The Canadian Press recently announced the hiring of an Occupational Health & Safety Specialist who will be in the Toronto office two days a week. Please note that she is not a registered nurse and therefore Guild members should not discuss confidential medical or other personal details of their lives with her.

Her precise role as The Canadian Press Occupational Health & Safety Specialist is still not exactly clear. There seems to be a significant compliance component or, in other words, ensuring The Canadian Press is doing what is required under the federal Health & Safety legislation and regulations. She will also be involved in ergonomic issues and other wellness initiatives and members are free to discuss these with her in general terms.

Medical issues or concerns should be discussed only with one’s personal family physician or another registered medical professional. The company has also implemented an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) which is completely confidential – the provider only reports statistics (number of calls) to The Canadian Press. We recommend Guild members contact the EAP provider — fgi-Sheppell — to access counselling and other services that may be needed.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to speak with your local Guild representative or contact Kathy Viner (kathy@cmg.ca) at the Guild national office.