Welcome Home BC Housing New Employee Handbook
Contents
4 Welcome! 6
A Note for Partners & Families
10 Mission 10 Vision 11 Values 12 Governance 13 Organizational Structure 14 Office Locations 16 Orientation & Onboarding
17 Your First Day 18 Your First Week 19 Your First Month 20 Your First Quarter 21 Collective Agreements and
Terms and Conditions of Employment
22 Hours of Work 23 Breaks 24 Dress Guidelines 25 Photo ID 26 Transit Options 27 Key Contacts 28 Performance Management 29 Your Role
30 Probationary Period 31 One-on-Ones 32 Performance Reviews 33 Competencies 34 Policies 35 Standards of Conduct 36 Respect in the Workplace 37 Diversity & Inclusion 38 Internet Usage 39 Freedom of Information and Privacy 42 Prevention of Violence in the Workplace 43 Critical Event Stress Management (CESM) 44 Pay and Benefits 45 Pay Schedule 46 Designated Holidays 47 Modified Work Week Program 48 Deductions 40 Scent Awareness 41 Health & Safety
53 Reward Days 54 Health Benefits 56 Pension 57 Employee and Family Assistance Program 58 BC Housing’s People Strategy
84 BC Housing News 85 Community Connections 86 Livegreen 87 Diversity & Inclusion 88 Social Club
90 A Family-Friendly Workplace 91 Maternity and Parental Leave Benefits 91 Extended Child Care Leave 92 Special Leaves 93 Flex Days 94 Flexible Benefits 95 Employee and Family Assistance Program 96 Guaranteed Ride Home Program 97 Savings for the Whole Family 98 Social Events 99 Take Our Kids to Work Day 100 An Award Winning Company 102 The Final Word 104 Resources 105 Acronyms 108 Glossary of Terms
60 Training and Development 61 Leadership Development 62 Lunch and Learns 65 Employee Referral Program 67 Wellness Rewards 68 Green Rewards 69 Great Job! 70 Great Find! 71 Eugene Treverton Award
72 Excellence Awards 74 Long Service Awards 75 Retirement Awards
77 Health and Safety Training 78 Emergency Preparedness 79 Emergency Social Services 80 Ergonomics
49 Overtime 50 Sick Days 51 Vacation 52 Leaves for Life Events
81 Flu Shots 83 Intranet
Welcome!
Starting a new job can be overwhelming so
we’ve created this guide to help ease you into
life at BC Housing. Take some time to check
out what BC Housing has to offer you (and your
family) and what makes our workplace culture
unique. If you have any questions along the way,
talk with your manager or feel free to email your Employee Engagement Team .
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A Note for Partners & Families
A warm welcome to partners and family members of our new BC Housing employees! We want you to know that we understand our employees are people who are not only passionate about their work, but are also passionate about their personal lives and the activities and people (and pets!) they go home to at the end of the day.
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With this in mind, we strive to help employees maintain healthy work/life balance and have programs in place to support employees with their challenging and important work.
We also have many programs that benefit partners and family members, such as a flexible health benefits plan and an employee and family assistance program as well as our bike purchase program and social club activities that happen throughout the year.
You’ll find info on all of these programs in this handbook, and of course your BC Housing family member can always get questions answered and find out more at work.
We hope to see you at a BC Housing social event. Until then, welcome to the family!
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What We Do
BC Housing was created in 1967 with 12 employees to provide housing for low-income individuals and families. Over the past 5 decades, the scope of our work has expanded exponentially to not only provide housing but also the supports to ensure British Columbians have access to safe, affordable and quality housing. Each year, we assist over 110,000 households across the province through direct management at one of our housing sites, through collaboration with our 800 housing partners, or through rent
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subsidies to individuals or families. We also assist in funding emergency shelters; work closely with mental health agencies and hospital systems; and help license builders and regulate building standards throughout BC. That’s a lot and we know we couldn’t do it without every single one of our 800+ employees. We rely on your expertise, skills, and ideas to make things happen so we do our best to make sure you have the tools you need to be successful.
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Vision BC Housing serves as a Mission Making a positive difference in people’s lives and communities through safe, affordable and quality housing. We know what we do makes a trusted leader and partner in sustainable housing solutions for British Columbians.
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difference, and that feels great.
Values Created by our employees, our values reflect what we believe and provide the foundation upon which we stand. Forward-Thinking We are creative, adaptable and flexible Client-Focused We are focused on service. We are fair, respectful and understanding Empowerment We build strong relationships and supportive partnerships both inside and outside the organization Responsibility We have high professional standards and make the best use of taxpayer resources
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Governance BC Housing is a Crown Agency of the provincial government which means we work to meet the goals and objectives of the current government. We are accountable to the Minister Responsible for Housing through a Board of Commissioners. The board delegates responsibility of the day-to-day leadership and management of BC Housing to our CEO Shayne Ramsay.
Our strategic and corporate goals:
– 1 – Create safe, affordable and functional housing for British Columbians – 2 – Support a Strong Non-Profit and Co-op Housing Sector – 3 – Enhance Indigenous Partnerships and Relationships – 4 – Leadership in Residential Construction and Sustainability – 5 – Enhance Organizational Excellence
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Organizational Structure At BC Housing, we have six branches that work collaboratively to achieve our goals. Within those branches are departments that specialize in different areas of work. Here is an overview of our organizational structure.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Honourable Selina Robinson
Board of Commissioners Cassie Doyle, Chair
Executive Office Shane Ramsay, CEO
Operations Angela Cooke, VP
Development and Asset Strategies Michael Flanigan, VP • Development Strategies • Asset Strategies • Real Estate Strategies • HousingHub
• Licensing • Compliance • New Home Warranty Insurance • Research & Education • Security & Emergency Preparedness Licensing and Consumer Services Wendy Acheson, VP
• Audit Services • Budgets & Reporting • Business Support Services • Finance • Information Management & Technology • Legal & Lending • Program Planning • RIC • Research & Corporate Planning • Supply Chain Management Corporate Services Abbas Barodawalla, VP
• Public/Media Relations • Issues Management • Housing Events / Announcements • Website Corporate Communications Sara Goldvine, VP
Human Resources Stacey Lee, VP
• Applicant Services • Housing Programs • Pest Control • Operations Support • Regional Operations
• Employee Relations • Health & Safety • Employee Engagement • Leadership & Learning • Payroll & Benefits • Recruitment
• Social Media • Publications
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Office Locations
Lower Mainland Northern Region Interior Region Vancouver Island Region
Close to half our staff work out of our head office (we call it Home Office), located in the Metrotown area of Burnaby. We also have offices and building sites across BC. These are split into 4 main regions – Lower Mainland, Northern, Interior and Vancouver Island – and they oversee the social housing in their respective regions.
Prince George
Penticton
Vancouver
Victoria
BC Housing delivers our mission on the traditional ancestral homelands of First Nations across BC each with their own unique traditions and history. Our Home Office is on the traditional and ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We offer our respect and gratitude to their peoples, past and present.
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Home Office Suite 1701 - 4555 Kingsway Burnaby BC V5H 4V8 Telephone: (604) 433-1711 Fax: (604) 439-4722 General Information: 1-866-465-6873 Applicant Services Inquiry line Telephone: (604) 433-2218 Fax: (604) 439-4729 Toll Free: 1-800-257-7756
Lower Mainland Directly Managed Operations 510 - 369 Terminal Avenue Vancouver BC V6A 2X3 Telephone: (604) 609-7024 Fax: (604) 609-7031 Lower Mainland Non-Profit Operations 3rd Floor - 4555 Kingsway Burnaby BC V5H 4V8 Telephone: (604) 439-4510 Lower Mainland Maintenance (Lane Street) 5485 Lane Street Burnaby BC V5H 2H4 Telephone: (778) 452-2827
Riverview Unit 5, 2nd Floor 2601 Lougheed Highway Coquitlam BC V3C 4J2 Telephone: (604) 472-4414 Fax: (604) 472-4401
Interior Region 451 Winnipeg Street Penticton BC V2A 5M7
Telephone: (250) 493-0301 Toll Free: 1-800-834-7149 Fax: (250) 492-1080
Storefront Office Suite 101 - 4555 Kingsway Burnaby BC V5H 4V8
Northern Region 1380 - 2nd Avenue
Prince George BC V2L 3B5 Telephone: (250) 562-9251 Toll Free: 1-800-667-1235 Fax: (250) 562-6488
Orange Hall 297 E Hastings Street Vancouver BC V6A 1P2 Telephone: (604) 648-4270 Hazelwood 346 E Hastings Street Vancouver BC V6A 1P4 Telephone: (604) 648-4383
Vancouver Island Region Suite 201 - 3440 Douglas Street Victoria BC V8Z 3L5 Telephone: (250) 475-7550 Toll Free: 1-800-787-2807 Fax: (250) 475-7551
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Orientation & Onboarding At BC Housing, our extensive onboarding and orientation program ensures employees start with a solid foundation.
Your First Day
Congratulations on your new job with BC Housing! Your offer letter will include details on when and where to report for work on your first day. If you have any questions, reach out to your new supervisor, whose info will also be in your offer letter, or contact our recruitment team. You’ll have received a package of information including a number of forms (or in some cases, you may receive this on your first day). Please read through the package in advance, complete the forms and bring them with you on your first day. We’ll be sure you get a chance to go over them and ask any questions with members of our Human Resources team.
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Your First Week
Within the first week of starting at BC Housing, you’ll be contacted by Human Resources to attend an HR Information Session. In this session, we’ll provide a general overview of the organization and you’ll get a chance to meet teammembers from IT, finance. payroll and other parts of the organization who’ll provide details on things like how to sign up for your flex benefits and how to record vacation time. You’ll be provided with helpful tools, links and resources and introduced to our employee programs. Feel free to reach out to our Employee Engagement team if you have any questions.
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Your First Month Within the first month, employees work with their supervisors to complete a comprehensive job-specific training plan which may include on-the-job training, job shadowing, and mandatory in-person and eLearning courses. To ensure both employees and their supervisors have clear expectations, performance measures are put in place and reviewed during the probationary period. We want to ensure that you understand: the elements of your job description (and any other manuals and measurable goals/objectives for the role); our attendance and sick leave procedures, hours of work, and meal/coffee break arrangements; our dress guidelines; and all Health and Safety rules and guidelines.
You’ll also complete our online Standards
of Conduct (SOC) training module.
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Your First Quarter Within the first 3 months, new employees have the opportunity to sit in an orientation session with our CEO to learn more about current programs and initiatives and enjoy some face-to-face time. Within this same period, employees attend a tour of housing sites to get first-hand experience of the communities and people we serve.
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Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of Employment BC Housing operates in a unionized environment. If you are a bargaining unit employee, you’ll either follow the BC Government & Service Employees’ Union Agreements for our Administrative/Clerical Division or for our Maintenance/Service Division . These agreements include information about conditions of employment such as hours of work, pay scales, leave entitlements and more. Union dues are 1.85 percent of your pay and will automatically be deducted from your salary or wages. If you are an excluded employee, you’ll find information pertaining to you in the Terms & Conditions for Excluded
Management and Terms & Conditions for Excluded Support Employees which will be provided to you by Human Resources. If you haven’t received one, contact our Employee Engagement team.
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Hours of Work
BC Housing’s core hours of work are 7am to 7pm. Start and end times vary depending on your department and role. Your supervisor can tell you expected start times and work hours and, for shift workers, how to ensure you know what days and hours you’re intended to be present and accounted for.
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Breaks Depending on the duration of your shift, you’re entitled to 15-minute rest periods and 30-minutemeal periods but check with your supervisor about how it works in your department. We encourage staff to get away from your desks and make use of break rooms. Coffee (along with all the accompaniments – sugar, milk and cream) are provided free to all staff. And we provide fridges, microwaves, dishwashers, plates, mugs and cutlery for everyone to use but feel free to bring your own too.
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Dress Guidelines
Our office dress code is business casual, but that’s subject to a lot of interpretation. Maybe think of it this way…if your outfit would be distracting to your co-workers, it’s probably not appropriate. Make sure your clothes are clean, in good repair, slogan-free and not too revealing. Clothes that are meant for the gym or the beach are not appropriate. Ties, jackets or pumps are not required, but neither are they unwelcome. On Fridays, most staff have the freedom to dress more casually, including wearing jeans. Some field staff are required to wear a uniform (that makes it easy)! Some can wear jeans topped with a BC Housing shirt. In some situations, business casual would be “overdressed” and potentially intimidating to our clients. Each department sets the tone for what’s appropriate for each work area. When in doubt, ask your manager.
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Photo ID
Say cheese! We’ll be taking a photo of you within the first week for your official photo ID card so our tenants, contractors and other individuals can easily identify you as trusted staff. Be sure to have it available with you to show for your security and for the security of others. Your photo will also be used on our staff directory .
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Transit Options Different transit options are available for different work locations. Depending on your
role, you may be required to have a vehicle or use a BC Housing one. For those who don’t, we have a number of programs like subsidized transit passes , fleet vehicles and even a bike purchase program .
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Key Contacts
In general, your supervisor will be your first point of contact; but they may not always be available. If all else fails, contact the Employee Engagement team in Human Resources or call the main switchboard at Home Office at (604) 433-1711 . For IT assistance, call our Service Desk at (604) 439-4100 .
MAIN SWITCHBOARD ( 6 0 4 ) 4 3 3 - 1 7 1 1 IT SERVICE DESK
( 6 0 4 ) 4 3 9 - 4 1 0 0
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Performance Management We value and encourage open and ongoing communication and feedback.
Your Role If you don’t have it already, you need a copy of your job description. You can get it from your supervisor, who will explain your role and how it relates to those of your direct colleagues. See how your role fits into your Branch Plan, the organization’s Corporate Plan and the government’s Service Plan. If you don’t see the connection between your role and the organization’s overall mission, just ask. We value and encourage open and ongoing communication and feedback. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your supervisor.
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Probationary Period Don’t you find it takes about six months before you really know if you’re interested in a long-term relationship? Throughout the six-month probationary period, all our employees (regular and short-term) will receive some coaching from their supervisors and have the opportunity to discuss if the relationship is working out for everyone.
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One-on-Ones All staff are encouraged to have regular one-on-one meetings with their supervisor, usually every week or two and no less than every month. These meetings are key to keeping each other informed on current work, getting feedback and direction, and sharing issues and concerns. This is also a great opportunity to connect with each other and share ideas and perspectives.
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Performance Reviews
We encourage managers and team members to have performance conversations at least every quarter (those one-on-ones are perfect for this). These conversations are an opportunity to talk about how your work is progressing, what supports you may need and what areas are challenging you the most. Then, once a year, we have a more formal performance review process to track our progress and set our goals for the year ahead. This process is supported by our Talent Management System (TMS), an online system we use to document our performance review process.
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Competencies
We believe there are number of underlying attributes or characteristics that every person needs to be successful at BC Housing. We consider these core competencies and they’re what we base our assessments, growth opportunities and performance on. Don’t worry, you’ll be receiving a full-day of training on these competencies so both you and your supervisor are on the same page on what is expected of you and what you can expect of them. If you’re a supervisor, you’ll also receive training on our leadership competencies .
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Policies
There are hundreds of policies, procedures, forms and manuals to help guide your work at BC Housing. These can all be found in one handy repository…our Policies and Forms website. Although all our policies are important, here are a few key ones we’ve highlighted.
Standards of Conduct
We ask that you always conduct yourself in a manner that deserves and retains the confidence and trust of the general public and to use BC Housing property for the purpose it was intended. When your actions have the potential of adversely affecting the reputation of BC Housing or you think there might be a conflict
of interest, we’d like you to stop. Talk to your supervisor if you think you have violated or might be perceived as violating the letter or the spirit of our Standards of Conduct policy . We take this very seriously. Folks in HR are available to review and clarify issues as they arise.
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Respect in the Workplace We are all responsible for helping to create a
welcoming, inclusive and respectful workplace where there is no tolerance for harassment and discrimination. To ensure we call know what this look like at BC Housing, all staff must take part in mandatory Respect in the Workplace training. As outlined in BC Housing’s Respect in the Workplace Policy , we investigate claims of harassment and determine the best course of action for addressing the situation.
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Diversity & Inclusion
At BC Housing, we understand that the rich diversity of backgrounds, cultures and perspectives of the people who work here is a valuable asset that helps us serve this province. Creating a workplace that honours diversity and promotes inclusion strengthens our position as an employer of today and prepares us for the increasingly diverse workforce of the future.
Our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Policy outlines our commitment to diversity and inclusion both as an employer and as a service provider and includes key considerations around equitable work practices, training and education, recruitment and advancement, and removing barriers to inclusion. This focus on D&I increases our service capacity and enables us to be more responsive, sensitive and helpful to each other and to the diverse stakeholders, individuals and communities with whom we work. Diversity and inclusion not only fit into what we do, this is who we are as an employer, a service provider and a member of our community.
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Internet Usage
Whether you have a computer assigned to you or you use a shared computer for your role, there will no doubt be times when you go online as part of your day-to-day work. And when you’re not on paid BC Housing time, you may use the Internet at your work station for personal use as well. In both cases, you must ensure your usage is consistent with our Standards of Conduct, IT Security Policy, and Social Media Policy. Email also comes with guidelines for usage. Make sure emails sent from your BC Housing address are professional in both tone and content, add value to the work that you and your colleagues are engaged in, and comply with the policies noted above.
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Freedom of Information and Privacy As a public body, BC Housing is subject to British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This is legislation that, among other things, governs the collection, use, disclosure, storage and retention of personal information. The act defines personal information as recorded information about an identifiable individual, excluding business contact information.
If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy as a BC Housing employee, please contact BC Housing’s Privacy Officer by email at FOIPP@bchousing.org or by telephone at (604) 433-1711 .
The privacy, confidentiality and security of your personal information are of great importance to us. We’re committed to maintaining your confidentiality and respecting your personal privacy in a manner that complies with the Act. In the course of your employment at BC Housing, we will collect information about you on various forms and reports,
through Talent Management and other systems, and through records generated by your computing and telecommunications activities. The information is collected in accordance with Section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of managing our employment relationship with you.
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Scent Awareness
If you thought you were doing something that made some of your co-workers gasp for air, you would stop, right? Well, to ensure everyone can breathe easy, we’re suggesting putting the caps on our Obsession, Coco Chanel and Old Spice. Some of our colleagues have difficulty with perfumes and other fragrances. To be more scent sensitive, use fragrance-free or scent-free products and don’t keep perfumes or scented products at your workstation. If you’re allergic to a fragrance someone’s wearing at work, kindly let them know how you’re affected.
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Health & Safety
We’re very serious about the safety directives we’ve established and are resolute about their application. We ask all employees to take full responsibility for continuous efforts to prevent accidental injuries and material damage. If something does happen, please report promptly any accident/ injury to your immediate supervisor or, in their absence, the next level of supervisor.
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Prevention of Violence in the Workplace
There is nothing OK about feeling at risk of violence in any situation—and most certainly not at work. No one signs up for that. Make sure you’ve been briefed on our Prevention of Violence in the Workplace Policy and Procedures which include protocols to ensure safety when working alone and information on how to report threats and assaults. Corrective action will be taken for all threats or incidents of violence.
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Critical Event Stress Management
Thankfully it’s not everyday, but there are times when our staff members encounter emotionally stressful situations—such as natural disasters, acts of verbal or physical violence, accidents or dealing with unexpected deaths. You don’t have to suffer through situations like these alone. Through the Critical Event Stress Management program, our trained Housing & Health Coordinators can provide comfort and coping strategies when a critical incident occurs. In particularly difficult cases, referrals are made to professionals trained to lessen the psychological impact of dealing with tragic events and to promote a healthy recovery through our Employee and Family Assistance Program .
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Pay and Benefits BC Housing employees enjoy excellent compensation packages, including flexible, top-notch benefits and one of the best pension plans in the country.
Pay Schedule
We get paid by direct deposit every other Friday, for a total of 26 pays in a year. Sometimes there’s a two-week processing delay at the end of your first pay period to your first pay. Maintenance/Service employees and short-term employees are paid one week in arrears. All your personal pay and leave information is available through secure online access in our Talent Management System .
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Designated Holidays
We are closed on the following designated holidays:
New Year’s Day
BC Day
Some of our jobs don’t stop for holidays. If your formal job assignment requires that you work on a holiday, you will be compensated as outlined in your employment agreement. Statutory holidays that land on a Saturday or Sunday are honoured, typically on the next business day.
BC Family Day
Labour Day
Good Friday
Thanksgiving Day
Easter Monday
Remembrance Day
Victoria Day
Christmas Day
Canada Day
Boxing Day
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Modified Work Week Program
In a modified work week, you work a little longer each day in order to to accumulate an extra day off every three weeks. That’s another 17 or 18 “flex days” each year! You’ll have to talk to your supervisor about whether you can participate in the Modified Work Week Program, and about how your schedule of days off will fit with those taken by others in your department. If you do participate in the program, remember to take your flex days as you earn them, they do not carry over to the next calendar year.
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Deductions
Pretty typical for Canadian employers, we deduct Employment Insurance, Income Tax and Canada Pension Plan payments from your pay. Other deductions may include union dues, pension plan contributions, group life insurance premiums, certain voluntary donations, parking, and rent (for Residential Building Managers).
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Overtime
From time to time, you may be required to work a little overtime. These must be pre- approved by your supervisor (unless in the case of an emergency) and you’ll be paid out in accordance with your collective agreement. Check out Article 12 of your collective agreement or, when in doubt, ask your supervisor.
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Sick Days
Healthy, fit and able to fulfill the expectations and requirements of your work—that’s our expectation. But if you can’t make it in to work one day, please contact your supervisor as early as possible, and no later than within the first half hour of your normal shift. For our permanent full- time folks, you’ll be paid 75 percent of your pay for a sick day. You may choose to top it up to 100 percent with our Sick Leave Top Up Program.
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Vacation
New employees receive 3 to 4 weeks of vacation in their first year, increasing regularly up to 7 weeks of vacation each year. Employees receive their vacation entitlement at the beginning of the calendar year so if that opportunity to do a 3-week kayaking adventure comes up in May, you don’t need to wait to take that time off. Talk to your supervisor about how vacation scheduling works in your department. Short-term employees receive vacation pay based on a percentage of regular earnings.
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Leaves for Life Events We know how vital it is to balance work and personal life and so special leave days are available for significant personal events. These include paid days off for your wedding, your children’s weddings, moving days or bereavement as well as time off to care for an ill or injured dependent. We also have a comprehensive maternity leave and parental leave program for the birth or adoption of a child. The program includes salary top-up and extension options.
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Reward Days BC Housing’s Rewards Program allows individuals to earn points for being active, living green and contributing to the communities in which we live. Regular full-time employees can save points and redeem them for gift cards to a wide range of stores and even for up to 3 paid days off each year!
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Health Benefits
BC Housing offers a Flexible Benefits Program to all eligible employees. Far from one-size-fits-all, Flex Benefits enable every employee to choose the coverage options that work best for you and your family. The program allows our employees to change their options every two years or whenever they experience a major life event such as marriage or the birth or adoption of a child. BC Housing pays 100% of the health premiums for our employees and provides them with the flexibility to adjust their coverage levels for extended health, dental, long-term disability and life insurance. The plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; vision care; traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; acupuncture; medical equipment and supplies; and travel insurance. Employees may also receive a Health Spending Account which can be used towards additional extended health and dental costs.
Short-term employees receive a premium in lieu of benefits.
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Pension
We offer one of the country’s best pension plans, which helps to keep the gold in “golden” years. All regular BC Housing employees are automatically enrolled in this pension plan. Contributions begin on the first day of full-time work and continue until age 71 (or when the individual no longer works for BC Housing). In our Defined Benefit Pension Plan , we match employee contributions plus an additional 1.5 percent.
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Employee and Family Assistance Program
For all employees, BC Housing offers an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) — a service that provides professional assistance to our employees and their families to resolve problems that affect their personal lives and, in some cases, their job performance. Participation in the program is voluntary but if you ever need assistance, EFAP is available 24 hours per day, every day of the year…AND it’s completely confidential.
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BC Housing’s People Strategy You’re joining a team that is here to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve and the communities in which we live. As an organization dedicated to helping others, you’d expect BC Housing to have a strong people-first mandate –
and it does. BC Housing has an innovative People Strategy designed to support employees to be the best they can be.
LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING Both in-house and external training enhance your job satisfaction and performance as well as prepare you for advancement. Our work environment reflects the organization’s commitment to learning and growth, evidenced by the ready availability of resources and tools to allow people to grow professionally and personally. All our learning opportunities can be found through our Enterprise Learning Management (ELM) system, by talking with your manager, or by contacting our Leadership & Learning team in HR.
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Training and Development Our people benefit from training and education (in-house or through educational institutions); courses and workshops offered by professional associations; substitutions for absent fellow employees; participation on cross-functional teams and committees; lateral moves and more! We want you to feel confident about your contribution now and to build your career with us. Check out the Training Calendar on the Human Resources Intranet website to sign up for available courses.
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Leadership Development Great managers make great employment experiences for all staff. We don’t leave it to chance that you will have a good manager when you work at BC Housing. We do everything we can to choose well, and develop leadership characteristics valued by the organization and our people. Our “made for BC Housing” leadership development program reinforces how we expect managers and supervisors to show up.
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Lunch and Learns
Based centrally and made available through video conferencing, we regularly get together at lunchtime to share information and tips on healthy living and healthy working. We give the floor to an expert to share what they know on topics like good nutrition, sustainability, common health issues and best practices in ergonomics. Keep your eye on BC Housing News for upcoming Lunch and Learn topics of interest to you.
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RECRUITMENT As a new employee, you’ll already be familiar with our recruitment team and will likely have spent some time on our Careers website. Now that you’re here, you may be thinking about how your career will progress within the organization. You’ll find all current BC Housing opportunities on the Job Postings page of our intranet.
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Employee Referral Program BC Housing is a preferred employer and our reputation goes a long way to encourage others to join us. We see our people as part of the recruitment team. When a position becomes available, consider who of your acquaintances, past co-workers, professional associates and friends would be a good match, and then let us know. If your referral is hired, the manager will be happy to pass on a Great Find! Reward .
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REWARDS AND RECOGNITION
We appreciate the amazing effort that our people bring to each day’s work at BC Housing. We also know that to keep doing a great job, all of our people need health, wellness, family, friends and a well-balanced life on top of meaningful work. Our Rewards and Recognition programs reward great effort, long service, environmental awareness, and positive change. BC Housing Reward Points can be earned and redeemed in a wide variety of ways and programs. They can be saved up for something big (including days off!) or spent as they are earned.
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Wellness Rewards BC Housing is a health-conscious employer. Tied to our substantial BC Housing Rewards Program that allows individuals to earn points for a broad range of activities, our Wellness Program is the most popular, offering employees points for activities that impact their health and well being. Staff can redeem points for a large range of gift cards, paid days off and even donate them to their favourite charities!
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R E W A R D S & R
Green Rewards You’ve probably already figured out that sustainability is very important at BC Housing. You can earn reward points through participation in green activities such as eating meat free one day per week, using green cleaning supplies, choosing more sustainable commuting options, or attending livegreen special events.
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E C O G N I T I O N
Great Job!
This program gives immediate recognition to employees who’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty, met a significant milestone, or achieved a noteworthy accomplishment. Your manager, supervisor or colleague can nominate you for a Great Job! Rewards Card which entitles you to a gift card from a selection of vendors or reward points. If one of your colleagues has achieved valuable results or displayed exceptional performance, you can thank or congratulate themwith a Reward Card that acknowledges their contribution.
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Great Find!
This fun program rewards people for helping the BC Housing team find individuals who are great at what they do and who care about making a difference as much as we do. We’re proud of our work and our culture. If you know someone who you think would contribute to our mission and would enjoy working in our progressive climate, let us know by completing the online form . The HR department will take it from there and when someone you refer starts in their new role with BC Housing, the hiring manager will present you with a Great Job! card worth 1000 reward points.
R E W A R D S &
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Eugene Treverton Award Named for a beloved caretaker who passed away suddenly from a heart attack, this annual award is given to an employee nominated by peers.
It is traditionally awarded to someone who works on a housing site, directly supporting tenants. A trophy and recognition at our town hall meeting mark this happy occasion.
R E C O G N I T I O N
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Excellence Awards
Each year, we take a little time to recognize our colleagues who are truly outstanding in areas such as leadership, corporate performance, and service. If you know someone who’s gone above and beyond in these categories, make sure to nominate them for an award.
R E W A R D S & R E C O G N I T I O N
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Long Service Awards It’s important to celebrate the milestones we achieve together, and your long service is greatly admired and appreciated. We mark our relationship in five-year intervals by providing you with rewards points of increasing value for each milestone. Points are redeemed for the gift of your choice from our online catalogue. To you, from us, with thanks.
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Retirement Awards
By this point, you will have picked up that we find your commitment and dedication to BC Housing pretty darned important. Hopefully, we’ve shown you our appreciation in many ways throughout your career. When it comes time to transition from work-life to, well, life-life, our CEO will be the first to congratulate you and thank you for the contribution you’ve made. Retirees may choose from a selection of gift options as a warm thank-you for our time together.
W A R D S & R E C O G N I T I O N
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HEALTH AND SAFETY BC Housing puts the health and safety of our employees first – evidenced by the many awards bestowed upon us by the North American Occupational Safety and Health Association (NAOSH). We continue to look for ways to enhance both our health and safety programs as well as the ways in which we educate staff about how to stay safe. Over the years we have broadened our definition of health to include general physical, mental and emotional wellness.
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Health and Safety Training BC Housing offers customized health and safety initiatives to ensure our employees are prepared for unexpected events, supported through any incidents that may arise, and able to prevent accidents in the first place. This includes policies, procedures and training for things such as working in confined spaces, working alone, proper lifting techniques and sharps disposal. Depending on your role and interest, you’ll also have opportunities to take part in additional training including: Respectful Workplace Training, Anti-Bullying Workshops, Mental Health First Aid, Naloxone Training, and other workshops and courses.
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Emergency Preparedness
We’ve thought a great deal about how to protect our staff and residents in the case of an emergency, as you’ll see in the Business Continuity Plan which includes planning for earthquakes, pandemics, fires, floods and other emergencies. Disasters can occur at any time, so we are diligent in our efforts to prepare for them. We educate everyone on what to do (scouting for hazards and ensuring adequate supplies) as well as train those to whom we will look to lead us out of danger. And on a related note—we’re not just about work. We care about your well-being at home too. Personal and family emergency preparedness kits are available at a preferred rate and can be purchased using a payroll deduction plan.
H E A L T H &
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Emergency Social Services We’ve become one of the province’s resident experts in Rapid Damage Assessment, personal preparedness,
disaster response/recovery as well as Fire Safety programs and services. We have programs for our own staff and tenants, and offer Rapid Damage Assessment training workshops for various public organizations and non-profit societies. As well, some of our people volunteer when the province experiences disasters such as floods and fires. One of our roles in emergency situations is to arrange temporary accommodation for workers and others affected. If you’re interested in volunteering when a call goes out, check with your supervisor. He or she will know if this is something that can be accommodated in your workplace.
S A F E T Y
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Ergonomics
BC Housing has an Ergonomics Task Force responsible for providing workstation assessments and information to all employees. Staff are invited to get their workstations assessed within their first two weeks of employment (and reassessed whenever you need) to prevent injury and ensure your comfort. You’ll be spending a chunk of time there so make sure you’re comfortable.
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H E A L T H & S A F E T Y
Flu Shots
Our health care professionals offer free on-site flu shot clinics during cold and flu season for all employees. Watch BC Housing News (our internal e-newsletter) for your chance to sign up.
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COMMUNICATION The health of the organization is as dependent on getting information FROM our people as it is on delivering information TO our people. We conduct an annual employee survey to get your feedback on what works and what could be improved in our working environment. Our Semi-Annual Meetings (SAM) see more than 150 staff members from across the organization come together to do a little learning and a little sharing about our corporate goals and objectives, and how best to achieve them. We also conduct onboarding interviews, exit interviews, focus groups and mini-surveys — drawing on the organization’s expertise to ensure we hit the mark.
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Intranet
HomeNet is what we call BC Housing’s intranet website. It is becoming quite a resource and you’ll want to learn your way around it. Go on. See if you can find our Vision, our Rewards Centre and information about each of our six branches. Finally, review our Values and find a way to make them your own. You’ll also want to become familiar with our corporate website, which is designed to tell the world what we do. Find it at www.bchousing.org .
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BC Housing News
To keep you informed, Corporate Communications puts out an online newsletter — BC Housing News. It’s the source for information about corporate initiatives, announcements about training or events, changes to processes and procedures, and news from different parts of the organization. Watch for it in your email inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you miss it, the articles can always be found on HomeNet.
C O M M U N I C A T I O N
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Community Connections
By the very nature of our work, we’re part of the system of support for those most in need in BC and we continue our community support through our employee-created Community Connections program . Through the program, staff can donate to their favourite charities through lump-sum donations, payroll deductions or even by donating vacation days or, for eligible employees, flex days. Donations are matched each year up to $100 per employee!
Staff can also participate by volunteer ing their time or through fundraising activities. Every full-time employee is provided with three paid days each calendar year to volunteer with a charity of their choice. These can be organized through BC Housing’s Community Connections program or self-organized with a charity in their local community. For short-term staff, this is prorated to 1 day for every 4 months of work.
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Livegreen
A great example of how employees shape the direction of an organization: the passion of our people for promoting activities for a healthier, cleaner environment led to the creation of our livegreen Employee Council. This employee-led council sets a strategic plan each year and leads our people from “awareness to advocacy”, helping us all make more sustainable choices that positively impact our work, homes and communities. Check out the Council’s campaigns such as the Paper- less Challenge and the Waste Reduction Campaign (watch out for the Green Binster!). Take part in their lunch and learns on topics like making more sustainable food choices and reducing the use of plastics. And participate in BC Housing’s green initiatives like subsidized transit passes, preferred parking for carpoolers, and hybrid and smart car sign-out for work-related trips.
S O C I A L
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Diversity & Inclusion
At BC Housing, we’re committed to providing a healthy, safe and inclusive workplace. We work hard to ensure all our recruitment practices are fair and equitable, and free from bias, however unconscious or unintentional. We maintain employee programs that are welcome and inclusive, meet individual and specific needs, ensure every employee receives mandatory respectful workplace training, and help to build up our culture of inclusion through our employee-led Diversity & Inclusion Committee. We also celebrate diversity throughout the year with events such as Lunar New Year, Persian New Year, National Indigenous Peoples Day and Canadian Multiculturalism Day.
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y
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Social Club
You’ve joined an organization made up of warm, friendly and welcoming people. And that means a group of folks who are always looking to get together for a little fun. We organize lunchtime BBQs, potlucks and a variety of post-work events, like an annual holiday party and late summer picnic for partners and families (and sometimes dogs!). Start thinking now about what you and some of your new friends could do to win the next Halloween costume competition. Details (and post-event photos!) are posted on BC Housing News.
S O C I A L R E S P O N S I B
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I L I T Y
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Family image? A Family-Friendly Workplace Whether you’re a family of one or ten, working at BC Housing provides benefits for the whole family. We understand our employees have vibrant lives and big responsibilities beyond our walls, and that part of being a great employer is supporting them in those roles as well.
Maternity and Parental Leave Benefits
We provide top-up payments during both maternity and parental leave. You’ll also receive full health benefits during this time. Extended Child Care Leave Staff can apply for up to 6 months of Extended Child Care Leave, a great option for parents who might be struggling to find Child Care or for parents who might want a more time with their little ones. With the 12 months of topped up maternity/parental leave, a parent’s total leave could be up to 18 months.
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Special Leaves
An allowance of up to 70 hours of paid leave annually can be used for life events such as marriage, birth of a child, adoption of a child, children’s weddings, moving day, or care for elderly parents, as well as for medical and dental appointments for employees and their dependents.
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Flex Days
Staff have the option of working an extra half hour per day to earn an additional 17 to 18 days off (flex days) per year, allowing more time for family-friendly activities like sports days and school field trips.
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Flexible Benefits
Our Flexible Benefits Program enables every eligible employee to choose the coverage options that work best for the employee and his/her family. If chosen, this could include up to $500 per year of therapy or counseling for employees and their family members.
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Employee and Family Assistance Program
Available 24/7, 365 days of the year, this free and confidential service is available for all BC Housing employees and their immediate family.
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Guaranteed Ride Home Program
Life can be unpredictable. An employee might fall ill, or receive a call about a sick child, or have another emergency that requires immediate attention. In these instances, BC Housing will cover the cost of a taxi so employees who take transit, bike, walk, or carpool to work can get home quickly and safely.
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Savings for the Whole Family
Throughout the year, BC Housing negotiates discounts with vendors in the community and passes on those savings to staff and their families. To make it even easier on the pocketbook, BC Housing will pay for the items first and staff can then spread out their payments through payroll deductions. Learn more about these popular items at our new employee welcome session: › Bike Purchase Program › Emergency Kits › Fitness Memberships › Green Cleaning Kits (Method products)
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Social Events
Our Social Club organizes a number of family-friendly events including a company BBQ for staff and their families and volunteer opportunities, as well as discounted tickets for Vancouver Whitecaps games, PNE, skiing and movies.
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