Employee & Labour Relations Advisor

Title: Employee & Labour Relations Advisor

Department: Employee & Labour Relations

Position Number: Regular, Full-time position

Hours of Work: Days

Salary: Class 7 $104,863.79 - $125,836.54 per annum + pension/benefits

Union: Non-Union

Location: Kingston General Hospital site & Remote (hybrid work environment)

DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Manager, Employee and Labour Relations, the Employee and Labour Relations Advisor will act as the primary resource for Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) related to all employee and labour relations matters. The Advisor provides expert level advice, leadership, analysis, and recommendations related to the application and interpretation of collective agreements, organization policies, and employment related legislation; provides coaching guidance; leads investigation and fosters an inclusive work environment within KHSC.

The Employee and Labour Relations Advisor nurtures positive relationships and establishes credibility, as a trusted advisor to a defined client group, including senior leaders, program managers, program leads, administrators, unions, and staff and to internal HR colleagues such managers, advisors and analysts.

This position combines the thorough knowledge of many facets of human resources, employee and labour relations, total rewards, talent management, organizational change, health and safety, recruitment, and occupational health resources and practices to assist their clients to navigate within the People Services departments. The incumbent provides expert advice and guidance, strategic and tactical input and makes decisions on a wide range of complex issues.

This role is accountable for contributing to the delivery of the KHSC’s strategy. The role must demonstrate an awareness of and be responsible for actively promoting and supporting patient and family centered engagement and care in all we do.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITES & DUTIES:

INTERPRETATION AND ADVICE

• Taking a leadership role in problem solving, the Advisor collaborates with leaders, union and third-party affiliates to conduct thorough and comprehensive review of emergent employee and labour relations issues.
• Provides support, guidance, and technical expertise to leadership, staff and peers related to interpretation of collective agreements, relevant legislation, organization policy and labour relations practices.
• The Advisor independently or jointly with others, develops Labour Relations education and facilitates education sessions with leaders on key employee and labour relations principles, obligations, tools, resources etc. ie. Leading in a Unionized Environment, legislative changes, Attendance Management, and performance management.
• Acts as a labour relations resource on assigned standing committees such as HAC/labour-management meetings and ad hoc activities such as professional practice reviews.

INVESTIGATIONS

• Acts as lead investigator of allegations of employee misconduct (such allegation of as interpersonal conflicts, fraud, theft, violence, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, privacy, etc.) and provides guidance on managing issues.
• Where there are practice issues related to investigations, the Advisor will require knowledge of professional standards related to the specific regulated health care providers and may consult with Professional Practice to seek clarity and/or to alert of college reporting requirements.
• Provides guidance and/or drafts related formal communications such as performance remediation and disciplinary documentation.
• Manages controversial and sensitive issues and are required to demonstrate compassion, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem solving, and discretion during all phases of the investigation process.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND ISSUE RESOLUTION

• Chairs or acts as second chair in the negotiations of new and renewal of collective agreements including conducting related demand setting with operational management; prioritizing demands and concessions; and overseeing the bargaining strategy of collective agreements for which they are the assigned lead.
• Works closely with legal counsel related to arbitrations and civil litigations. The Advisor gathers, validates, and ensures appropriate supporting data, organization policy/practices and ensures operational support for resolution and informs strategic direction and constraints influencing proposals and agreements. Where applicable, the Advisor takes a lead role in developing interest arbitration briefs.
• The Advisor independently and proactively collaborates with unions in grievance avoidance and grievance files management strategies such as case management. The Advisor negotiates and oversees grievance settlements and create legally binding MOA’s and LOU’s for the settlements which may set internal and provincial precedent.
• Responsible for the education plan and delivery of collective bargaining and grievance settlement outcomes to operational leadership and functional teams responsible for the implementation and/or ongoing application of collective agreement provisions.

ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON OPERATIONAL CHANGES

• Plays a lead role in organizational changes impacting the workforce such as restructuring and service transfers by ensuring that the organization is compliant with relevant Collective Agreements and legislative obligations; gathering information and analyzing the impact of planned people changes; identifying risk and risk mitigation strategies; organization, coordinating labour adjustment activities with leaders, unions, and other stakeholders, and; providing advice related to the development of communication strategies related to organizational changes.
• Responsible for project management of related employee and labour notification timelines and activities.

RESEARCH AND GUIDANCE TO INFORM DECISION MAKING

• Utilizes resources available to research, interpret and make recommendations in a fulsome and meaningful way that is relevant to the healthcare environment regarding policies, procedures, collective agreements, and applicable legislation (i.e. ESA, HRC, ORLA).

NOTE - The above duties are representative but are not to be construed as all-inclusive. A full job description is available upon request.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field with a post-graduate diploma in Human Resources or a combination of equivalent education and experience, CHRP/CHRL preferred.
• 5-7 years’ experience working in human resources with a focus on employee and labour relations preferred.
• Specialized knowledge in the areas of complex labour/employee relations and employment legislation; collective agreements technical documents, rules and provisions; and related case law and precedents.
• Conducting data analytics using datasets internal and external to KHSC.
• Influence Management: including using tact, diplomacy, and facts to inform, persuade and influence decisions and outcomes; conflict resolution/mediation/negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication skills both orally and written.
• Strategic and Critical thinking, decision making and problem-solving skills.
• Computer technical literacy – HRIS, MS Office, database research, social media.
• Awareness and thorough knowledge in all other Human Resources functions (i.e. Total Compensation, Recruitment, Occupational Health, Workforce Planning, etc.)
• Committed to continuous learning (self and others).
• Public speaking / facilitation skills.
• Proven ability to attend work regularly.
• Satisfactory criminal reference check including vulnerable sector search required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The applicant must be able to meet the physical demands of this position.

KHSC is located on the ancestral lands and waters of the Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee and serves a wider geographical area that encompasses many Indigenous communities including Tyendinaga, Katarokwi, as well as communities within the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority. As we partner in care, discovery, and learning to achieve better health outcomes for our communities, KHSC is committed to actively advocating for and acting upon the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Calls to Action on Health.

KHSC is committed to recruitment practices that support and contribute to building a respectful, diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome all applications from women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, persons in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and members of other equity deserving groups.

We thank all applicants, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Kingston Health Sciences Centre is committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices. If you require an accommodation to fully participate in the hiring process, please notify the Recruitment Team.