CEO Update - July/August 2021

2021 AGM and Conference

CSSEA invites all members to attend this year’s AGM and Conference, Resilience Builds Strength. While the conference will once again take place virtually, we are confident the event will be engaging and yield important learnings. Members attending this year’s General AGM session on October 19 are encouraged to discuss issues of importance in the sector with their divisional panel members and may submit resolutions. CSSEA will be accepting resolutions from individual members until September 15 and asks that they be sent via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To register and learn more about this year’s lineup of sessions, please visit our conference website. In our current virtual world the conference is modestly priced to encourage participation. In addition, we are offering a discounted early bird conference rate of $79 that will be effective until September 24.

Consider Joining CSSEA’s Panels

This year’s Divisional Sessions will once again be taking place one week prior to the AGM General Session, on October 12, for logistical reasons. If you registered for the General Session, you will automatically be registered and receive a participation link for your respective Divisional Session in early October. The divisional sessions will handle divisional business, including the selection of new panel members and, if required, discussion of resolutions and holding of elections. I encourage those who have never served and are interested in being involved with CSSEA’s governance to consider putting their names forward for a potential position. To learn more about the roles and responsibilities of panel members, as well as how to run, consult the AGM page on our conference website.

Permanent Paid Sick Leave Survey

In preparation for upcoming paid sick leave legislation that is slated to come into effect January 1, 2022, government will be consulting with employers about their views on permanent employee paid sick leave. The PSEC Secretariat will provide further details when they are available, but in the meantime, employers are encouraged to fill out this survey to assist in developing options for the consultation process. The survey is intended to help government understand how many workers have paid sick leave, what types of paid sick leave is offered, and how the new legislated paid sick leave will affect employers.

Community Social Services Health and Safety Council

The Community Social Services Health and Safety Council website has recently launched. The intent of the website is to engage industry and build health and safety resources, tools, materials, education and training for the sector. The site will continue to evolve as more resources are added, so I encourage all members to visit it regularly and to contact its Director, Satvinder Basran, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions.

Earlier this summer, the Council held its first training webinar on Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace, which was attended by more 500 participants. Materials and information from the webinar, which include the session video, PowerPoint presentation and polling, are being compiled and will be posted on the website. An analysis of feedback from participants is also currently underway. In September, the Council will be presenting its second webinar, on Violence Prevention Training in the Workplace, and registration details will be made available in late August.

Communicable Disease Prevention Plans

As workplaces are transitioning from COVID-19 Plans to communicable disease prevention plans, employers are encouraged to contact the PHO or BC CDC office directly to seek guidance on masks/PPE requirements that address their specific programs/service needs. WorkSafeBC has provided a general outline for employers on communicable disease guidelines. A general Community Social Services: Communicable Disease Prevention Overview Template has also been completed and is available for download.

WorkSafeBC Proposed 2022 Rates

After 18 months of pandemic that had an unprecedented impact on our lives and workplaces, WorkSafeBC, perhaps unsurprisingly, announced significant rate increases for 2022. For our sector, a flat 20%* increase has been proposed for 2022 base rates in the three main Classification Units (CU) in community social services. This is a significant increase and we are the following up with WSBC on the reasons/drivers for their decision and the financial impact it will have on the sector already reeling from the pandemic.

Staffing Announcement: David Cox

After working for over five years as a CSSEA contractor providing support primarily to members and associates in the Kootenays, David Cox will be leaving at the end of August. During his time with us, David has developed many close relationships with members and staff, and has been enthusiastic in supporting and advising us with his wealth of labour relations experience. I would like to thank David for all of his efforts. David’s clients will be contacted by CSSEA in the coming weeks to advise on who their new HRLR Consultant or Advocate will be. If you have any questions please direct them to Mark Slobin, Director of HRLR, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Annual Report Photos – Last Call

As we move into production of CSSEA’s 2021 Annual Report, we again invite all members who wish to submit photos from their agencies for potential inclusion in the report to do so by August 18. We ask that anyone featured in your photos consent to their image being published in print and online prior to submission. Please e-mail your photos to Doris Sun at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2021 Compensation and Employee Turnover Survey

The 2021 Compensation and Employee Turnover Report is now past due. Given the importance that this year’s data will have on informing government funding for 2022 bargaining, we are still accepting submissions and ask any agency that has not completed the report to do so as soon as possible. The report form and user guide can be downloaded from CSSEA’s website and any questions can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Have a great summer (as possible) in these strange and trying times.