Equality in the Workplace
Reimer Express Lines Ltd is committed to a policy of achieving equality in the workplace so that no person is denied employment opportunities, pay or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability. We are therefore committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees without regard to age, race, colour, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability or any other unlawful grounds.
Two major initiatives at Reimer Express Lines Ltd. are:
Employment Equity
Following is a direct quote from the Federal Employment Equity Act.
"The purpose of this Act is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfilment of that goal, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities by giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences."
There are a number of actions required by law that include:
- Workforce Survey to collect data on existing employees and determine those that fall into one of the four designated categories.
- Workforce Analysis to compare the levels of representation of the four designated groups on staff to representation numbers in the general population from which we hire and record any gaps that might exist.
- Employment System Review to determine potential barriers to hiring, promotion and retention of employees from the four designated groups, particularly where gaps exist.
- Elimination of Barriers to put short-term measures in place to remove systemic barriers that exist as identified in the Employment System Review.
- Accommodation to put measures in place that allow employees to request special consideration, up to the point of undue hardship to the company, to accommodate physical accessibility issues.
- Positive Policies and Practices to ensure employment equity goals are met. The policies are aimed at improving opportunities for under-represented groups.
- Hiring and Promotions Goals (Short-term) to address areas where under-representation exists for the four designated groups.
- Representation Goals (Long-term) to address longer-term goals for removing gaps for the four designated groups.
- Monitoring, Review and Revision of Plan to ensure that it remains current. In addition, the monitoring process is backed up by full managerial accountability for the success of the plan.
- Provision of Information to keep employees and prospective employees aware of our Employment Equity initiatives.
- Consultation to seek input from employee groups and union representation on the development, implementation and revision of our Employment Equity plan.
- Maintenance of Records to ensure all Employment Equity records are maintained in a secure fashion to ensure strictest confidentiality.
In order to achieve these very important objectives, Reimer Express Lines Ltd., has taken on a number of initiatives including:
- Completion of Survey
- Completion of Analysis
- Completion of Employment System Review and ongoing exploration of additional barriers for specific designated groups
- Continual work to remove physical and attitudinal barriers through:
- Management and employee sensitivity and diversity training, anti-harassment training and other educational initiatives
- Addition of wheelchair accessibility to our new Winnipeg and Thunder Bay terminal facilities
- Development of a comprehensive Accommodation Policy
- Complete review of all Human Resource policies and practices to remove any language that presents a barrier and the addition of a number of new policies and practices to reinforce our commitment to Employment Equity. Policies include such matters as:
- Code of Corporate Conduct
- Prohibition Against Harassment and Abuse
- Accommodation
- Recruiting
- Substance Abuse
- Establishment and communication of short and long-term hiring and promotion goals for the four designated groups
- Development of best practices to ensure Managerial Accountability to Employment Equity
- Communications to employees on Employment Equity through our Company Newsletter, Web site and internal Intranet site as well as a variety of communications from the Human Resources department
- Union and employee consultation through Employment Equity Councils at many of our facilities
The company will make every effort to accommodate special needs of employees and those looking for employment opportunities.
The requirement to accommodate refers to the obligation of Reimer Express Lines Ltd to take steps to eliminate disadvantage to employees and prospective employees resulting from a policy, rule, practice, or physical barrier that has or may have an adverse impact on individuals or groups protected under the Canadian Human Rights Act, or identified as a designated group under the Employment Equity Act (Women, Aboriginal Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, and Visible Minorities). Needs that must be accommodated result from factors such as, but not limited to, disability, sex, age, family status, ethnic or cultural origin, and religious belief. Any actions under this policy will respect the confidentiality and dignity of the individual.
The Company recognizes its requirement as an employer, to provide accommodation in employment unless it is impossible to do so due to undue hardship. It will achieve this commitment by:
- Creating and maintaining an accessible, non-discriminatory and inclusive environment in which the work of the organization is conducted; this includes ensuring that all policies, practices, procedures, work arrangements, or facilities are free of discriminatory barriers.
- Identifying and responding to the individual accommodation needs of current and potential employees in a timely, confidential, sensitive and effective manner where the specific needs of an employee have not been addressed, or are being denied by a policy, rule or practice of the Company.
The Company has a requirement to advise employees and applicants about their right to an accommodation and to assist the employee or applicant in identifying the most suitable accommodation.
The employee or applicant has a responsibility for requesting accommodation including identifying, where possible, the types of accommodation she or he considers appropriate.
Employees who are members of the designated groups may request accommodation by contacting their immediate supervisor or manager; applicants for employment who are members of the designated groups may request accommodation by contacting the Manager in the location to which they are applying. In both cases, requests will be referred immediately to the Director - HR & Labour Relations at the Winnipeg General Office.
The request for accommodation should include the reason for the request and the specific nature of the accommodation being sought.
As soon as practicable following a request, a determination will be made as to the Company's ability to accommodate, to the point of undue hardship, and the results will be communicated to the person making the request. The Director - HR & Labour Relations will review all requests for accommodation and will make an initial determination and consult with appropriate senior management to evaluate such requests, taking into account the legitimate needs of applicants or employees and the Company.
Should the employee not agree with the decision regarding the requested accommodation, whether refused or where an alternative has been suggested, they will have the right to appeal the request to the President & CEO. All appeals shall be submitted in writing unless an alternate format is requested. If the appeal is not successful the employee maintains the right to appeal to their union through the formal grievance process (Bargaining Unit Employees) or to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Where a need is identified, the Company acts affirmatively in support of its equal employment opportunity policy.
Accommodation in the Workplace
Pay Equity
Reimer Express Lines is committed to achieving equal pay for work of equal value as defined under Section 11 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. This section requires that all federally regulated companies pay equal wages to male and female employees whose work, even if different in nature, is deemed to be of equal value to the Company. Equal pay is defined as an amount falling within the same range of pay and not necessarily an equal amount in absolute terms.
Reimer Express Lines Ltd. has committed significant resource to creating wage bands, position requirements and a systematic position evaluation process. Together, this has allowed Reimer to ensure that regardless of gender, persons doing work of equal value are paid an equal range of pay.
