Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: Labour: Programs/Services

  • Edmonton’s 2016 living wage: $16.69 per hour

    Edmonton’s 2016 living wage: $16.69 per hour

    Edmonton Social Planning Council releases annual report

    By: Alex Boyd Metro Published on Thu Jun 23 2016

    Two working adults living in the city with two kids would each have to make $16.69 an hour in order to make ends meet, according to the Edmonton Living Wage Report released Thursday.
    The Edmonton Social Planning Council calculates the living wage every year, using cost of living estimates for Edmonton. They also take into account dollars coming in from government transfers and additional costs like EI and CPP premiums.

    The living wage for 2016 is actually 67 cents less than last year, because of child benefit increases from both the federal and provincial governments.

    “Our hope is that more Edmonton employers will rise to the challenge and commit to paying a living wage to all their employees,” said ESPC Research Coordinator John Kolkman in a release.
    “Research indicates that employers paying a living wage benefit from decreased staff turnover, improved productivity and reduced absenteeism.”

    Read the whole article on the Metro.

    Download our Living wage report.

     

  • Edmonton’s 2016 living wage calculated to be $16.69 per hour

    June 23, 2016
    For Immediate Release

    Edmonton’s 2016 living wage calculated to be $16.69 per hour

    The Edmonton Social Planning Council estimates that two working adults, caring for two children, would need to each earn $16.69 per hour in 2016 to meet their basic needs.

    The living wage is calculated using detailed financial accounting based on actual Edmonton living costs with government transfers added in, and EI and CPP premiums and federal and provincial income taxes deducted.

    Edmonton’s living wage dropped by $0.67 per hour in the past year. The decrease is almost entirely due to increases in benefits from the federal and provincial governments.

    “Starting in July 2016, this Edmonton family of four will receive an additional $239 per month from the new Canada Child Benefit compared to the previous child benefits plan. This family will also receive an additional $44 per month starting in July from enhancements made to the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit,” said ESPC Research Coordinator John Kolkman.

    While a minimum wage reflects the hourly wage employers must legally pay their employees, a living wage represents the hourly wage needed to maintain a modest standard of living in a specific community.

    “With the significant increases in child benefits contributing to a reduced level of living wage, our hope is that more Edmonton employers will rise to the challenge and commit to paying a living wage to all their employees. Research indicates that employers paying a living wage benefit from decreased staff turnover, improved productivity and reduced absenteeism,” noted Kolkman.

    The City of Edmonton’s End Poverty in Edmonton report specifically lists advocating for living wages for Edmontonians as a priority. “In the coming year, we plan to work with the City and community partners to recognize employers who provide living wages, and challenge others to do so as well,” Kolkman concluded.

    For more information:
    John Kolkman, ESPC Research Coordinator
    (587)989-4442
    jkolkman@edmontonsocialplanning.ca

    More than Minimum: Edmonton's Living Wage Report: 2016 Update, and a fACT Sheet on the minimum wage, are available at https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/.

    Information about living wage calculations in other Canadian cities available at: http://www.livingwagecanada.ca/

     

  • fACT Sheet—Minimum Wage

    What is minimum wage? Who works at minimum wage? What effect does a raise in minimum wage have on employers? Employees? What's up with the magic number of $15/h? And, what's the difference between a living wage and a minimum wage? All this and more in our latest fACT Sheet!

    Download the Minimum Wage fACT Sheet today!

     

  • 2006 Workplace Accommodations

     

    Title:Negotiating for the future: accessing workplace accommodations.
    Corporate Author: Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
    Subject:Disabilities – physical, mental – employment, sheltered industries|split|Disabilities – physical, mental – programs, services|split|Employment – general
    Publisher:Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
    Place of Publication:Edmonton
    Date of Publication:2006
    Abstract:

    Negotiating for the Future: Accessing Workplace Accommodations emphasizes the importance of full participation, equity, and accessibility in the workplace. The curriculum, which builds on the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission publications Duty to Accommodate (2002) and Duty to Accommodate Students with Disabilities in Post-secondary Education (2004), emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the positions of both parties when negotiating for workplace accommodations.
    We had two goals in mind as we developed this curriculum: to improve access to workplace accommodations and to enhance the relationships we foster when we seek support for our workplace endeavours. These goals are accomplished by enhancing the participants’
    Understanding of workplace accommodations and related human right legislation
    Understanding of the personal and social factors that affect our ability to negotiate for accommodations
    Ability to successfully negotiate for accommodations that will meet our needs
    Ability to build strong and effective relationships with employers or prospective employers
    Understanding of the role that others play in providing/arranging for accommodations (e.g., employers, office managers, human resources personnel, union representatives, occupational health nurses, etc.)
    When you use this curriculum, ACCD believes you are taking positive steps in creating an equitable society for persons with disabilities. We would enjoy hearing about your experience with the workshop or with the independent-study component. Our contact information is included on the previous page.

    Language:English
     
    Material Type:Report

    H. LABOUR/H.02 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES/2006 workplace_accomodations.pdf