Albertan employment agencies will soon see a few changes in how they operate. The province’s government, which is currently reviewing the applicable regulation, is inviting the public to weigh in online.
The Albertan government is in the process of reviewing the regulation that governs the operation of the province’s employment agencies and is seeking the public’s help. An online discussion paper has been prepared to gather input from Albertans on a series of issues pertaining to this review, such as the types of extra services that employment agencies should be able to offer their clients, what information should be disclosed, which services they are allowed to charge, etc. An online survey for gathering feedback on existing rules is also available until April 30.
Good time to review the rules
The Employment Agencies Business Licensing Regulation, last reviewed in 1999, governs Albertan employment agencies. Agencies must be licensed if they help an Alberta employer find employees, help employees find work in Alberta or evaluate or test job seekers. They are not allowed to charge a fee for finding someone a job, however.
According to Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Service Alberta, the time is right to review the rules and ensure they are appropriate—the province has changed a lot in the past decade, the economy is recovering, and more workers have come to Alberta from other provinces and countries.