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Introduction to EMPR 200

Welcome to My EMPR 200 Blog

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Hi everyone, my name is Harjit and I am a fourth year biology major. After completing my undergraduate degree, I hope to continue my education in medical school, after which I aspire to work in the field of oncology. Though I live in Kingston during the school year, I am from the Greater Toronto Area and enjoy returning home to volunteer with different organizations that aim to serve underprivileged communities as well as involve myself in services with a focus on healthcare.

My interest in employment relations was inspired by my desire to better understand a field that affects all individuals at some point in their life, and which will soon be beneficial to myself upon entering the workforce. I am particularly interested in learning about the different labour and employment laws that govern the workforce and how these regulations shape the relations that exist in this field.

EMPR 200 Current Event Blog #2

The evolution of clothing has drastically changed personal expression as it has become a form through which people show themselves to the world, but this has not come without controversy. We all know the basic “do’s and don’ts” of fashion, but when it comes to religious symbols, we enter a grey area of uncertainty. People have, and continue to share their dissatisfaction with personal expression through religious symbols, but at what point does this cross the line of infringing on human rights when in a place of work? The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states all people have the right to practice any religion and avoid activities that violate their respective beliefs. This serves as support for the idea that there should be a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination towards one’s choice to wear religious symbols, especially in the workplace.

Recently, Stephanae Coleman, an employee of Chicken Express at a Texas location, faced this exact situation when she was sent home from work after refusing to remove her hijab. A single mother, Stephanae, like many other Muslim women, wear a hijab to preserve their modesty from unrelated men. However, when approached by her employer and asked she remove this religious symbol because it did not abide with the uniform of their workplace, Stephanae was left shocked. With only hats and visors being listed as appropriate headwear for employees, her manager disregarded her religious freedom, and as a result, was rebuked for his behaviour. However, her manager may not be entirely to blame as he was only enforcing the guidelines outlined in the manuals provided to him [1].

Regardless, this is only one of many cases. In 2019, the National Assembly of Quebec passed Bill 21 which bans public workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols in their workplace. While they claim this to be an effort of respecting the laicity of the state, which takes on a neutral stance towards religion, it forces people to choose their careers over their religious beliefs [2].

However, the province of Ontario has exhibited far greater support for the expression of one’s religion in the workplace through religious symbols. This support in fact falls within the Ontario Human Rights Code, in which it is stated that discrimination on the basis of religion is illegal. In a case such as that of Ms. Coleman’s, where the wearing of religious symbols may conflict with the rules of a company, it is expected that the superior make accommodations for the employee as necessary, and the failure to do so is deemed a violation against human rights [3].

Even between neighbouring provinces, we see inconsistencies in the laws that regulate the choice to wear religious symbols in one’s place of work which can infringe on the basic human rights of an employee. It is only when we recognize the interconnectedness of one’s being and their religion that we are able to accept the place of religious symbols in the workforce.

References:

[1] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7851295/Chicken-Express-apologizes-Muslim-worker-sent-home-refusing-remove-hijab.html

[2] https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/quebec-passes-secularism-law-after-marathon-session/

[3] http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/religious-rights-fact-sheet

EMPR 200 Current Event Blog #1

As a society, we have developed the mentality of higher education being the gateway to stable and successful employment opportunities. In recent years, however, higher education no longer fulfills its traditional role as a means of avoiding precarious work, evident through the growth of work in this sector over the past 20 years compared to that of permanent jobs (Naidu-Ghelani, 2019). With a decline in permanent jobs composing the post-secondary workforce, there is an increase in temporary work that correlates to reduced benefits, pay and job security relative to that of full-time, permanent employment (CUPE 2018).

A recent study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has presented information that suggests over one-fifth of professionals in Canada are involved in some form of precarious work, ranging from part-time work to freelance employment (Tencer, 2019). The 50% rise in temporary workers in Canada from 1998 to 2018 was accompanied only by a 33% increase in the number of permanent employees during this same time period (Naidu-Ghelani, 2019).

While the rise in precarious work is associated with reduced financial security and job stability, these effects are emphasized for women as there has been an observed inequality of those affected (Tencer, 2019). With the primary sectors affected being education, health care and social assistance, it was found that women filled almost seven of every ten temporary jobs in the education field, while filling eight of every ten jobs in the health care and social assistance field combined (Naidu-Ghelani, 2019). This is carried forward in almost all fields of employment with 85% of women in Canada working precarious jobs, whereas 73% of men have identified as working jobs in this sector (Naidu-Ghelani, 2019). Even more concerning is the problem of not being able to escape this type of employment. Ricardo Tranjan of the CCPA identified the people in this type of work being those that “did everything right”, having pursued higher education and passed their professional exams all under the false impression of a job being available for them upon their completion (Tencer, 2018). This is proven by survey results that showed precarious professionals to be more likely to have a post-graduate degree than those not in the field of precarious work (Tencer, 2018).

While precarious jobs are often regarded as inferior relative to full-time, permanent employment, jobs in this sector continue to be advantageous for certain groups of people. Precarious jobs are especially suitable for students who require short-term work during summer months between school years, or throughout the academic year while simultaneously trying to balance school. Often times, students rely on seasonal employment to be able to maintain a school-work balance. As well, precarious jobs can benefit seniors who desire short-term work to remain occupied following their retirement. However, the rise of jobs in this sector remains concerning for most looking to enter the workforce on a full-time, permanent basis to achieve financial stability and employment security.

Though it is likely that precarious work will continue to be a rising sector with increased employment opportunities, it is possible for individuals in this field to overcome the stigma associated with precarious work. However, for this to be achieved it is necessary that society adopts adjusted attitudes regarding temporary work (Tencer, 2019). After having changed factory jobs, which were once considered precarious work, into good jobs, it is possible to do the same with jobs today, though this would require a positive change in attitude regarding our perception of these opportunities (Tencer, 2019).

Employment relations remains a fluctuating field in which people continue to struggle to find stability in. However, it is becoming noticeably important for people to define success in their given sector of employment, whether that be precarious work or permanent employment, seeing as the demands of the market are constantly changing, and we as members of society have no choice but to adapt to the changing demands of the workforce.

References:

Naidu-Ghelani, R. (2019, May 14). Number of temp workers jumped by 50% in last 20 years, StatsCan says. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/temporary-workers-employment-1.5135310
Tencer, D. (2019, February 27). More Than 1 In 5 Canadian Professionals Have Precarious Jobs. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/precarious-work-professionals-canada_ca_5cd5618de4b07bc7297797c0?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LnVtYmxyLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACjcgPce4NPmSA3UMbQ75EWnVSvaaRnJnDnYuNbDX9A6ied4GN09vH-zY53zZhgNxNSbfhtoKpjWsUF6NODMe-ySt8wNzZo8V0os6BMzZ0-5THs09TVRd2B-KemNhxwThozfA2Us9BYrwuWdyCtlnql90Ad_3OYcInWrYWEb3ylU
Canadian Union of Public Employees. (2018, March 15). Precarious work on the rise. Retrieved from https://cupe.ca/precarious-work-rise