Chapter 2 - The Environment

Question 1

Bona fide occupational qualification or requirement (BFOQ or BFOR)

Answer 1

is a job requirement that the employer can establish is essential, so that the requirement is allowed although it is discriminatory.

Question 2

Demographics

Answer 2

is the study of a population by a certain characteristic such as age, gender, race or educational achievement.

Question 3

Deregulation

Answer 3

is the replacement of government control over market entrants and prices with competitive markets

Question 4

Direct discrimination

Answer 4

refers to a rule or conduct that is intentionally discriminatory.

Question 5

Downsizing

Answer 5

is the elimination of jobs for the purpose of improving efficiency and improving economic returns.

Question 6

Duty to accommodate

Answer 6

is a legal obligation that requires measures to allow the participation of individuals protected by human rights legislation.

Question 7

Elastic demand

Answer 7

exists when the demand for a product is more price-responsive.

Question 8

Employment standards legislation

Answer 8

provides for minimum terms of employment.

Question 9

Federally regulated employers

Answer 9

are those subject to federal employment and labour relations legislation.

Question 10

Fiscal policy

Answer 10

consists of changes in government spending and taxation to regulate employment levels and inflation.

Question 11

Globalization

Answer 11

is the trend toward firms obtaining resources and producing and selling their products anywhere in the world.

Question 12

Human rights legislation

Answer 12

prohibits discrimination and harassment and imposes a duty to accommodate.

Question 13

Indirect discrimination

Answer 13

refers to a neutral rule that has an adverse impact on an individual because of prohibited grounds of discrimination; even if it is unintentional.

Question 14

Inelastic demand

Answer 14

exists when the demand for a product is less price-responsive.

Question 15

Labour relations legislation

Answer 15

regulates the relationship between the union representing employees and the employer.

Question 16

Macroeconomic environment

Answer 16

is the growth rate, unemployment rate, and the rate of inflation in the economy.

Question 17

Merger

Answer 17

is the voluntary amalgamation of two or more firms into one new legal entity.

Question 18

Monetary policy

Answer 18

consists of changes in interest rates to regulate employment levels and inflation.

Question 19

Nominal wages

Answer 19

are wages that have not been adjusted for inflation.

Question 20

Non-standard work

Answer 20

is employment in other than traditional full-time work— for example, part-time and temporary work.

Question 21

Price elasticity of demand

Answer 21

refers to how much a change in price affects demand.

Question 22

Provincially regulated employers

Answer 22

are those subject to provincial employment and labour relations legislation.

Question 23

Real wages

Answer 23

are wages that have been adjusted for inflation.

Question 24

Trade liberalization

tries.

Answer 24

is the trend toward international agreements that reduce tariff barriers between coun

Question 25

Undue hardship

Answer 25

is a difficulty exceeding that which an employer is required to endure when accommodating the needs of a person or a protected group under a human rights code.

Question 26

What are two ways in which the macroeconomic environment affects unions and employers?

Answer 26

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Question 27

What distinguishes between a good or service with an elastic demand and one with an inelastic demand?

Answer 27

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Question 28

How might possible bargaining priorities differ for the following employee groups: younger employees, female employees and visible minorities?

Answer 28

f

Question 29

Why has it been more difficult for unions to organize part-time employees?

Answer 29

f

Question 30

Describe two economic trends or issues that might affect labour relations.

Answer 30

f

Question 31

Explain how government economic policy might impact unions and employers.

Answer 31

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Question 32

What is a current example of technological change that poses a threat or an opportunity to union-management relationships?

Answer 32

f

Question 33

What is the “social environment,” and why is it important to labour relations?

Answer 33

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Question 34

What do the phrases “federally regulated employer” and “provincially regulated employer” mean, and why is the distinction important?

Answer 34

What legislation impacts certain employees. In 1925 that supreme court established that labour regulation was provincial jurisdction

Question 35

Provide examples from the workplace that distinguish among labour relations legislation, human rights codes and employment standards laws in Canada.

Answer 35

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Question 36

Use separate examples to distinguish between direct and indirect discrimination that may occur in a unionized work setting.

Answer 36

f

Question 37

Explain and provide an example of the concept of a bona fide occupational requirement (BFOR).

Answer 37

f

Question 38

Explain what “the duty to accommodate” means and provide an example of an employer meeting this duty. and Reasonable accommodation.

Answer 38

f

Question 39

Identify a labour relations issue that has been or might be affected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Answer 39

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