Service Excellence
- Issued: December 2010
- Revised: March 2012
- Content last reviewed: March 2012
Service excellence is a priority for the Ontario Public Service and the Ministry of the Labour.
Effective January 1, 2010, the ministry implemented service standards to describe the service experience a client can expect when dealing with the ministry’s key program areas. A service standard is a commitment to provide a specific/stated level of service to customers. It is usually established in areas such as communications, access, timeliness and interactions between staff and customers.
Service Principles
When we provide a service to you, we are guided by three key principles that will help us to meet or exceed your expectations.
- We are accountable to you and to the people of Ontario. Programs and services will be delivered according to stated objectives in a consistent manner. We respect your right to privacy and will keep your information confidential.
- We are responsive to your needs. We will provide accurate, quality advice, guidance and information in a timely manner. Information will be clear, up-to-date and easily accessible. We will be transparent in our program guidelines and decision making processes.
- We will be professional in our interactions with you. Our programs will be delivered by knowledgeable and competent staff. You will be treated with respect and courtesy.
What are Service Standards?
Service standards include the following essential elements:
- Descriptions of the services provided, including any associated fees
- Pledges or principles that describe the quality of service clients can expect to receive
- Performance objectives for key service aspects such as timeliness, access, and accuracy of delivery
- Clear complaint and redress mechanisms if a client feels standards have not been met.
Ministry of Labour Program Specific Service Standards
Service standards are being implemented in the Ministry of Labour’s four key program areas. To view program-specific service standards, please follow the links below:
Feedback/Complaints
If you have comments, questions or concerns about our program-specific service standards we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us to improve. Please Contact us.
Other Service Standards
All ministries have a common set of service standards for telephone, correspondence, and in-person locations.
Accessibility Service Standards
The Ministry of Labour is committed to providing a barrier-free and accessible workplace, where everyone is treated fairly, equitably and with dignity.
French Language Services
All our services will also be provided in French in all regions designated under the French Language Service Act. Those services will be equal in quality and level of access as those services provided in English. Services in French will be provided proactively, without waiting for the public to request them.
Employment Standards (ES)
Service Standard #1
The ES-email on the Ministry of Labour’s (MOL) website provides an opportunity for any member of the general public seeking answers to employment standard questions to make direct inquiries of the MOL via email. MOL answers first level inquiries (inquiries that are not complex and require a minimal amount of research) promptly by sending an email to the email account provided by the enquirer.
Service Commitment
On average, we will respond to an Employment Standards email (webes) inquiry within two business days of receiving the request.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard #2
The Employment Standards Program will provide plain-language information to assist the public with understanding their rights and responsibilities under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). This will be achieved through brochures and user-friendly web-based interactive tools.
Service Commitment
When there are substantial changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), we will provide helpful materials (ESA brochures and booklets) to explain the new information. The Ministry will continue to provide web-based interactive tools such as the Public Holiday Pay calculator.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard #3
The Policy and Interpretation Manual of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 is compiled by the Employment Standards Program to assist the public to have a clearer understanding of the legislation and its application. It is published by Carswell and is available for purchase to the public in hard copy or CD-ROM.
Service Commitment
We will provide updates to the publisher of the Policy and Interpretation Manual of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to ensure subscription recipients receive their 2 supplementary releases as per their subscriptions. Additional updates will be provided to the publisher for supplementary releases when new legislative amendments come into force.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard #4
Respond to employment standards-based phone inquiries received at the Employment Standards Information Centre.
Service Commitment
We will respond to phone inquiries with an average of 4 minutes wait time at first point of contact.
Performance Against Commitment
ES Modernization Standards
The following standards pertain to the Employment Standards Modernization Program. They will be reported on at a later date.
Claims Resolution
- Backlog of employment standards claims resolved by March 31st, 2012.
- (As of April 1st, 2011) employees making employment standards claims will be contacted by the Ministry of Labour within 30 days of submitting a claim form.
Customer Service & Customer Satisfaction
- Employment standards information will be available to all employees and employers in 23 different languages through our Employment Standards Call Centre.
- Through our Education, Outreach and Partnership initiative, develop two additional self reliance tools over 2011-12. These tools will be available online 24/7 and will supplement our existing employment standards tools.
- Employment standards claim forms available 24/7 for online submission.
- Customer satisfaction surveys will be attached to all self reliance tools.
- As part of ES Modernization, a new voluntary registration process which will provide customer satisfaction surveys on new claim process.
Enforcement
- The Dedicated Enforcement Team will conduct a minimum of 1800 proactive inspections in 2011-12 (up from 1100 in 2010-11) and will focus on repeat violators and high risk sectors for vulnerable workers.
- As the ES Program moves into a more proactive compliance model, the ES Program will consult with stakeholders about our inspection activities and sector plans.
Feedback/Complaints
If you have comments, questions or concerns about Employment Standards services we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us to improve. Please Contact us.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
Service Standard #1
The OHS-email on the Ministry of Labour’s (MOL) website provides an opportunity for any member of the general public seeking answers to occupational health and safety questions to make direct inquiries of the MOL via email. MOL answers first level inquiries (inquiries that are not complex and that require a minimal amount of research) promptly by sending an email to the email account provided by the inquirer.
Service Commitment
Under normal circumstances, we will reply to an occupational health and safety email inquiry within three business days of receiving the request.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard # 2
The Construction, Industrial, Mining, Health Care and Specialized Professional Services program areas provide sector specific enforcement information to employer, labour and other interested stakeholders and to the general public. The Occupational Health and Safety Branch prepares and posts on our website, sector plans outlining the Safe at Work Ontario (SAWO) Enforcement Strategy for each of the Construction, Industrial, Health Care, and Mining sectors as well as for the Specialized Professional Services group.
Service Commitment
The Construction, Industrial, Mining, Health Care and Specialized Professional Services program areas will develop sector plans and post them on the MOL website by July 1st of each year.
Performance Against Commitment
All plans are posted on the MOL website July 1st of each year.
Service Standard #3
The Construction, Industrial, Mining, Health Care and Specialized Professional Services program areas provide blitz information to employer, labour and other interested stakeholders and to the general public. The Occupational Health and Safety Branch prepares and posts blitz reports on the MOL website setting out detailed information about the outcomes and results of specific enforcement blitzes.
Service Commitment
The Construction, Industrial, Mining, Health Care and Specialized Professional Services program areas will develop and post blitz reports on the MOL website within 90 days of the completion of the blitz.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard #4
The MOL’s regional occupational health and safety offices provide support services to the families of workers who have been killed as a result of a workplace incident. The MOL’s FAIR (Fatalities and Immediate Response) policy and procedure sets out a detailed policy and procedure for MOL managers and regional directors to follow when making and maintaining regular, effective and consistent contact with the family members of a deceased worker.
Service Commitment
MOL managers will make contact with the family of a deceased worker within 15 business days of a workplace fatality and will maintain contact until all court and/or coroner’s jury proceedings have finally concluded.
Performance Against Commitment
Service Standard #5
The MOL’s regional occupational health and safety offices are available 24 hours per day to facilitate easy access for critical reporting by employers and workers. The MOL has made available 24-hour live operator point of contact for reporting critical injuries and fatalities outside of normal business hours through the Spills Action Centre (SAC).
Service Commitment
MOL will provide a 24-hour, live operator point of contact for reporting critical injuries, fatalities and other mandatory reporting requirements, through the MOL’s regional occupational health and safety offices during regular business hours and through the Spills Action Centre (SAC) outside of regular business hours.
Performance Against Commitment
All plans are posted on the MOL website July 1st of each year.
Feedback/Complaints
If you have comments, questions or concerns about Occupational Health and Safety services we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us to improve. Please Contact us.
Jobs Protection Office (JPO)
Service Standard
The JPO is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the 2006 Ontario-Quebec construction mobility Agreement. It facilitates Ontario contractors and workers’ access to Quebec, by contacting the appropriate Quebec authorities to discuss and resolve issues. The JPO also collaborates with other government bodies on public procurement, trade and economic partnership agreements and plays a role in addressing illegal underground economy activities in the construction sector.
Service Commitments
- We will post on the MOL web-site any official complaints under the Ontario-Quebec Construction Labour Mobility Agreement within 1 business day of being received in writing. Official complaints received in writing will be listed by the year in which they were filed (spanning years 06-11).
- We will track the time it takes to resolve complaints. We will address any official complaints received by Official Contact in writing within 15 business days.
- We will respond to inquires made to oqconstruction@ontario.ca within 2 business days of receipt. If a field investigation is required, it will commence within 3 business days of receipt.
- We will maintain a monthly summary report of the number of inquiries, response times and issues resulting from those inquiries.
- We will post on the MOL website a listing of the status of the Ontario and Quebec Annual Data Exchanges. The website will list the year for which the report is covering and the date and status of the report.
- The JPO is operating a pilot “Head Start” service for Ontario contractors and workers attempting to work in the Quebec construction sector for the first time. For the purposes of this program, we will follow up with Quebec authorities within 15 business days on behalf of contractors/workers seeking appropriate Quebec licenses, provided application data is complete and the “Head Start” process was followed.
Performance Against Commitment
Feedback/Complaints
If you have comments, questions or concerns about Job Protection Office services we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us to improve. Please Contact us.
Labour Relations
Service Standard #1
The Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) provides arbitration services provided to unionized employers, Trade Unions & their counsels.
Service Commitment: We will fulfill requests for arbitrator appointments in a timely manner. On average, an arbitrator will be appointed within 5 business days of receipt of a correctly completed section 49 requests (expedited arbitration requests), and within 15 business days of a section 48 request (arbitration request). Applications must include supporting documents (i.e. grievance, collective agreement and contact information) to be correctly completed.
Service Standard #2
The DRS provides mediation services to unionized employers, Trade Unions & their counsels.
Service Commitment: We will acknowledge all requests for service in a timely manner, 85% of all requests will be acknowledged within 3 business days of receipt, if complete with all supporting documents. If the acknowledgement of request exceeds the standard, the client will be contacted within 10 business days..
Service Standard #3
The DRS provides collective bargaining information services provided to unionized employers, Trade Unions & their counsels; Individuals; Internal Government.
Service Commitment
We will respond to requests for collective bargaining information in a timely manner, 95% of requests will be filled within 2 business days of receipt. If the acknowledgement of request exceeds the standard, the client will be contacted within 10 business days.
Performance Against Commitment
Feedback/Complaints
If you have comments, questions or concerns about labour relations services we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us to improve. Please Contact us.
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