A Canadian Border Services Agency dog handler told CBC News she was “terrorized” after fighting a maternity leave rule. And according to the workplace union, that’s a problem because there’s no fair way for officers to complain if management were to harass employees.
The CBSA has a policy that dog handlers cannot be away from their canine partners for more than 90 days to maintain the bond between handlers and their dogs, making maternity leave almost impossible, reports CBC News.
From an employment law perspective, the federal government has proposed legislation to allow people to report CBSA member concerns to an independent entity. Bill C-20 would create a Public Complaints and Review Commission for the RCMP watchdog to handle these public complaints.
Until such measures are in place, employers need to be aware of the challenges their employees may face and strive for fair and inclusive workplace policies.
