Highlights from this week
- Register for TIDES Training
- Upcoming Events that May Impact Transit and Traffic
- Preparing for Tax Season
- HR Reminder: Vacation Time Entitlement
- HR Reminder: Employment Status
- Contact Us Page
- Reminder: Complete the Global Workforce Survey
- Black History Month in Canada
- Person Centred Language
- Complete Our Footwear Policy Poll
- Health & Safety Reminder: Pet Policy
- CPR & Mask Fit Reminder
- Health Care Worker Assist Program
- Heart Health Resources
- New Staff
- Ask Us Anything
Register for TIDES Training
Have you registered for TIDES training yet? Based on clinical evidence and best practices, TIDES helps you prevent and respond to high-risk or emergency situations across care environments. It will be tailored to meet your needs.
Space is limited and registration will close when we reach maximum capacity.
How long is the training? 4.5hrs
When will the training be held? January through March 2026
What date will my training be scheduled? You scheduled training date will be added to your mobile app schedule by your Service Coordinator approx. 1-2 weeks prior to the training. All sessions are on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday from 12-4:30pm. Your training session will scheduled first come first serve, based on availability and best coverage.
Please note: You must attest to the participation agreement in order to register. Participants that are not fully engaged in the training will not be paid.
Scheduling Notes
Trainings are virtual. You can log in anywhere from Teams on your phone.
There are only a select number of sessions being hosted in the office at 4211 Yonge St. in the boardroom. Your meeting invitation will be send 1-2 days prior to the training date in your mobile app under the message centre. It will say if your session in office or virtual. The schedule in your app will always have the office address listed even if it is not in person.
If you are unsure, please call the office to check if your session is in office or not.
Important
Please wait until 1 day before your training date to receive a mobile message with your Teams login details.
You cannot choose or change your training date, unless there is an emergency.
Your training date is scheduled to make sure we have enough coverage for client visits in your area. If too many people from the same area attend training on the same day, we will not have enough coverage.
Please make sure to refresh your schedule to look for the TIDES training.
Reminders & Announcements
Upcoming Events that May Impact Transit and Traffic
Closures:
Eglinton Ave W & Caledonia Rd
- When: Feb 9 from 7am to Feb 27 at 7pm
- Details: No traffic permitted on Caledonia Rd through the intersection with Eglinton Ave W.
No left turns from any direction through the intersection of Caledonia & Eglinton.Eglinton Ave W between Gilbert & Ronald Ave will maintain 1 lane open in each direction.
Islington Ave & Gardiner Expressway
- When: Feb 10 at 10pm to Feb 11 at 5am
- Details: The Gardiner Expressway eastbound off-ramps to Islington Avenue will be closed.
The Islington Avenue southbound on-ramps to Gardiner Expressway will be closed between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.One Gardiner Expressway westbound lane from Royal York Road to The East Mall will be closed.
Gardiner Expressway & Lakeshore Ave W
- When: Feb 11 at 11pm to Feb 12 at 5am
- Details: One Gardiner Expressway westbound lane from the Humber River to Park Lawn Road will be closed.
The Lake Shore West/Gardiner Expressway on-ramp will be closed.
Preparing for Tax Season
Tax season is almost here. Stay on top of key dates and learn how to file your return using the button below.
We also recently sent out a finance advisory on your T4s and T2200s for the 2025 Tax Year.
HR Reminder: Vacation Time Entitlement
You are entitled to annual vacation time under the Collective Agreement. Vacation time and vacation pay is based on length of continued service, calculated as of September each year. The following is a breakdown of vacation benefits:
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Length of Service
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Number of Weeks Off
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Vacation Pay %
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1 – 3 years
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2 weeks
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4%
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3 – 8 years
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3 weeks
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6%
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8 – 15 years
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4 weeks
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8%
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15 – 25 years
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5 weeks
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10%
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Please note that the time you book off for vacation is not paid immediately, as vacation pay is paid out on an annual basis in September.
If you would like to request your accrued vacation pay to be paid out in advance, you can email payroll@circleofcare.com. To submit vacation requests, please do so through the mobile app. All requests for vacation time will be reviewed by your Service Coordinator.
For any other questions about vacation time entitlement, please refer to the Collective Agreement below.
HR Reminder: Employment Status
We would like to remind you that as per Article 3.03 of the Collective Agreement, you will need to work 1300 hours in this current calendar year to qualify for/maintain full time status for the 2027 calendar year.
If you are interested in working more hours or expanding your availability, please contact your Service Coordinator.
For more information, please tap the button below.
Contact Us Page
The PSW Portal Contact page has been updated and includes the most current contact information for payroll, HR, CSSs, supplies-related issues, and other supports.
Please refer to this page when you’re not sure who to reach out to.
Reminder: Complete the Global Workforce Survey
Please take a few minutes to complete the Global Workforce Survey. This is your chance to share your thoughts about your workplace. Your feedback helps us learn what’s going well and what we can make even better for you.
Note that the survey is anonymous (your name will not be shared). Thank you in advance for your participation!
Please complete the survey below:
Black History Month in Canada
Since 1995, Black History Month has been officially recognized in Canada. It honours the history, contributions, and resilience of Black communities while acknowledging the ongoing work toward equity and inclusion.
Learning about Black history in Canada helps us better understand our communities, workplaces, and the experiences of those around us.
Check out this YouTube playlist of short, animated videos highlighting the stories of Black historical figures in Canada. These videos offer an accessible way to learn about individuals whose contributions have helped shape Canadian society today.
Person-Centred Language
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-centred 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.
Health & Safety
Complete Our Footwear Policy Poll
Your safety at work is important to us. Please take a few minutes to complete this short poll about our footwear policy below:
Health & Safety Reminder: Pet Policy
Pets must be secured before and during client visits to help keep everyone safe, including you, our clients, and their pets.
Before starting a visit, please ask the client or caregiver to place all pets in a separate room with the door closed or in a crate for the duration of the visit.
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You are not required to handle or move pets.
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If pets are not secured, you have the right to refuse entry and must notify your supervisor immediately.
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Report any bites, scratches, or aggressive behaviour following the incident reporting process.
CPR & Mask Fit Reminder + Upcoming Dates
To support your safety, we provide free CPR training and free N95 Mask Fit testing through our vendor.
Your CPR certificate is valid for 3 years. Your Mask Fit must be renewed every 2 years.
How to Register
Text to Register for CPR/Mask Fit
Text 647-496-5189 with:
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Full name
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Email
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Training location
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Preferred time
You can also call 905-272-9214 or book online through First Aid Care using the button below.
Note: Registration closes 7 business days before the session.
Important Reminders
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Arrive 15 minutes early.
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After booking, tell your Service Coordinator if you need schedule changes.
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Choose a time when you do not have client visits.
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Your schedule will be blocked as Unavailable for the training.
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You will be paid after completion:
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CPR: 3 hours
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Mask Fit: 1 hour
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Payment appears on your paystub as “Miscellaneous.”
Health Care Worker Assist Program
Taking care of others is important, but so is taking care of yourself. If you feel stressed, tired, or overwhelmed, free and confidential support is available through the Health Care Worker Assist Program, designed for healthcare and community care workers like you.
Whether you’re feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or just not quite yourself, support is available.
Through this program, you can:
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Talk to a trained professional for support
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Learn ways to manage stress and feel better
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Get help finding other support if needed
Call: 1-877-767-9642
Email: CentralizedReferral@ontarioshores.ca
Tap the button to visit their website to register or learn more.
Wellness at Work
Heart Health Resources
Research shows that laughter can help counteract the negative effects of stress on your blood vessels. So, take a moment to enjoy a good laugh—it’s heart-healthy!
1. Know Your Risk
2. Make Small, Heart-Healthy Swaps
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated. Try simple changes like switching to whole grains, adding more vegetables to meals, or incorporating plant-based proteins like beans and tofu. Small steps lead to big results!
3. Stay Active in a Way You Enjoy
4. Manage Stress & Prioritize Rest
5. Be Your Own Health Advocate
Community Corner
Welcome to Circle of Care
We are pleased to welcome the following PSWs to Circle of Care:
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Dency Morlidhar
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Sonia Nde
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Sneha Gautam
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Eguonor Racheal Azebiri Victor
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Joy Nwaodike
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Eucharia Okafor
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Tenzin Noryang
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Prince Garg
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Carmelita Liverpool
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Ramatu Ahmed
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Rachael Mathenge
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Christine Kiplagat
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Ijeoma Ndiwe
High Fives
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.
Ask Us Anything
This is for the IT Department. Could you please send “Push Notifications” when there’s a change in our schedule? That would greatly assist us so that we won’t miss a visit or rush to the client because of sudden change in schedule.
A response from the IT team:
Notifications are already enabled in the EZ Exalt app for any changes or cancellations to the schedule.
As a best practice, please manually refresh the Messages page to view the latest updates. Refreshing the Schedule page will also display the most recent schedule changes. To manually refresh, pull down from the top of the screen.
I need to apply for my OHIP and need a letter from the office to apply. Can the office provide me with a letter? If yes, who do I need to contact for the letter?
Circle of Care can provide you with a letter to confirm your employment information. You can request for a letter of employment through our HR team by sending an email to HRDept@circleofcare.com.
This year, since Boxing Day is on a Saturday, what day is considered the statutory holiday for PSWs? You listed December 28 as the stat holiday for Boxing Day in the full list of statutory holidays.
Thank you for your question. This year is certainly more confusing than most. We would like to clarify that the stat holiday for PSWs is going to be on December 26th. If you work this day, you will receive 1.5x pay for the day. If you would like to request this day off, you will need to follow the direction as per the collective agreement for requesting off statutory holidays.
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.