madeupname3

As someone thats recently been granted PR but not yet made the move this anecdote is filling me with doubts. Is this the attitude at all employers or just lower level roles?

carcajou

In my industry, well as the saying goes if I had a Dollar for everyone who was "leaving" or "going to resign" and was still with us a year later . . .

Because "leaving" or "going to resign" usually did not actually mean that - it meant they were going on the job market or looking for a promotion/better deal etc that may or may not come. If it didn't come - or if the other offer wasn't substantially and appreciably better - they weren't actually leaving.

OP is not leaving until he actually signs the resignation letter . . . which was usually my response to people who told me they were "leaving." Oh, you're leaving? Have you resigned? No? Are you going to in the next few days? No? OK then, well you aren't leaving until that happens. That also means - continue with all the training etc.

But, in my industry that doesn't usually cost five figures or something like that.

Resignation letters can also be post-dated and submitted for something like 8 months out . . .

Well, OP if you are being frozen out, no reason to delay the move to Canada is there?

dbd33

I'll take a stab at that. I'm open to correction on my knowledge of the UK as I only work there occasionally. However, I believe that, in the UK employment is governed by a set of laws, often administered by tribunals. that govern most facets of the employer/employee relationship. In particular, health and safety and dismissal are governed by enforceable codes so that, for example, long term employees cannot be dismissed if they fall genuinely ill. Recent governments have sought to weaken these constraints but, still, they exist. In Canada, specifically Ontario, there is a requirement to give notice when dismissing someone (or to pay in lieu of notice) but there's no practical constraint on the reason for dismissal; it was me who fired someone who wouldn't answer the phone while driving, we paid the notice due and that was that. The concept of workplace health and safety may be observed on government projects but otherwise, not so much; it's usual to see people working at heights without harnesses and so on.

This week, someone I know is on holiday. I cautioned her not to go because there would be management changes where she works while she's gone. She argued that she booked the trip months ago and didn't want to lose the cost of the travel. I know that she's been demoted in her absence and may lose her job because she wasn't there to argue her corner. She has done nothing wrong but has no case to object, the employer is not obliged to avoid stitching her up while she's gone. This sort of malarkey is, I believe, the reason why most Canadians do not use their annual two weeks vacation. It's different from the UK where, I understand, people routinely take the time off they are allocated.

dbd33

My examples are all from the computer business; the man fired for having the heart attack was manager of a department at consulting company. Probable salary at the time around $100,000 ote. I don't know if you would count that as lower level or not. Jobs I see as being "lower level", application or web developer, for example, tend to be hourly paid and have the level of benefits and security one associates with the fast food industry. More money though.

I guess it would be fair to think of the Canadian workplace as you imagine the US one to be but without the healthcare worries.

Oink

Very accurately and succinctly put.

jamesmc

Just a throw in from me ...the habit of "starving you out " is prevelant in the transport and construction industries and even shop assistants hr paid.., ie no work today so no pay . This can be a real problem if your employer takes a dislike to you. Sometimes even a wrong word can get you starved out and you don't have any comeback. Had it done to me once or twice first time I held out and got the work back but I waited till he was slammed wae work then I left . Second time I wouldn't break/bend the logbook rules so I was sat a week at home with the no work excuse.,when I was told to come in I just cleared my truck and moved on. whats good for the goose etc. I never ever talk about holidays etc when at job interviews Canadian employers ,you are expected to work as hard /as many hrs as they do .

hg42

Yep, fair description, and definitely an environment where you feel less 'empowered' a lot of the time. I find the consequences hit plenty hard the other way too - have seen a number of situations which over here resulted in an 'up yours, I quit' and mid-work walkout, resulting in days or weeks of chaos which I can't imagine coming about in the UK where working out a notice period is normal, just out of a kind of 'well, you don't show me any consideration so why should I show you any back' attitude, understandably enough really.

Does of course also depend on where you go and can work out in funny ways - here in Golden the idea of firing someone who has a pulse and mostly shows up to work in supposedly 'insecure' jobs like fast food places, supermarkets etc, is laughable as where on earth are you going to get a replacement from outside of the ~8wks/yr when seasonal people are moving into town - not so easy to just get on the phone to Manila and order a busload of TFWs these days. Meanwhile those working for CP have money thrown at them for what they do but are one step out of their cabs absent high-vis everything away from being told to pack their bags and get out - the joke is that CP spends $50,000 training you then $100,000 firing you, to the point of having dismissal targets to meet. Attitude markedly different in, say, rural NS I'd guess...

scilly

NS, especially rural areas, used to be the joke of the country because so many jobs were dependent on your politics ......... including jobs that are at the discretion of the local council, the local MLA or even local MP. Jobs such as working for the council, road workers, ditch diggers, etc etc.

Your tenure in the job only lasted as long as "your" politician was in power ...... if he was voted out and replaced by a member of another party, many jobs would be "all change", replaced by supporters of the new new council member or council.

I suspect the same might also have happened in other maritime provinces or other areas across Canada.

I know that many people employed directly by a politician at any level expects their tenure to last only as long as that politician is in office (or as long as your views fit his/hers) ....... but the trend in NS went right down the line to Joe Blow labourer.

I've been assured that NS has changed at that level in the last 25-30 years.