TOR41: Equity in the Workplace Working Group

The EWWG will prioritize underrepresented employees at Fanshawe, as well as new equity groups designated by federal and provincial laws, including recent efforts to designate Black employees and 2SLGBTQIA+ employees as designated employment equity groups.

2. DEFINITIONS

Anti-racism: an active and consistent process of change to eliminate individual, institutional and systemic racism as well as the oppression and injustice racism causes. Antiracism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably.

Anti-oppression: Anti-oppression is the strategies, theories, actions and practices that actively challenge systems of oppression, including racism, colonization, ableism, homophobia, queerphobia, transphobia, misogyny, and povertyism, on an ongoing basis in one's daily life and in social justice/change work. Anti-oppression work seeks to recognize the oppression that exists in our society and attempts to mitigate its effects and eventually equalize the power imbalance in our communities.

Equity-deserving groups: Groups of people who have been historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. These groups include but are not limited to the four designated groups in Canada – women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, and people with disabilities – and people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community/people with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. Equity-deserving groups experience barriers and unequal access, and actively seek social justice and reparation. The Working Group is not driven exclusively by definitions in the Employment Equity Act but recognizes the federal government's current focus on expanding the definition of employment equity to specifically include Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ employees as specific designated groups.

3. MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF OFFICE

3.1. Membership

Membership is determined at the call of the co-chairs and will be done so through a search process, mindful of the need for diverse representation.

• Vice-President, People and Culture (co-chair)
• Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (co-chair)
• 1 Member of the EDI Task Force (co-chair)
• 3-4 additional representatives from Human Resources/People and Culture
• 3-4 additional representation from the EDI Task Force
• Representative from the Faculty Union
• Representative from the Support Staff Union
• 1-2 Administrator(s) in a supervising role, non-academic
• Representative, Dean or Associate Dean
• Recording Secretary (Appointed by Director, EDI)*

3.2. Term of Office

• The Term of Office for members is at the discretion of the Policy Sponsor, having due regard for the continuity of the EWWG's membership.
• Members of the EWWG may invite appropriate individuals to attend a meeting as a resource person for a specific item to assist with or be present for that item.
• In addition, the co-chairs may invite a non-member to attend a meeting in a resource capacity for those meetings where it would be particularly relevant and helpful to their role.

4. MEETINGS AND CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

4.1. Meetings

• Meetings are held no less frequently than twice per quarter, or at the call of the co-chairs
• Any member may submit an agenda item with briefing note to the co-chairs
• The Director, EDI arranges for secretarial support
• The Director, EDI arranges for the agenda to be circulated in advance of each meeting
• Quorum is 50% of the members, including the co-chairs
• Recommendations are carried by consensus
• The secretary distributes an agenda and the minutes of previous meetings to all members approximately one week before the date of each scheduled meeting

4.2. Reporting

The EWWG is part of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Oppression Task Force (the "Task Force" and will:

1. report its findings and conclusions to the Task Force;
2. make recommendations to the Task Force that will advance the College's initiatives in the main components of equity in the workplace including Culture, Practices and Attitudes; Recruitment, Selection, Hiring and Retention; Promotion; Training and Professional Development; and Accountability;
3. inventory current projects and tasks responsive to the EDI Strategic Framework; and
4. identify, plan, strategize, and suggest for implementation short-term, medium-term, and long-term tasks, projects, and actions responsive to the EDI Strategic Framework and, in doing so, play an instrumental role in developing the College's multi-year EDI Action Plan.

4.3. Tasks

In particular, the EWWG will consider actions within the following areas:

4.3.1. Culture, Practices and Attitudes:

• Build a culture of transparency while cultivating diversity in the workforce whereby dignity and pride are instilled in all employees.
• Foster collaboration with senior leadership to develop and promote a comprehensive strategy for inclusion of equity-deserving employees across the institution.
• Examine the College's employment policies and practices with an aim to propose recommendations that conform with best practices in hiring, compensation, training, promotion, and general working conditions.
• Actively build relationships with diverse communities and engage participation from equity-deserving groups to identify meaningful equity practices while pursuing a diverse workforce model.
• Consider where existing policies, procedures and practices could be enhanced to actively pursue representation from equity-deserving groups while dismantling barriers to their professional advancement.
• Continuously educate the College community about the value and importance of having a diverse workforce.

4.3.2. Recruitment, Selection, Hiring and Retention:

• Ensure accommodations and measures are in place to allow equity-deserving applicants to compete for employment opportunities fairly and equitably. Consider strategies to bring an EDI and anti-oppression lens to recruitment and selection practices.
• Promote and monitor consistency in implementing equity-informed selection, recruitment, hiring and retention policies.
• Pursue diversity in hiring committee memberships.
• Implement data strategies to embed self-identification processes in HR activities.
• Consider and evaluate prospective targets for employment equity.
• Consider the implementation of employee resource groups.
• Commit to an accessible and equity-based workplace through employment practices designed to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
• Establish corrective measures and monitor their implementation when systemic inequities arise.
• Establish institutional best practice guidelines for equity-informed recruitment, screening, hiring, retention and promotion protocols.

4.3.3. Promotion:

• Promote equity by fostering EDI-leadership capabilities among all leaders and prospective leaders and encouraging inclusive participation in training and leadership development opportunities.
• Ensure that those with decision-making authority over working conditions of prospective and current employees are appropriately trained to implement measures to engage, retain, and optimize opportunities for success and advancement among employees from equity-deserving groups.
• Consider criteria for promotions that recognize diverse accomplishments and contributions from the workforce.

4.3.4. Training and Professional Development:

• Encourage employees to pursue professional development and contemplate methods to intentionally advance equity-deserving employees.
• Continuously provide employee training in the application, protection and importance of employment equity.
• Champion leadership-building exercises and professional development training that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Ensure appropriate prioritization of employment equity training among hiring managers, HR advisors or consultants, and those in strategic leadership positions or those who bear institutional influence.

4.3.5. Accountability:

• Determine the College's strengths as well as shortfalls in building diversity in its workforce.
• Equip those in key positions responsible for implementing and safeguarding equity-based procedures and hiring practices with proper training in best practices surrounding employment equity.
• Advocate for senior leadership to action shortfalls in representation from equity-deserving groups.
• Determine role-based accountability in pursuing employment equity targets
• Ensure that key decision-makers with respect to the working conditions of prospective as well as current employees have operational knowledge in the judicious application and effective communication of the College's employment equity policies and procedures across the entire institution.

5. REFERENCES

Legislation

The Employment Equity Act, 1986 (amended in 1995)

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (Ontario)

College Policy

P203: Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities

P204: Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities

P208: Respectful College Community and Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination

P210: Professional Development Leave

P212: Staff Recruitment

6. ADDENDA

None