News & Resources
The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.
Employer Toolkit: Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan Similkameen
Skilled immigrants can help businesses access new customers and international markets, enrich organizational culture, and spark innovation.
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services (SOICS) created an Employer Toolkit to help employers Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan-Similkameen. The toolkit contains resources to help with navigating the complex system of accessing various streams of immigrants, attracting immigrants to your workplace, and helping them and your business succeed together by creating welcoming environments.
Skilled immigrants can help businesses access new customers and international markets, enrich organizational culture, and spark innovation.
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services (SOICS) created an Employer Toolkit to help employers Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan-Similkameen. The toolkit contains resources to help with navigating the complex system of accessing various streams of immigrants, attracting immigrants to your workplace, and helping them and your business succeed together by creating welcoming environments.
Canadian Tourism Labour Market Snapshot - March 2022
The latest report on the Canadian Tourism Labour Market has been released and reflects the status of employment in the sector for the month of March 2022.
Overall, tourism employment experienced an uptick as the sector builds momentum toward recovery in the coming months; however, growth is hindered by employment losses in the accommodations industry and a higher than anticipated unemployment rate in transportation.
When considering the robust tourism labour force pre-pandemic (2,117,700 workers in March 2019), it is clear that labour shortages remain across the country and throughout the tourism industries. Through other indicators such as the tourism unemployment rate which held strong in March, there is hope that momentum is building toward sector recovery.
The latest report on the Canadian Tourism Labour Market has been released and reflects the status of employment in the sector for the month of March 2022.
Overall, tourism employment experienced an uptick as the sector builds momentum toward recovery in the coming months; however, growth is hindered by employment losses in the accommodations industry and a higher than anticipated unemployment rate in transportation.
When considering the robust tourism labour force pre-pandemic (2,117,700 workers in March 2019), it is clear that labour shortages remain across the country and throughout the tourism industries. Through other indicators such as the tourism unemployment rate which held strong in March, there is hope that momentum is building toward sector recovery.
Accessible Employers Guide to Measure Disability Inclusion in Your Workplace
Organizations measure what they want to improve, so if hiring people with disabilities is a priority for you as an employer, measuring disability is a key place to start.
The Make it Count: Measuring for Disability Inclusion in Your Workplace is a practical guide for employers looking to measure the rate of disability in their workplaces.
Download a free copy of the Make it Count Guide to create a disability measurement initiative that fits the unique context of your organization!
Organizations measure what they want to improve, so if hiring people with disabilities is a priority for you as an employer, measuring disability is a key place to start.
The Make it Count: Measuring for Disability Inclusion in Your Workplace is a practical guide for employers looking to measure the rate of disability in their workplaces.
Download a free copy of the Make it Count Guide to create a disability measurement initiative that fits the unique context of your organization!
Coalition of Businesses & Sector Associations Express Concern With Province's Sick Pay Program
In a letter to Labour Minister Harry Bains, the coalition noted that the sick pay program comes at a difficult time for businesses during the height of the new Omicron wave. It's particularly challenging for businesses such as pubs and restaurants which were not closed (and thus many were ineligible for government assistance) and whose business dropped precipitously.
There are many examples of businesses experiencing functional closures and seeing a significant portion of their employees at home sick. Consequently, operationally and administratively it has been a very challenging start to the year.
One of the primary concerns relates to the fact that businesses and employees rely on payroll and human resources information systems to track, store, and provide accurate information on use of paid sick days and payment. Nearly all of these systems are based on a workplace having a common ‘employment year’ which is most often the calendar year or a business’s fiscal year.
However, the current wording of the ‘employment year’ definition on the Employment Standards website from the policy interpretation of Illness or Injury Leave - Act Part 6, Section 49.1 is causing confusion for employers and workers alike: “Employment year” refers to the specific employee’s employment year, based on their start date.
Most businesses remain unaware of this interpretation of the policy. In addition, there are problems faced by businesses struggling to understand how to implement paid sick leave for part-time and short-term employees.
In its letter, the coalition offered a number of recommendations for the province to consider including amending the definition of 'employment year', as well as reimbursing businesses for the additional sick days paid over the annual intended five days paid sick leave businesses understood they were required to pay.
Organizations that signed a letter include TIABC, BC Chamber of Commerce, Greater Vancouver BC Restaurant & Food Services Association, Restaurants Canada, go2HR, ABLE BC, BCHA, and others.
Originally published by TIABC on January 28, 2022.
In a letter to Labour Minister Harry Bains, the coalition noted that the sick pay program comes at a difficult time for businesses during the height of the new Omicron wave. It's particularly challenging for businesses such as pubs and restaurants which were not closed (and thus many were ineligible for government assistance) and whose business dropped precipitously.
There are many examples of businesses experiencing functional closures and seeing a significant portion of their employees at home sick. Consequently, operationally and administratively it has been a very challenging start to the year.
One of the group's primary concerns relates to the fact that businesses and employees rely on payroll and human resources information systems to track, store and provide accurate information on use of paid sick days and payment for those days. Nearly all of these systems are based on a workplace having a common ‘employment year’ which is most often the calendar year or a business’s fiscal year.
The current wording of the ‘employment year’ definition on the Employment Standards website from the policy interpretation of Illness or Injury Leave - Act Part 6, Section 49.1 is causing confusion for employers and workers alike: “Employment year” refers to the specific employee’s employment year, based on their start date.
Most businesses remain unaware of this interpretation of the policy. In addition, there are problems faced by businesses struggling to understand how to implement paid sick leave for part-time and short-term employees.
In its letter, the coalition offered a number of recommendations for the province to consider including amending the definition of 'employment year', as well as reimbursing businesses for the additional sick days paid over the annual intended five days paid sick leave businesses understood they were required to pay.
Organizations that signed a letter include TIABC, BC Chamber of Commerce, Greater Vancouver BC Restaurant & Food Services Association, Restaurants Canada, go2HR, ABLE BC, BCHA and others.