Band Flag

Employee Relations

Employee relations is the heart of Human Resources administration and binds together all of the other departments that make up the Band office operations of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory (WUT). An organization that has a positive employee relations atmosphere will usually be more productive and experience fewer problems in the areas of staffing, pay, and working conditions, benefits, health and safety, terminations.

The foundation of good employee relations is based on both “respect for the individual” and “employee and management working together.” The Employment Relations Department serves to inform employees of their rights and benefits, as well as their obligations to WUT. It also serves as a useful structure from which other specific human resources practices and policies can be developed – policies and practices related to subjects such as:

  • Health and Dental Benefits
  • Employment Contracts
  • Pensions
  • Job Postings
  • Job Performance and Evaluations
  • Job Descriptions
  • Complaint procedures
  • Screening and Interviews
  • Continuity of employment
  • Employment development
  • Leaves of absence
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Short Term Sick Leave
  • Promotion within
  • Conflict Resolution
  • WSIB

The department manages the relations of anywhere of 349 (January 2023) to 381 (June 2023) employees of WUT including the following specific functions:

  • Coordinate and maintain WUT Personnel Policy and Procedures (a review committee, managers and employees contribute to policy development and amendments)
  • Develop standardized procedures in consultation with programs dealing with personnel policy
  • Establishing Job evaluation classification and salary grid working with senior management and consultant (in progress)
  • Employer and employee liaison and support office, assist employer and employees with grievances, dispute resolution process, provide literature, resource contacts, legal counsel liaison etc.
  • Coordinate and assist with orientation for new employees
  • Coordinate, assist, and serve as resource for employee training- with particular emphasis on brining courses to the reserve to avoid costs of training off reserve
  • Management of group benefits and pensions
  • Conflict resolution management