code of ethics
general
1. This Code of Ethics is binding on all Employees of West Works, who shall ensure that they are fully aware of the obligations contained herein.
2. West Works’ Employees shall not behave in a manner prejudicial to, or likely to bring discredit upon, the prestige and good reputation of West Works’ Clients, Candidates, Consultants and West Works Group Inc.
3. West Works and its Employees shall not, directly or indirectly, charge any registration fees to Candidates.
4. Only an Executive of West Works Group Inc. may issue statements to the media concerning the company's activities or policies or in response to a media article/programme.
5. West Works’ Employees shall obey all Statutes, Regulations, Registrations and other legal requirements, which relate to their activities in the industry.
6. West Works’ Employees shall subscribe to the principle of employment on an equal opportunity basis and promote this concept to their Clients and Candidates.
7. West Works’ Employees shall respect the rights of competitors and refrain from negative criticism or acts of unfair competition.
8. The principle that employment is freely chosen shall always apply.
client service
West Works’ Recruiters shall:
1. Obtain from the Client, such information pertaining to the company and job specification as is necessary to ensure the accurate selection of Candidates for the vacancy;
2. Ensure that the job specifications/relevant parameters of the position to be filled shall be reported truthfully to the Candidate without omission, addition or misrepresentation;
3. Ensure that clients receive a written copy of West Works’ Terms and Conditions of Business, including fee structure and guarantee periods, prior to commencement of the assignment or with referrals;
4. Ensure, as far as possible, that all Candidates referred meet the client's requirements;
5. Ensure that the details of the Candidate are stated and recorded as accurately as possible and that it contains:
- Personal data, in accordance with the Privacy Act
- Educational information
- Primary and tertiary qualifications
- Employment record, indicating dates of employment and position(s)
- Salary expectations
- Interview reports (whenever required)
- Reference checks;
6. Ensure that no Candidate’s details are submitted to a Client unless they are updated, especially after a period of six months has elapsed from the date of the initial interview;
7. Ensure that Candidates are interviewed properly and adequately, in person, except where, in exceptional circumstances, such as geographical location, the Recruiter’s ability to conduct an interview in person is hampered, then such an interview may be conducted telephonically;
8. Treat information relating to the business of clients with confidentiality and exclusively for the purpose of selection and recruitment purposes;
9. Inform the respective Client that no contact be made with the Candidate’s present employer without the Candidate's express written consent;
10. Not approach a Candidate placed in a position by them with an offer of alternative employment, unless the Candidate initiates re-activation of his/her application.
candidate service
West Works’ Recruiters shall:
1. Respect the privacy and dignity of the individual;
2. Ensure that all Candidate information is treated as confidential and used exclusively for the purpose of selection and recruitment;
3. Obtain from Candidates, in as much detail as possible, all information pertaining to their personal record, employment history, qualifications, skills, experience and job/career requirements as are necessary to ensure proper non-discriminatory matching on their behalf;
4. Not submit details of any Candidate to any client without first describing all relevant details relating to the job specification or, in the absence of a specific assignment, explaining the proposed marketing plan to the Candidate;
5. Inform the Candidate of the results of any interview arranged by the Recruiter;
6. Not offer inducements of any kind to any Candidate in order to persuade him/her to accept an offer of employment.
West Works’ Recruiters shall at all times during the interview process, ensure that:
7. Interviews are conducted in a manner that preserves the Candidates’ privacy, confidentiality and, as far as possible, anonymity from other Candidates;
8. Candidates are interviewed by a Recruiter with a qualification appropriate to the status, qualification and seniority of the Candidate;
9. Ensure that adequate notes be taken during the interview, which shall form the basis of the Recruiter’s report for the benefit of the Client;
10. Ensure that the Candidate can verify their qualifications and, wherever any doubt exists as to validity of these qualifications a process of verification must be entered into with the relevant authority;
11. Ensure that the Client is notified where qualification(s) cannot be verified.
West Works’ Recruiters shall at all times ensure that:
12. Candidates’ references are checked in a discrete manner that will not endanger the Candidate’s future employment;
13. Where a reference on the Candidates’ present position and duties is required, it only is done with the written permission of the Candidate;
14. Clients shall be advised not to take any references without the prior permission of the Candidate or the Recruiter;
15. Where references are obtained that no referee be given the name of the prospective Client without the Client's permission.
advertising
West Works’ Employees shall at all times, ensure that;
1. They do not advertise any vacancy in a misleading manner;
2. Positions listed in newspapers, electronic and any other media shall refer to bona fide vacancies at the time the advert is placed.
did you know?
Every Recruitment Agency is required to be licensed by Service Alberta.
Regardless of where they are located, if they help employers in Alberta find employees, help employees find work in Alberta, or evaluate or test people for employers seeking employees, they require Provincial licensing.
Under the Fair Trading Act, all employment or recruitment agencies are required to have an Employment Agency Business License from the Province of Alberta.
Make sure that you understand the provincial regulations. Service Alberta is there to answer your questions if you are not sure that you are being treated ethically.
Questions from the Service Alberta website that you should know about Recruitment and Employment Agencies:
Why does the province license employment agencies?
The province licenses employment agencies to prevent problems in the marketplace.
Sometimes employment agencies charge foreign workers a job placement fee but fail to provide the promised jobs or fail to meet contractual requirements. The province introduced the legislation by establishing regulatory guidelines to prevent or reduce the potential for misrepresentation, fraud or exploitation of workers.
What are the rules on licensing employment agencies that are based in other provinces, but are recruiting workers for Alberta companies?
If the employment agency is acting on behalf of employers hiring for positions in the Province of Alberta, the agency must be licensed under the Alberta Employment Agency Business Licensing Regulations, which follows the regulations of the Canadian Fair Trading Act.
How, if at all, do those rules vary if the company is recruiting temporary foreign workers overseas for an Alberta company?
The regulations apply to any employment agency securing employees for positions in Alberta. They must be licensed under the Alberta Employment Agency Business Licensing Regulations.
What fees can employment agencies charge workers?
An employment agency cannot directly or indirectly demand or charge a fee, reward or other compensation to a person seeking employment or information about employers seeking employees, or for securing employment or information about any employer. To do so is an offence and illegal under the Alberta Employment Agency Business Licensing Regulation.
Employment agencies may charge a fee for services provided, relating to the preparation of a resume, but the agency cannot require a person to purchase these services as a condition of the agency's job placement services. If the agency charges fees for a resume, these must be clearly indicated and visible in their business premises and in the contract with their client.
Employment agencies CANNOT charge job placement fees to workers, regardless where they operate in Canada.
Finally, if the company is securing employment for Albertans or securing employees for positions in Alberta, it is required to be licensed in Alberta - and must be able to provide a civic business address in Alberta.
West Works Group is a long-standing member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. We value the importance of supporting locally owned businesses in helping to stimulate the economy from our neighborhood out.
Please support your local business.
