Inside the Circle – July 2, 2025

Thank you to all the PSWs who joined us as we embraced tropical summer vibes at our unforgettable staff event! With vibrant music from our DJ, heartfelt recognition of staff milestones, and special messages from our CEO, the day was a perfect celebration of our incredible Circle of Care team.

Check out photos from the event!

Saturday, July 12, 2025

• What: Festival of India Parade
• Where: Yonge Street from Yonge-Dundas Square to Queens Quay
• When: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

You’re invited to explore our new Strategic Plan, which will guide our organization for the next 5 years. With the launch of this plan, Circle of Care is setting a bold course for the future—embracing innovation, adaptability, and forward-thinking approaches to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.

• When: Monday, August 18 at 12:00 PM to Tuesday, August 19 at 4:00 PM
• Where: Head Office (4211 Yonge Street) 

Drop in anytime to:

• Explore key elements of the plan through interactive boards and a photo corner.
• Share what excites you most and reflect on your role in our future.
• Chat with members of our leadership team.
• Connect with colleagues and have fun!

Whether you have 10 minutes or 30, stop by and get inspired about our future—together.

Incident and Injury Reporting

All employees are reminded to report all workplace injuries, incidents, and hazards. If you are injured while working, please make sure to report this to the Call Centre, your Service Coordinator, or your CSS. All employees are encouraged to review our Incident & Hazard Reporting & Investigation Policy.

Employment Status

As per Article 3.03 of the Collective Agreement, employees are reminded that they must work 1,300 hours in this current calendar year to qualify for/maintain full time status for the 2025 calendar year. If you are interested in working more hours or expanding your availability, please contact your Service Coordinator.

For more information:

• Employment Status and Sick Time – FAQ
• Collective Agreement 

If you have any questions, please reach out to HRDept@circleofcare.com.

Appointments must be booked through our vendor, First Aid Care, and can be booked online or by calling 905-272-9214. 

Important Reminders:

• Please arrive 15 minutes before your training session starts.
• After booking, speak with your Service Coordinator if you need help rescheduling or have client conflicts. Try to choose a time when you have no client visits.
• Your schedule will be marked as unavailable during training. No need to sign in via phone.
• You’ll be paid 4 hours for CPR training and 1 hour for mask fit. This will be added to your schedule 1–2 weeks after the session and listed as ‘Miscellaneous’ on your paystub.
• All bookings and cancellations must be done through the online portal. You’ll receive confirmation and reminders via email/text.

• Full name
• Email address
• Location
• Preferred training session time

It is important to understand that there are 4 types of Workplace Violence:

1. Client-related – Violence from clients, visitors, or their families.
2. Worker-to-worker – Involves coworkers, including bullying or harassment.
3. Personal – From someone you know personally, like an abusive partner harassing you at work.
4. Criminal – From a stranger, like a thief.

If you experience any of these types of Workplace Violence, please ensure to report the incident to your Supervisor or HR. 

Summer is a great time to relax and enjoy the outdoors, but it does come with some health risks. Taking simple steps, such as avoiding poison ivy, managing allergies, preventing tick bites, and drinking safe water, can help you stay healthy.

Just a reminder that our GoodLife Fitness Corporate Membership is still going strong! Circle of Care employees can enjoy a 25% discount on any GoodLife Fitness membership with $0 enrollment fee.

When you’re ready to register, make sure you have your employee ID handy. Your employee ID number (not your voicemail or badge number) can be found in your Dayforce profile or at the top of your paystub. If you have any questions or need help, please reach out to our HR team HRDept@circleofcare.com for assistance

Ready to get started?

• Rewards & Contests | GoodLife Fitness
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | GoodLife Fitness

On June 27, Circle of Care proudly recognized Canada’s Multiculturalism Day — a time to celebrate the diverse cultures that enrich our communities.

Many of our clients and colleagues have come from around the world to start a new life here. As PSWs and Homemakers, your empathy and cultural awareness help create safe, welcoming spaces where everyone can feel at home.

Resources to support newcomers in Canada:

1. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
Information on settlement services, language training, and employment help.
2. 211 Canada:
A free, confidential service that connects people to local community and government services in over 150 languages.
Call 2-1-1. 
3. YMCA Newcomer Services:
Offers English classes, job search support, youth programs, and more.
4. Canadian Newcomer Magazine:
A helpful publication with articles, advice, and success stories for new Canadians.
5. Settlement.Org(Ontario):
A great resource for housing, health, legal rights, and education.

Additionally, we want your input! We would like to host a 30-minute Virtual Lunch & Learn for newcomers to Canada in August. We will discuss some tools, tips, stories, and more information on Newcomer Support Services. Please fill out this form with your preferred time.

When you are working with your clients, it is important to be aware of the language that you are using. When speaking to clients, you want to make sure that you are using Person Centered Language (PCL). This means that you are speaking without judgement or bias, that you are being specific, and that you are being respectful to the client.

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

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.