Help with filing applications/complaints/claims/appeals: The Calgary Workers Resource Centre can help you access your employment rights and benefits such as Employment Insurance, Employment Standards, short or long term disability benefits and CPP Disability Benefits by helping you file an application/complaint/claim/appeal. Please note that Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre does not help people to appeal Workers' Compensation Board or Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit decisions.
Information and Support: The Calgary Workers' Resource Centre provides a safe and supportive space for Calgary’s workers. You can contact us to discuss your employment related problems and options available to you. You can also contact us to seek general information about your employment related rights and responsibilities.
Advocacy: The Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre helps workers achieve and exercise their employment related rights and benefits by advocating on their behalf. We can attend meetings and/or hearings with you in order to provide you support. With your permission, we can also discuss your concerns with your employer and/or government agencies you might be dealing with in order to resolve the issue.
 Workshops: The Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre offers workshops on employment-related legislation, rights, benefits and entitlements such as Employment Standards, Employment Insurance, human rights in the workplace and Workers’ Compensation. These workshops can be re-formatted to fit your needs or those of your clients, and are available to any community groups and agencies in the Calgary area. To book a workshop, contact Candace Martens by phone at 403-264-8100, ext. 26, or via e-mail at outreachworker@telus.net. The CWRC’s Employment Rights, Obligations and Benefits Education program is funded by the Alberta Law Foundation and Calgary Learns.
Referrals: We can refer you to other appropriate services in the community if your needs can not be best met by the Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre.
Know your rights at work??
Employment Standards: Do you know that under Alberta law (the Employment Standards Code), the company you work for has to follow rules and regulations on how to treat you? For example, there are rules about minimum pay, breaks, overtime pay, vacation pay, termination pay or termination notice, pay period, deductions, maternity and parental leave and general holidays. If you need information and/or help about any of these rules, you can call the Calgary Workers' Resource Centre – With your permission, we can talk to your company and/or we can help you file a complaint with the Employment Standards Office.
Human Rights at workplace: Do you know that you can not be discriminated against based on, for example, your race, colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability etc. at work? For example, a woman can not be fired from work and her hours can not be decreased only because she is pregnant. Similarly, you do not have to tolerate racism or any other form of discrimination at work. Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre can help you file a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission if you are dealing with discrimination at work.
Employment Insurance: Employment Insurance (EI) is a government program that makes some payments to people who stop working because no fault of their own. For example, people can get EI if they are laid off because of shortage of work; women can get EI Maternity/Parental Benefits to care for their newborn baby; you can get EI Compassionate Care Benefits to care for a family member who is dying. The Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre can help you get EI. If your EI application was not approved, the Calgary Workers' Resource Centre can help you appeal the decision.
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability Benefits: Do you know that you may be able to get Canada Pension Plan (Disability Benefits) if you are under 65 years of age, and have a severe and prolonged disability? CWRC can help you get CPP Disability Benefits if you stopped working because of a disabling medical condition and you paid enough into the CPP.
Workplace Health and Safety: Do you know that there are some rules that the company you work with has to follow to make sure your health and safety are not at risk because of your work. For example, all dangerous chemicals at work must be properly labeled and stored; and the company should ensure that the workers have enough skills and training to do the job safely. The Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre can connect you with organizations that can help you with health and safety question.
Workers’ Compensation Board: Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) may make payments to workers who have been hurt at work while they recover from their injuries or illnesses. Do you know if you are covered under WCB at your work? Do you need more information on WCB, or do you need help with filling out the paper work for the WCB? The Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre can help you with these questions. At this point, we do not help workers appeal the WCB decision, but we can send you to the right services if you need help with appeals.
Short and Long Term Disability Benefits: Some companies provide benefits to workers through private insurance companies. For example, some workers are covered for short term or long term disability benefits through benefits packages provided at work. You can call the Calgary Workers' Resource Centre if you need help with getting your long or short term disability benefits.
Want to learn more about how the CWRC has helped Calgarians attain their work related benefits and entitlements? Read on!
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