Our Top 10 tips for hiring a new employee:
[1] SIGNED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT/OFFER:
Before the employee starts any work:
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ensure you have the employee’s properly signed employment agreement or accepted offer of employment;
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ensure the employment agreement/offer addresses everything necessary, including for termination (with and without cause), leaves of absence, police record check (if desired or mandatory), health and safety training, accessibility, job description (defining the position adequately), confidentiality, right to lay-off, rules for suspension, etc.;
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consider if the employment agreement/offer should contain any non-competition and/or non-solicitation provisions to protect your business and assets in future; and
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provide a copy to the employee, before the employee starts in the position.
[2] POLICE RECORD CHECK AND PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES:
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obtain any required police record check (judicial record check, vulnerable sector check) and professional reference(s) prior to the employee starting any work for the position; and
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ensure the employment agreement/offer is conditional on those requirements and being satisfied with the results.
[3] HIRING AND RECRUITMENT:
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ensure avoidance of discriminatory practices prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H. 19, as amended (the “Code”).
[4] BE CLEAR ABOUT WORK, ESPECIALLY REMOTELY (FROM HOME):
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before the employee is permitted to work remotely, such as from home, ensure you have a workplace policy specifying eligibility, rules, requirements to do so (responsiveness, productivity, conduct, etc.), digital security and access, confidentiality and approval for overtime work, among other things; and
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consider your own confidentiality requirements and ensure the employee is required to meet those obligations, including via online communications, using digital devices, etc.
[5] BE SENSITIVE TO POTENTIAL DISABILITY ISSUES:
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offer accessibility and accommodation during the recruitment and hiring process, if necessary; and
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request the employee to identify any potential accessibility or accommodation needs, if any, being very mindful of avoiding questions, or requesting information, prohibited by the Code.
[6] PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY:
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ensure you have the employee’s properly signed confidentiality acknowledgement, depending on the nature of your business and the importance of confidentiality to you and your clients, customers, employees, service providers, etc.
[7] PROTECT YOUR PROPRIETARY INTERESTS:
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if you have proprietary intellectual property and/or information technology assets, ensure you have a proper acknowledgement signed by the employee to protect both your IT and IP assets in future, including digital assets.
[8] DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION:
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ensure the employee has properly signed a consent to the disclosure of the employee’s personal information (i.e., photographs, videos, etc.) for the purpose of marketing and/or promotion of your business, if desired, which also protects your third party marketing/promotion partners and agents.
[9] SET EXPECTATIONS:
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provide the employee access to review your workplace policies before the employee signs the employment agreement/offer;
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offer to review those with the employee and answer any questions; and
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ensure the employee signs an acknowledgement verifying the employee’s review of your workplace policies (and any other key expectation for the employee in future) and agreement to adhere to those in future.
[10] COMPLY WITH STATUTORY AND CRA RULES:
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add the new employee to your CRA account for payroll source deductions, etc.
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ensure the employee completes a TD-1 and a TD1ON Form;
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complete the year-end T4A and other CRA requirements for the employee;
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add the employee to your Workplace Safety and Insurance Board account, if applicable;
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inform the employee where a copy of (Ontario’s) Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O. 1993, c. O.1, as amended (the “OHSA”), is posted prominently in your workplace;
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inform the employee where copies of both your heath and safety policy and your violence, harassment and sexual harassment prevention policy are posted prominently in your workplace, as required by the OHSA;
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give the employee a copy of the “Health & Safety at Work: Prevention Starts Here” poster, required by the OHSA, which must also be displayed prominently in your workplace at all times;
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inform the employee of the names and locations of your workplace Joint Health and Safety Committee members, if applicable;
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give the employee a copy of the “Employment Standards in Ontario” poster, published by the Ontario Ministry of Labour; and
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arrange for the employee, including if he or she is a supervisor, to complete the mandatory health and safety awareness training required by the OHSA.
