MEMO: 2023 Tikinagan Finance and Personnel Policy Manual

TO: All Staff

FROM: Clara Young, Director of Finance & Administration

DATE: March 31, 2023

The Tikinagan Board of Directors have approved the 2023 Finance and Personnel Policy Manual effective April 1, 2023.

The newly updated policy manual ensures compliance with applicable legal standards.

The purpose of the changes made is not to reduce the beneficial terms and conditions of employment for employees, and many changes represent enhancements. All changes fall within the Agency’s managerial authority to regularly update and revise its policies.

The following chart highlights and summarizes some of the major changes that will be implemented.

Section 1
	Section 1.3	Advertising/Recruitment	Agency can advertise one or two weeks for any position
	Section 1.6	Criminal Record Check	Clarified wording and made clear the Agency will pay for these
	Section 1.9	Drug Testing	The wording has change from “will” to “may”. It’s up to the Agency to decide when to do drug testing
	Section 1.14	References	HR will no longer do these when hiring. Employees have a 6-month probationary period.
	Section 1.44	Staff Association Guidelines	This has been eliminated as of Oct 3/22
Section 2
	Section 2.2	Confidentiality: Record Keeping, Storage and Maintenance	Client Files – will be move to all frontline policies. The Finance & Personnel policy is for employees only.
	Section 2.9	Use of Alcohol, Drugs, and Gambling while “on duty”	Added – non-prescribed drugs
	New	Community Events during Work Hours	To encourage staff to participate in community events, children’s activities, summer festivals, funerals, memorials, etc
	Section Former 2.17	Staff Meetings	Policy Removed
	Section 2.18	Harassment	Provision for reporting investigative results in writing to complainant and person accused, and strengthened reporting options for potentials complainants
	Section Former 2.23	Occupational Health & Safety	Moved to its own policy
	Section Former 2.24	Workplace Health & Safety Committees	Moved to Occupational Health & Safety
	Former 2.24	Smoke-Free Facilities	Added “Vaping”
	New Policy 2.26	Mobile Device Policy	Guidelines for appropriate use.
	New Policy 2.27	Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005	Must be in Finance & Personnel Policy as per legislation
	New Policy 2.30	Whistleblower Policy	To enable or to encourage staff to raise concerns of Reportable Activity without reprisal
	New Policy 2.31	Disconnecting from Work	Must be included in Finance & Personnel Policy as per legislation
Section 3
	Section 3.3	Holidays and Holiday Pay	Added Sept 30 for National Truth and Reconciliation Day to close for the day
	Section 3.6	Leaves of Absence Without Pay	All leaves without pay will move to this section such as Unpaid Sick Leave, Education Leave without pay
	Section 3.7	Sick Leave	The agency will not require a doctor’s note on the 3rd consecutive day. However, the agency can request a doctor’s note at any time. Employees may accumulate up to eighty (80) sick days only
Section 4
	Section 4.1	Financial Expenditures and Signing and Authorization Limits	Changes in amounts for approvals, added 1 new position for signing cheques, enhanced credit card controls
	New Policy 4.2(a)	Tikinagan Safe Driving and Vehicle Use Policy	Staff must read this policy before they take any agency vehicle.
	Section 4.6	Relocation	Change to Managerial staff only or Agency requests the employee to move to new town/city