Highlights from this week
- Spotlight on Benefits – Perkopolis
- 50/50 Raffle: Less than 10 Days Left!
- Grand Parade – A Fun-Filled Community Event!
- Mask Fit and CPR Sessions
- Learning in Action – Cultural Competency, Inclusive Language, and more!
- Good to Know – Pay stubs and closed captions
- Discount CNE Tickets
- Welcome New Staff!
- Ask Us Anything
Spotlight on Benefits
Perkopolis Benefit Program
As an employee at Circle of Care you have access to 5,000+ perks on retail, travel, attractions and more through Perkopolis, Canada’s leading perks program.
Here are just a few of the perks:
- Retail & Shopping: Enjoy discounts on everyday items, luxury goods, and more.
- Attractions & Tickets: Get exclusive savings on tickets for theme parks, museums, concerts, and sporting events.
- Travel: Save on travel-related expenses, including hotels and car rentals.
- Home & Auto Insurance: Access discounted insurance options.
- Shell Fuel Savings: Save on fuel, car washes, and in-store purchases at participating Shell locations.
- …and much more
To access Perkopolis:
- Click on the link below and click on ‘Sign In/Register’ at the top-right hand corner
- Click ‘Register’ on the right hand screen
- Enter your personal email address
- Monitor your inbox for an email from Perkopolis and click on the link to complete registration
- Enter your member ID Code in the following format:
- CC+Employee ID (for example, CC1234)
- Use the Employee ID on your Circle of Care employee badge (not your voicemail number).
Questions? Contact Perkopolis!
- by phone at 416-236-4985 or
- by email at customerservice@perkopolis.com.
50/50 Raffle: Less than 10 Days Left!
Don’t miss your chance to win big and support programs for seniors!
Buy your tickets by August 28 at 5 PM for our 50/50 Raffle. Half of the jackpot will go to one lucky winner, and the other half will support vital programs for seniors.
The draw will take place shortly after the sales deadline, and we will notify the lucky winner directly.
The Grand Parade – A Fun-Filled Community Event!
Join us on Sunday, September 22nd at 10:00 AM for The Grand Parade!
This free fundraising event will feature a DJ, snacks, and photo opportunities as we come together to support key programs for seniors. Personal Support Workers can sign up for our special PSW team and showcase your commitment to our cause.
The Grand Parade is not a paid event, but it is a fun way to help raise funds for the communities we serve.
Book your Mask Fit and CPR Sessions
Have you had your mask fit tested and CPR training? Circle of Care requires all PSWs and Homemakers to be certified with valid and current CPR training and properly fitted for N95 masks.
Book your CPR training and mask fit sessions through First Aid Care today!
You can also book by calling 905-272-9214
Important reminders:
- Arrive 15 minutes before the CPR training or mask fit session begins.
- Try to book a date/time where you do not have client visits scheduled. If you need to make any scheduling arrangements after you have booked your session, speak to your Service Coordinator.
- Your schedule will be blocked as ‘unavailable’ for you to attend the session. You do not need to use your phone to sign into the training.
- You will be paid a total of 4 hours for the training (CPR) and 1 hour for mask fit. These hours will be added to your schedule and paid out 1-2 weeks after the session has been completed. They will appear on your paystub as ‘Miscellaneous’.
- Manage your bookings or cancellations through the online portal.
- You will receive a confirmation email/text notification when you book your session and a session reminder.
Learning in Action
Indigenous Cultural Competency in Healthcare
Reminder: All employees must complete this mandatory module by September 20, 2024.
This 30-minute e-learning module is focused on awareness of Indigenous culture and the implications of historical trauma for health care professionals.
Access the course by logging into your Dayforce account and selecting the ‘Learning’ Tab.
Dealing with Burnout
Burnout is a big challenge for people working in the healthcare field. You’re always focused on caring for others in difficult times, which is why it’s extra important to care for yourself too!
This video from Psych2Go offers practical advice on how to prevent prevent burnout and protect your well-being while continuing to make a difference.
Using Gender Inclusive Language
Using respectful and inclusive language demonstrates your commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive spaces, but it takes practice!
These tip sheets from the 519 Community Center give helpful advice on starting conversations, using pronouns, and handling email correspondence.
Upcoming Webinar: Intersecting Identities in the Workplace
Most of us have more than one social identity – this includes gender and racial or ethnic groups we belong to, but also our role as workers, family members, and members of our communities. These identities affect how we see the world and how others see us in complex ways.
Please join us for this webinar where we will explore how different identities come together and affect our experiences in the workplace.
This workshop will:
- Examine social identity & intersectionality in the workplace using the R.E.A.L. Framework
- Explore how intersecting identities can create barriers to well-being
- Apply strategies to challenge internal biases, build confidence, and lead by example
Session Details:
- Date: September 11, 12pm-2pm
- Meeting URL: https://cmhaontario.zoom.us/j/83471427734?pwd=XQzwjKqGQjdGOhBaCgFf9JVVKgAq85.1&from=addon
- Meeting ID: 834 7142 7734
- Passcode: 407183
Good to Know
Check your Pay Stub
Your training on elder abuse (4 hours over 2 sessions) will appear under the PC3 code on your pay stub (circled below).
You can verify this on your pay stubs through April 2024.
Enable Closed Captioning and translation in Google Chrome
Did you know? You can live caption and/or translate voiceover or video into text in Google Chrome!
To enable captions:
- Go to Settings –> Accessibility
- Select Live caption and Live translate
- Select your preferred language
Discount CNE Tickets
Circle of Care is proud to offer discount tickets to this year’s CNE!
Use our corporate code to save on gate prices and more when you buy your CNE tickets online.
Welcome New Staff!
We are pleased to welcome these new PSWs and Homemakers to the team!
Abigail Mensah
Hermalyn Diaz
Sharon Chege
Candy Onsongo
Crispus Okoth
Sushila Thapa GC
Khushbu Patel
Mahboobeh Yazdani
Nkechi Egede
Ebere Echehum
Ask Us Anything
For those newly hired, can we change our availability after 6 months? Who should we contact?
Yes – newly hired employees can request to change their availability after being in role for 6 months.
To do this, please submit a ‘Change of Availability’ Request Form, available here: https://psw.circleofcare.com/index.php/availability-form/
You should also speak to your SC/CSS. They will review your request and let you know if it can be approved.
Why do we have to do so many hours before we can qualify for benefits? Why not have it set at three or six months instead of by hours?
The current requirement for new hires to be eligible for our group benefit plan is to work 650 hours within the first 6 months in role. This eligibility is stated in the Collective Agreement and this was the eligibility criteria established between Circle of Care and SEIU. For more information, please visit Article 23.02.
Hello, I just want to be clear about my Monday schedule (Civic holiday). Currently, I have 6.5 regulars hours. Why did they take off 1 hour from my 6.5 hours to make it only 5.5 hrs? Why did they send another PSW. In fact I worked that day. There’s no say if I have more than 7 hrs. May I know the reason so I will not question if it’ll happen again in the future. Thank you very much.
Since this is an anonymous form, we can’t answer your question because we don’t know who you are.
For specific questions like this, please contact your supervisor directly. They can help figure out what occurred and answer any questions you may have.
What is the next step if I am unable to complete 650 hours in first 6 months due to my allowance of working only 20 hours a week as a student?
If you are unable to work 650 hours within the first 6 months of hire, your next ‘employment status’ review would be in January 2025.
As per the Collective Agreement, all PSW/HMKR status are re-evaluated every year. If you work the required 1300 hours during the 2024 calendar year, then you would be eligible for full-time status and any associated benefits in 2025. Please refer to Article 23 for additional information.
Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!
Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.