Submission

Dear Hon. Fontana

I am writing a submission to the Commission on the Review of Federal Standards for your consideraton.

My concern in regards to the nature of work in Canada has to do with the technological changes and the impact these changes have on employees. I am talking about the rise of wireless communication, such as pagers and cell phones, which are being used by employers to conduct their business. Pagers and cell phones allows the employee to leave the workplace to go home, but must remain available to address workplace issues. Since this is done after the work day and from the home of the employee it is deemed not to be work; however an employee is not free either. Wireless communication has created "quasi"work. "Quasi"work extends the workplace into the homes of employees. The result has altered the length of an employee's work day; hours an employee is free from work; whether or not an employee is entitled to days off; and, whether or not the bussiness the employee is conducting for the employer is paid work. Employers get around the exsisting legislation regulating hours of work and time free from work by referring to this situation as "on-call". "On-call" is unregulated. There is no limitation on how many hours or days an employee can be on "on-call"; there is no limitation on how many hours or days an employee can do a combination or work and "on-call"; there is no limitation on the number of pagers with different functions for an employee to answer; and, finally, there is no limitaion on the demands an employer can impose on an employee who is on "on-call",

Hon. Fontana legislation is needed to control the use of wireless communications by employers; otherwise, employees can never be free from work. This is potentially a health and safety issue.

Yours truly
Carol A. Swick