1. We recommend that employers be required to give reasonable advance notice to employees being permanently laid off. Recommendation 3 of the Task Force on Labour Adjustment is fully supported.
  1. We recommend that employers assist employees, who are affected by permanent layoff, in the transition process by allowing them time to pursue assessment, counselling, and training.


Work organization and training with career opportunities

Organizing work to reflect the composition of the workforce

Earlier, we presented evidence of the wide diversity of the Canadian population and labour force. The present trend is in the direction of increasing diversity. We have emphasized the need for the education system to adopt cultural awareness programs. The workplace must also be sensitive to cultural differences and employers should promote activities that develop better knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences. To offer good working conditions to people with disabilities, the same kind of awareness and sensitivity should be fostered.

Running a business means constantly adapting to changes, including reorganizing the workplace to stay competitive and productive. In doing this, employers should be aware of the specific challenges that employees face in these circumstances.

  1. We recommend that employers consult workers or their representatives when reorganizing the workplace.


Organizing working time to accommodate family responsibilities and individual constraints

Working time may also be an issue in transitions, because it impinges on the employability of so many individuals, most often members of the equity groups. Participation in the labour force is often constrained by family responsibilities or disability. As a consequence of changes in society and technological progress, the traditional work pattern -- regular, full-time, full-year job -- has crumbled. The need and the rationale for it has also been eroded, but too often it remains the standard for "good" jobs. All other options -- part-time work, flexible hours, or flexible scheduling -- are considered inferior. These new arrangement must be valued as much as the traditional model.