Employment equity in Canada: Making sense of employee discourses of misunderstanding,resistance, and support

Employment equity initiatives – redressing past inequities or discrimination by promoting the hiring of members of underrepresented groups – are controversial and divisive. Although a national Gallup poll (1993) indicated 74 % of Canadians felt a person's qualifications should solely determine hiring decisions, many have little knowledge and understanding of the issue. Adopting a discourse analytic framework, this research explores employees’ understandings and perceptions of an employment equity initiative in a mid‐sized Canadian organization. Employment equity was seen as problematic and not well understood, and individuals eligible for employment equity initiatives were marginalized. This study contributes to identifying the misunderstandings and underlying sources of tensions with employment equity principles, legislation and administrative regimes.     

青年就业：中国就业面临的新难点

当前,青年就业问题越来越成为我国劳动力市场的重点和难点问题,青年失业和就业不足成为引发家庭和社会不稳定、道德失范和社会不公的重要因素,也影响了公众的教育投资信心。为解决青年就业问题,政府在需求政策上应采取提供更多的青年就业岗位、鼓励青年创业等措施;在供给政策上应促进青年改变就业观念,大力提升青年的就业能力,为青年就业提供更多的服务。     

Evidence and equity: Struggles over federal employment equity policy in Canada, 1984–95

Abstract: This article traces debates about federal employment equity policy in Canada in the 1980s and 1990s, focusing specifically on the role of data and statistics in policy‐making. The authors interpret policy‐makers' extensive use of evidence‐based policy instruments in the implementation of employment equity as an attempt to offer a technical solution to the deeply politicized problem of workplace discrimination. By exploring policy debates from the Royal Commission on Equality in Employment (the Abella Commission) (1984) to the passage of the reformed Employment Equity Act in 1995, the authors show how recourse to evidence‐based deliberation failed to contain political conflict, because the meaning and use of statistical data became the object of political struggle among the main policy stakeholders. The article concludes by considering the implications of this case study for the broader comparative debate on the role of evidence‐based methods in policy‐making.     

How pay equity legislation came to Ontario

Abstract: This paper presents a detailed case analysis of the emergence of far-reaching pay equity legislation (Bill 154) in Ontario in 1987 in order to test a general analytical framework designed to explain major changes in public policy. Three factors are postulated to be instrumental in the attainment of new legislative initiatives: changes in environmental variables (e.g., economic and demographic variables, historical trends and precedents); shifts in political power (e.g., electoral changes resulting in a minority government or a new governing party, the perception of voter mandated change); and changes in pressure group behaviour (e.g., a shift in the “balance of power” amongst pressure groups due to changes in resources, leadership, political influence strategies or tactics, or the creation of new pressure groups). The authors conclude that all three factors were important in explaining this significant change in public policy, with the greatest weight being attributed to shifts in political power. This framework appears to be a useful step in developing a general theory of major changes in public policy. Sommaire: Cet article présente une analyse détaillée de la manière dont a été adoptée en Ontario, en 1987, une importante loi sur l‘équité salariale (projet de loi 154), afin de verifier la validité d'un cadre analytique général visant à expliquer des changements importants de la politique gouvernementale. Trois facteurs semblent requis pour que se réalisent de nouvelles initiatives législatives: une évolution des variables du milieu (les variables économiques et démographiques, les tendances et les précédents historiques par exemple); l’évolution du pouvoir politique (les modifications qui découlent d'une élection entraînant un gouvernement minoritaire ou portant un nouveau gouvernement au pouvoir, la perception des changements souhaités par les électeurs entre autres); et les changements de comportement des groupes de pression (par exemple, un changement de “l‘équilibre des pouvoirs” parmi les groupes de pression à cause du changement des ressources, du leadership, des stratégies ou tactiques d'influence politique ou la création de nouveztux groupes de pression). Selon les auteurs, chacun de ces trois facteurs a joué un rôle important dans ce changement considérable des politiques publiques, l’évolution du pouvoir politique éant sans doute le plus déterminant. Ce cadre semble utile pour amorcer l‘élaboration d'une théorie générale des changements importants des politiques gouvernementales.     

论就业政策对我国大学生就业的影响

从计划经济体制下的“统包统分”到市场经济条件下的“双向选择,自主择业”,我国大学生就业政策改革经历了十多年的发展,对高等教育体制改革起到了积极的推动作用。作为影响大学生就业的重要因素,就业政策的变化既有其自身发展的规律和特点,又有其受社会相关因素影响的特点。     

就业困难与影响扩大就业的关键因素探析

扩大就业是构建社会主义和谐社会的着力点,扩大就业必须改善创业环境。当前,我国创业环境现状急待改善,主要表现在创业的思想环境不优、政策环境不优、制度环境不优、产业环境不优、市场环境不优和知识环境不优等六个方面。     

Integrating human resource planning with strategic planning

Abstract: Human resource management, directly linked to operational and environmental forecasts, is a critical tool for public administrators as they respond to current difficult economic conditions. This paper describes new developments within the public service of Canada to improve the quality of human resource planning and to ensure its complete integration into the corporate planning system. Planning for human resources must start at the top when the major objectives of the organization are set. These objectives establish the framework within which the strategic plan and the operational plans must fit. The author describes the factors which contribute to the complexity of developing and administering human resource planning in the public service and the principal elements of the Policy and Expenditure Management System (PEMS). Then, a new system is described which is proposed to be introduced in the federal public service in 1985. Its purpose is the integration of human resource planning, including career planning, training and development, hiring and action to redress under-representation, with operational and strategic planning. Its tools include attrition forecasting, environmental scanning, models of the organization under varying circumstances, occupational analysis and job definition, and it must be supported by data bases of considerable quality. In the Canadian public service it has become evident that the roles of the manager and personnel specialist must change if human resource planning is to work. Managers must be trained and able to foresee the human resource implications of their strategic and operational plans. The specialist must be able to provide information and analytical support needed to turn implications into valid, realistic long- and short-term plans for the achievement of corporate goals through development and appointment of appropriate resources. Human resource plans must emanate from the basic objective of the organization set by the Chief Executive Officer and the executive team; they will succeed in direct proportion to the level of commitment and support awarded to them by Chief Executive Officers and the extent to which managers are held accountable for them.     

劳动就业理论与当前我国就业问题研究

社会就业已是一个全球性问题,也是我国一直关注和解决的民生问题。当前我国就业率不高,将会对国民经济的可持续发展及社会的和谐稳定产生不利影响。文章从失业的界定与计量、失业的形式分析入手,指出我国就业形势存在的严峻性、产生的主要原因,集中破解此难题的基本观点,并结合当前复杂多变的国际国内形势,提出了有关破解我国失业问题的措施。     

试论就业权的限定性

就业权限定性有其特定的涵义,该理论发展于日本;就业权限定性的实践基础是市场经济。当我们将就业权定位于“限定性就业权”时,就提出了劳动就业从行政化的就业方式向市场化的就业方式转变的必然要求,也就决定了我们无论是在观念层面还是在制度层面都要与此相适应。     

大学生就业"解难"思考

在快速启动现代化建设战略全局的历史时期,我国出现了高校毕业生就业难和用人单位选才难的矛盾局面.如果高校毕业生就业的外部环境和内部工作机制没有进一步的改善,大学生就业的形势必将越来越严峻.     

做好南宁市的就业培训工作努力实现充分就业

就业是民生之本，安国之策。做好就业培训工作，努力实现充分就业，对于南宁市加快建设区域性国际城市和广西“首善之区”目标的实现具有十分重要的现实意义。     

《就业促进法》中平等就业的制度困境

平等就业既是不歧视国际劳工标准所贯彻的法律精神,也是禁止就业歧视的权利支点。一个体系完整、制度健全和功能完备的禁止就业歧视法律制度,必然依赖于一个成熟的平等就业权利支撑体系。《就业促进法》的平等就业是一大“亮点”,但面临重重困境。其中,加强政府促进平等就业的职责,划清政府与人力资源市场的界限,回归平等就业权并健全平等就业权利制度,改革平等就业权利救济机制并强化法律责任,是《就业促进法》中平等就业走出困境的必由之路。     

论就业成本与高职毕业生就业的关系

随着高校扩招后毕业生就业高峰的到来,高职院校毕业生就业面临着种种问题和挑战。高职学生为了能够就业,纷纷增加就业成本,当然就业成本与就业率存在着某种程度的正比例关系,但两者关系并不是绝对的,我们应转变理念,从多方面降低高职学生的就业成本,同时对高职院校学生的就业进行机制创新,从而真正提高高职院校学生的就业率。     

基于基尼系数对我国教育公平性的研究

教育基尼系数是衡量教育公平性的重要指标。教育发展能够促进经济增长、社会公平。2005年全国及各省份教育基尼系数的计算结果表明:在教育公平性方面,我国同教育发达国家相比有明显的差距,我国不同人群之间、不同地区之间也存在着严重的教育差距,使教育对于经济增长与社会发展所起的促进作用受到显著影响。对此,要转变观念,把促进教育公平作为构建和谐社会、落实科学发展观的战略重点;要合理分配教育资源,努力缩小城乡之间、地区之间和人群之间严重的教育差距;继续发展职业教育,加速职业培训体系的建设。     

民主党派在促进教育公平中的作用

教育公平是社会公平和正义的基础。而教育公平问题也是世界各国所面临的一个共同的难题。我们国家在教育公平方面还存在很多问题,实现教育公平的道路还很漫长,需要全社会的共同努力。作为民主党派,应该利用自身的优势和特殊地位,对社会公平问题进行深入的调研和监督,为促进教育公平,进而实现社会公平做出自己的贡献。     

美国妇女就业问题研究

就业问题是一个全球性问题,面对不断增长的人口和就业要求,尤其是在当前金融危机的情况下,就业机会成为一种稀缺资源.妇女就业权是妇女的基本人权,是妇女获得经济独立和发展的根本保障,也是人类社会文明进步的重要标志.目前,美国妇女的失业率小于男性,但是就业状况也还存在不少问题.美国妇女的低失业率归因于有效的法律法规和工作机制,也与美国的政治文化背景有关.美国妇女就业状况对我国妇女的就业有很大的启示.     

劳动合同内容的妥当性--《劳动合同法》第26条第1款第2项的解释适用

内容的适法性与妥当性均系劳动合同的生效要件。《劳动合同法》第26条第1款第2项应当被定位为体现劳动合同特色的妥当性要件,起到规制劳动合同内容的一般条款的作用。该项的规范功能及主要目的在于遏止用人单位在劳动合同中滥用其经济优势地位,过分压制弱势劳动者的行为。作为概括性条款,该项规定的适用应着重案例化、类型化的操作方式;在适用顺序方面,原则上应明确妥当性要件补充适用的地位;可借鉴《合同法》第52条第4项的操作模式,即在妥当性要件下引入法律、行政法规以外的低位阶规范（地方法规、部委规章等）中的强制性规定,作为确认劳动合同效力的依据。