Employment Assistance Services Unpaid/Volunteer Work Placements Policy
Statement of Policy
Given that many people in need of work experience are non-insured individuals, such as new entrants into the Canadian labour market and persons with disabilities, or the long-term unemployed returning to the labour market, it is permissible, in certain circumstances, that Employment Assistance Services (EAS) be used to provide longer-term (up to eight full-time weeks) unpaid/volunteer work placements. For persons with disabilities that prevent them from working full time, a longer placement may be supported to a maximum of (the lesser of) 12 weeks or 320 hours.
Although the provision of unpaid/volunteer work placements is presented as an acceptable EAS activity, it is recognized that the implementation of this option will be entirely determined by participant need as determined in their Return to Work Action Plan (RTWAP), local labour market needs, priorities and other variables such as availability of appropriate employers.
Work experience should normally be provided to insured participants through Targeted Wage Subsidies (TWS) or Job Creation Partnerships (JCP).
Background
Unpaid/volunteer placements have been demonstrated to be an effective tool for integration into employment of some target groups without previous or recent labour market attachment. In the case of newcomers for example, this arrangement has benefited individuals by linking them to potential jobs in their field, or failing this, by providing Canadian employment experience that may assist them in their job search.
Funding for activities in support of unpaid work or volunteer placements ended in 2005 when potential risks to participants and employers were identified. These risks included concerns about workplace insurance protection, employment standards in the workplace and employer/employee relationship. Subsequently, Service Canada (ServCan) has been working with legal services on risk assessment and mitigation strategies. As a result, implementation of this policy must be accompanied by strict adherence to all related operational guidelines.
Definitions:
“Host employer” is defined as the organization where the participant will be placed.
“Placement” is defined as any situation where an EAS participant is to be at a worksite. The worksite could be for-profit or not-for-profit organizations. This term encompasses both volunteer and unpaid work placements.
“Unpaid work placement” is defined as a situation where the individual is placed with a host employer in a position, which would normally be paid, to gain work experience and assist individuals in meeting the objectives set out in their RTWAP.
“Volunteer work placement” is defined as a situation where the individual is placed with a not-for-profit organization to gain work experience and assist individuals in meeting the objectives set out in their RTWAP.
Conditions
- The case manager must establish through the RTWAP process that the work/volunteer experience is necessary in order for the participant to successfully gain appropriate employment.
- The case manager must identify through the RTWAP process that the participant is relatively job ready, and that an eight week (or 320 hour or 12 week in the case of persons with disabilities) placement should be sufficient for employment success.
- Placements must not replace a non-subsidized employee entitled to the position (i.e., no displacement of existing or potential employees).
- Union concurrence must be obtained where applicable.
- Placements must be selected on the basis of participant background, interests and needs, rather than the host employer or service provider needs. Host employers must not consistently staff any one position with placements (i.e., case managers must ensure that host employers are not exploiting the availability of unpaid/volunteer work placements).