Labour

Service Delivery

Labour's mandate is to foster positive working relationships in safe and healthy workplaces, and to support strong provincial economic development and employment growth. This mandate flows directly from the legislation that the ministry administers, including the Labour Relations Code, the Employment Standards Act, and the Workers Compensation Act. (See Appendix 3 for a complete list of the legislation that Labour administers.) As a direct result of this mandate, Labour's programs and services have a direct impact on all British Columbians and their employers, as well as on other stakeholders, groups and representatives such as trade unions, employers' associations, worker and employer representatives and advocates, and schools and post-secondary institutions.

Labour's programs and services are delivered by public servants who are employees of the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services. In addition, the members and employees of three administrative tribunals provide independent oversight of decisions and issues arising from the legislation that the ministry administers.

Services are provided by three business organizations and three administrative tribunals:

Employment Standards Branch

The Employment Standards Branch is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Employment Standards Act. This includes investigation and resolution of complaints, compliance audits, and educational activities focused on raising awareness of rights and obligations and promoting voluntary compliance.

Workers' Advisers Office

The Workers' Advisers Office provides information and advice primarily to injured workers who are clients of WorkSafeBC. It represents injured workers on claims adjudication matters at various stages of the WorkSafeBC and Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal review processes. It also provides education and undertakes other awareness initiatives for injured workers and the worker community, including occupational health and safety, and participation in WorkSafeBC policy forums.

Employers' Advisers Office

The Employers' Advisers Office provides services that are of interest primarily to employers and that relate to employer rights and obligations under the Workers Compensation Act. This includes: providing information and advice to employers on the claims management process and occupational health and safety; representing employer interests and concerns on matters before WorkSafeBC, including acting as the employer on behalf of defunct or bankrupt employers; and education and awareness for the employer community.

The three administrative tribunals that are within Labour's responsibility are: