, or is striving for that next big step in their career.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
While details are thin, the Prime Minister announced last Friday the federal government’s intention to extend the CEWS benefit beyond the initial twelve-week period, due to end June 6, 2020. We are awaiting additional information sometime this week or next as the federal government is working to determine if the wage subsidy has provided employers with the incentive to help get more Canadians back to work. One goal of CEWS is to reduce the number of individuals claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) by spurring businesses to remain open or re-open with additional financial support. Stay tuned and if you haven’t applied, please find the link below to help determine if your company qualifies.
BC’s Minimum Wage Increase
As a reminder, BC’s Minimum Wage is set to increase on June 1st, 2020. The provincial government does not appear to be considering a delay with this adjustment so employers will need to have a plan in place to ensure the new rates are processed for all affected employees with their first payroll in June.
The current minimum wage for employees sits at $13.85, rising to $14.60 this year and then moving to $15. 25 June 1st, 2021. Liquor Servers will see their hourly rate change from $12.70 to $13.95 this year and will then be aligned at $15.25 in 2021. Click on the link below for information specific to live-in roles for Camp Leaders or Care-givers and Resident Caretakers.
Good communication with your team in advance of this change will help ensure your employees understand how it affects them. Consider advising them of their new hourly rate by email, letter or ideally 1:1, keeping physical distancing for all meetings in mind.
Our team at TallSky Consulting continues to support our clients, new and valued. If there is anything we can do to assist you in completing your safety plan or drafting or updating policies, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We continue to offer our expertise as and when you need it, and from our virtual offices to yours.
DISCLAIMER: The information is provided as general information on these topics, and given the rapidly evolving environment, they may not be relevant with recent updates or changes on the topic. These materials are not meant to be a substitute for specific legal advice. Please do not rely solely upon this information for making decisions regarding employees in your workplace.