Inside the Circle – September 12, 2023

Enter our raffle to win a TV! These TVs were previously used by the Adult Day Program, and are in good working condition, but please keep in mind that they are NOT new.

The raffle will take place on September 20 at noon, and the winners will be notified afterwards. We will also publish the results in staff newsletters (Inside the Circle and Care Mail). If you are chosen as a winner, you will need to pick up the TV from our head office.

TV 1: Sharp LC-52E77UN 52″ AQUOS LCD TV

TV 2: Samsung NU8000 65″ Premium Smart 4K UHD TV

To enter the raffle, please sign up using the link below. The deadline to sign up is Tuesday September 19 at 11:59PM.

To help you stay safe and prevent slip, trip, and fall incidents, our Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) has put in place a Safe Footwear Policy. It’s important for you to wear suitable footwear when you’re working in areas where there’s a risk of slip, trip, and fall injuries. This includes situations like wet floors, extreme weather conditions, exposure to biohazardous materials, and any other instances where your feet might be at risk.

We kindly request that you take a moment to review the policy.

You are now enrolled in a mandatory e-learning course on slips, trips, and falls awareness and prevention. Your well-being matters, and that’s why it’s essential for you to complete this training by November 1, 2023. All employees who finish the training by November 1 will receive 30 minutes of paid training time. To get started, access the e-learning module through Dayforce, where you can take this important step towards a safer work environment.

You are welcome to attend an upcoming webinar session that is being hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association. The sessions focus on ‘Dealing with Transitions’ and details are available below. You only need to attend 1 session, as the information covered in both sessions is the same.

Circle of Care is now offering discounted home and auto insurance through our discount program, Perkopolis. For more details, please visit the link below.

We want YOU to join our dynamic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee! We’re on the lookout for 1-2 passionate and dedicated PSWs to join our team. Imagine being part of a group that’s driving positive change in our organization.

Picture this: You’ll have the opportunity to engage with our committee, which meets quarterly via Zoom. It’s a chance to make a real impact, share your ideas, and work together to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all. Ready to be a part of something meaningful? Join us!

If you are interested in joining this committee, please email Kai at ksvirida@circleofcare.com.

Our hours are continuously decreasing because Circle of Care doesn’t have enough money for funding according to your staff. HOWEVER you still keep hiring new PSWs and Homemakers? Why is this the case? It doesn’t make sense at all. You never care about us. This is awful. Please do something about us, we’ve been working so hard and yet we don’t deserved to be treated like this. You are calling all our clients to say to them that there’s no enough funding, but you are hiring more staff. How can this be sensible? All PSWS affected with this changes are now suffering with depression and stress. WE CANNOT SURVIVED WITH THIS. IT’S AWFUL.
We understand that recent changes to some of our clients’ hours have caused confusion and stress for our PSWs who care for these clients, especially when you see Circle of Care continuing to hire more staff. Please understand that Circle of Care receives our funding for PSW services from multiple organizations, including the Claims Conference and the Ontario government (HCCSS). As a community-based service provider, at times there may be fluctuations in the funding hours that we receive from each organization. However, because we have multiple funders, we are able to provide you with additional hours from other funders if they align with your availability.

Please do reach out to your CSS or Service Coordinator regarding your concerns. We would like to work together as quickly as possible to give you additional hours with clients from other funders. We have also passed along your message to our Client Services Director and Interim Operations Director, and they are looking into additional ways to support our staff who have experienced a reduction in their hours recently. We know that this is distressing to both you and our clients, and we are working hard to resolve this issue.

Part-time employees get sick too. Why don’t we have sick leave pay?
Unfortunately, part-time employees are not eligible for sick time as per your Collective Agreement. If it’s a longer sick leave, you may be eligible to apply for E.I. benefits. Or, you may also request to use your float day or annual vacation towards your sick leave, if your coordinator or supervisor approves this.