Board invites feedback on merger
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia would like stakeholders to provide their input on the provincial plan to merge a number of employment-related boards and tribunals into a single entity this year.
A discussion paper released July 12 by the Department of Labour and Workforce Development in Halifax outlines proposed options. If given the green light, “the changes could mean faster decisions, lower dispute resolution costs and more consistent processes,” notes a statement from the department.
The merger would cover the Labour Relations Board, Civil Service Employee Relations Board, Highway Workers Employee Relations Board, Correctional Facilities Employee Relations Board, Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel and the Labour Relations Tribunal.
The labour department has recommended the new board have the option of appointing a single adjudicator instead of a three-member panel. “Hearings could be scheduled faster, decisions made more quickly, and expenses would be reduced,” the statement notes.
The options of using video conferencing and allowing the board to render decisions based solely on written submissions should also be up for discussion, the department notes.
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