Introduction
Global development has an increasing impact on how people work, from determining areas where the demand for employees is high to offering opportunities for international cooperation. Preparing to work in the changing world is one of the central goals of the millennials, as they are required to find a balance between their needs and their abilities. The governments, too, have a substantial role to play in the process, as they can mediate the adverse effects of the changes and promote positive development.
Changes to Ontario Employment Standards Act
In July 2016, the Ontario Ministry of Labour issued a report describing the shifts in the workplaces and their effect on how the employees work. The report also includes a proposition for changes to the Employment Standards Act, which currently governs the employer-worker relationship across the province. If applied, the changes would help to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups of workers in the contemporary labor market (Crawley, 2017).
Proposed Changes
The report contains more than 200 change proposals, submitted to the Special Advisors; some of them are conflicting or even contradictory (Mitchell & Murray, 2016), which means that not all of the proposals will be implemented. For employees, there are several most significant possible changes.
Paid vacation allowance
One of the most significant changes might be the increase of paid vacation allowance per year (Mitchell & Murray, 2016). Today, workers are normally allowed two weeks of paid vacation each year; the proposition is to increase the allowance to three weeks either for all employees or for those who have worked with the company for a substantial period (Mitchell & Murray, 2016).
Part-time, temporary, and casual employees
The next important proposition concerns part-time, temporary, and casual employees, who are usually paid lower than their full-time colleagues for the same type of job (Mitchell & Murray, 2016). The proposed change is to require companies to pay the same amount to all types of workers, regardless of their schedule, as long as the required skills, competencies, and tasks are the same (Mitchell & Murray, 2016).
Overtime work
Overtime pay is yet another area for concern of the unions and policymakers. According to the current ESA regulations, “Overtime pay is 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay and is paid on weekly hours worked more than 44” (Mitchell & Murray, 2016, p. 187). However, the Interim Report proposes to decrease the overtime work threshold from 44 to 40 hours, allowing employees who work more than 40 hours per week to be qualified for overtime pay (Mitchell & Murray, 2016).
Scheduling
There are two major propositions with regards to scheduling for both casual and contract workers. First, Mitchell & Murray (2016) offer to force companies to post employees’ schedules at least two weeks in advance. Second, it is proposed to require employers to pay employees more for last-minute changes to shifts: if this policy is applied, it will provide that “employees receive the equivalent of 1 hour’s pay if the schedule is changed with less than 2 days’ notice and 4 hours’ pay for schedule changes made with less than 24 hours’ notice” (Mitchell & Murray, 2016, p. 203). Finally, another reform could require employers to obtain consent from their workers before adding hours or shifts after the initial schedule has been posted (Mitchell & Murray, 2016).
ESA exemptions
The current version of ESA contains over 85 complex exemptions, which may permit individual employers to avoid paying minimum wage, deny paid vacation allowance, refuse overtime pay, and so on (Mitchell & Murray, 2016). Most of these exemptions are deemed unfair and obsolete, which is why the Report proposes to either lift some of the exemptions or offer alternative solutions for the businesses that are currently operating under the exemptions (Mitchell & Murray, 2016).
Rationale for Change
Most of the propositions for the ESA reform were submitted by trade unions and employee advocates (Hanson, Poysa, Di Cesare, & Fineblit, 2016) and were mainly justified by the unfair treatment of workers under the Act. For instance, the differences in pay between full-time and part-time employees may often lead to unfair treatment and increased pressure on the latter, as they are forced to work the same amount of hours as full-time workers but receive a wage that is up to two times lower (Sienkiewicz, 2017). This can severely affect the lives of part-time workers, many of whom are students from the millennial generation. Another reason for this change is the growing market of part-time work, which now involves more than 3.4 million people, or 19% of the population (Sienkiewicz, 2017). Similarly, exemptions from the ESA often result in minimal wages and unfair treatment of employees (Carter, 2017). In the case of vacation allowance, however, the main reason for the proposition is the policy in other provinces: “Compared to other Canadian provinces and the federal jurisdiction, Ontario has the least generous provisions concerning vacation time and pay” (Mitchell & Murray, 2016, p. 207).
Implications for Employers and Workers
If the proposed changes to the ESA take place, the new regulations will improve workplace culture in many companies. For instance, the employers who rely on cheap part-time labor will find themselves struggling financially, as part-time workers will no longer be the cheapest alternative. For instance, in restaurant chains and grocery stores, which tend to have more part-time workers than full-time contract workers, the expenses will rise steeply. Moreover, some businesses might struggle with determining the correct payment amount for part-time workers, especially if they do not have similar full-time positions. Similarly, the companies who were subject to exemptions before the changes might not find themselves in a favorable position, as they will be required to pay a minimum wage and provide for overtime work and vacations. Certain propositions, such as the changes to termination requirements, will affect companies with a high staff turnover, as they will be required to raise severance pay and increase the notice period for termination (Hanson et al., 2016).
However, there are still some benefits that employers may yield from the changes. First, the changes in corporate culture in regulations will increase employee satisfaction, thus decreasing turnover and promoting effectiveness. For example, many part-time workers change or quit their jobs due to unfair pay; providing equal pay for these workers would motivate them to stay in the company, which would reduce training costs and enhance the employer-worker relationship. The reforms to ESA will also require employees to provide a two weeks’ written notice before quitting, which gives employers sufficient time to find a replacement (Hanson et al., 2016). Moreover, closing the gap between working conditions between Ontario and other provinces could prevent workers from moving to another area, thus causing the professionals and talents to remain open for employment.
As for the employees, the new regulations will be largely beneficial, especially for those who work in part-time jobs and in the companies that require frequent overtime work. Carter (2017) argues that the reform is mainly focused on tailoring work conditions to the new realities of the millennial workforce, including the popularization of part-time and contract jobs. The changes would enable these categories of workers to receive fair pay and avoid exploitation, which is mainly driven by the low labor price. A better corporate environment is also a likely result of the reform. Working in a healthy climate will reduce stress and frustration, while at the same time promoting motivation and providing opportunities for better living.
Nevertheless, some categories of workers may be affected by the new regulations in an adverse way. For example, one of the propositions is to expand the current exemptions to include workers who earn more than a certain amount (Hanson et al., 2016). While it might benefit some employers by cutting wage and salary expenses, this change will not be welcomed by employees who already earn a substantial amount of money.
The Changing Labor Market
Drivers of Change
Several main forces drive the changes that are happening to the labor market worldwide. The main driver of development, in this case, is globalization. Spence (2011) states that “Over the past 60 years, it has accelerated steadily as new technologies and management expertise have reduced transportation and transaction costs and as tariffs and other man-made barriers to international trade have been lowered” (p. 28). The effect of globalization can be seen in many countries, both developed and developing. For instance, developing countries, including those located in Asia and Latin America, are now becoming areas with high economic growth due to increased international trade and other opportunities provided by globalization (Spence, 2011). As a result, a variety of employment opportunities emerged, particularly in the field of international cooperation and trade (Spence, 2011). However, not all effects of globalization are beneficial. The decrease in costs and tariffs caused many large companies, particularly in the fashion and clothes industry, to move their production enterprises to develop countries. While the presence of stable companies could potentially support the economy of these regions, it frequently resulted in decreasing labor prices and exploitation: “MNCs are said to underpay and otherwise exploit poor people in developing countries, exporting jobs that should have stayed in the United States” (Spence, 2011, p. 35).
Globalization also contributed to other drivers of change in the labor market. For instance, it caused an increase in immigration, which is a major force affecting job patterns. As the number of immigrant workers increases, so does the share of part-time work: in Ontario, recent immigrants represent 16% of part-time and temporary workers (Sienkiewicz, 2017). Another effect of globalization was the growth of the technology sector, caused by the international cooperation of developers and scientists. The effect of technology on the labor market is already prominent: according to Spence (2011), it leads to the loss of jobs through the substitution of workers with labor-saving technologies.
The Role of Government
The impact that the government can potentially have on the labor market in times of change is excellently illustrated in the case of ESA reform. For example, the government can help to decrease the exploitation of workers by setting a decent minimum wage. It can also reduce the pay gap between immigrant and local workers, thus equalizing their chances of getting hired and balancing the jobs in the community. Moreover, the government could potentially restrict the use of labor-saving technologies by providing subsidies to companies that avoid job cuts. The government is the primary force regulating the relationship between the worker and the employer, and hence it has the power to protect the employees in the changing market conditions.
Impact on the Millennials
The changes in the employment market have a substantial impact on the millennials, providing both opportunities and limitations. First, technological development and globalization promote certain industry areas, such as information technologies, logistics, international relations, and so on (Spence, 2011). By choosing a popular area for future career development, the millennials can ensure excellent job prospects and higher pay. Globalization also created opportunities to study overseas, which can provide the millennials with more job offers and increase their chances for success in the global world.
On the other hand, certain effects of development are already worrying. For example, technological development might lead to more labor-saving technologies in the future, which would eliminate the need for professionals in these areas. Moreover, the increase in immigration and international trade, if not mediated by the government, can result in lower pay and increase competition for employment in developed countries, which will make it more difficult to obtain a job that provides for a reasonable lifestyle.
Average Urban Living Costs
For the millennial generation, certain factors make the living costs higher. For instance, most of the millennials are increasingly dependent on technology, which is why I included items such as mobile data and internet access in the calculation. On the other hand, millennials tend to be less interested in restaurant meals, which is why the weekly cost of food is only comprised of regular groceries and does not include expensive meals.
To perform my calculations, I chose to focus on the costs of living in Toronto, Ontario, as it is one of the areas that provide a high number of opportunities for young professionals, such as the millennials. I divided the expenses into major items and estimated the costs per item for a member of the millennial generation.
Groceries (avg.) $284.665
One-bedroom flat rent $1300
Utilities $106
Entertainment (cinema, takeout, leisure activities) $200
Transportation (monthly pass) $146.25
Phone and internet $70 (Bell, 50Mbps) + $80 (Virgin Mobile, unlimited minutes + 2GB data)
Clothing $200
Minor expenses (hygiene supplies, medication, snacks, coffee, etc.) – $100
Total per month $2452.915
Total per year $29434.98
Based on these calculations, to live a reasonable lifestyle, an average millennial needs to earn $29 500 per year. Apart from the salary, the employment should also feature indirect workers’ compensation, including corporate insurance and compensation for any injuries at work.
Conclusion: Preparing for the Changing Job Market
The current changes in the job market create both opportunities and challenges for the millennial generation. However, there are measures that the millennials could undertake to protect themselves from the negative impacts of change. For instance, choosing an area of the industry where the introduction of labor-saving technologies is highly unlikely, such as IT development, law, or international policy, would decrease the possibility of job cuts due to technological advancements. Undertaking opportunities to study abroad, on the other hand, would prepare the millennials for working in the age of globalization and enhance their CV. One of the most important steps, however, is to develop a thorough understanding of the forces that affect the job market now and may potentially change it in the future. Being aware of the current tendencies can enable the millennials to choose a profitable area of industry to work in, thus ensuring future stability and success.
References
Carter, A. (2017). Hard work, long hours, little pay: Building super says she was paid $1.18 an hour. CBC News Hamilton. Web.
Crawley, M. (2017). Big changes considered for Ontario workplaces. CBC News Toronto. Web.
Hanson, J., Poysa, S., Di Cesare, A., & Fineblit, J. (2016). Government report indicates potential overhaul of Ontario labour and employment landscape. Osler. Web.
Mitchell, C. M., & Murray, J. C. (2016). Changing workplaces review: Special Advirors’ interim report. Web.
Sienkiewicz, A. (2017). Part-time grocery clerks are paid at a lower hourly rate than full-time clerks according to agreement. CBC News Toronto. Web.
Spence, M. (2011). The impact of globalization on income and employment. Foreign Affairs, 90(4), 28-41.
Influence Of News Media On The Social Behavior Of Society
Introduction
Undoubtedly, the news media have a tremendous influence on the social behavior of society with regards to information, communication, as well as entertainment. Paper journals, magazines, and newspapers are currently considered as old sources of media that cannot have the same impact on society the way that technologies can. To some degree, the public thinks that the current news media made the world a smaller place due to the reduction of face-to-face interactions between people and the availability of non-verbal means of communication. On the positive side, the barriers to communication that existed previously have been eliminated. On the downside, the lack of limitations associated with modern media allows for the spreading of misinformation or bullying, to which many victims of verbal abuse have been subjected.
Social Responsibility and Information Media
Massive pressure is put on modern media to be socially responsible. If a source of information reports inaccurate information to the public (e.g., the “fake news” during the 2016 US Presidential election), then there is a possibility that the public will perceive false information as truth. Subsequently, this could lead to many problems, such as people being upset about issues that were not even true. Misinformation is a tool that could be used to destabilize the situation within a society and cause tremendous problems, so it is the job of media sources to provide the public with reliable and unbiased information on which people will make conclusions themselves.
Role of News Media in Shaping Political Opinions
As to the role of media in shaping political opinions and decision-making, the example of the US 2016 election is probably the most notable. Social platforms played a defining role in influencing the outcomes of the 2016 election. On the bright side, media have contributed to the gathering of young voters for the election and helped spread awareness of the importance of the election and the benefits of voting. On the downside, in 2016, there was a rise in the “fake news” phenomenon that disseminated unreliable information and had an adverse impact on the outcomes of the election. In this context, fake news is defined as news articles that are verifiably false and were created with the purpose of misleading the public (Alcott & Gentzkow, 2017).
The phenomenon of fake news was a powerful tool that both candidates for the position of the US president used to promote their agenda and humiliate their opponent. For example, the headline from the denverguardian.com website “FBI agent suspected in Hillary email leaks found dead in apparent murder-suicide” was a clearly fabricated story that tainted Clinton’s reputation, and this is only one example showing that the promotion of specific political opinions was done with the help of media, and the public had to make research themselves to determine whether the news was fake or not. Most importantly, fake news stories are not new and have been used for decades to mislead the public. For instance, in 1835, the New York Sun published a series of articles that described the discovery of life on the moon. Another example is more recent: in 2006, the Belgian public TV station made a report stating that the Flemish parliament had declared independence, and a significant number of the station’s viewers perceived it as the truth.
The role of news media in shaping political opinions reflects back to the notion of social responsibility to only report events truthfully. It is evident that misinformation can lead to unexpected political events and influence public opinion. Moreover, false reporting contributes to the creation of conspiracy theories with political implications. At various times during history, some Americans believed that Lyndon Johnson participated in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, that the US government had a direct influence on the 9/11 bombings, that Roosevelt knew about the Pearl Harbor events before they occurred, or that Barack Obama was born in another country (Alcott & Gentzkow, 2017). It is crucial to mention that the phenomenon of fake news emerged as the barriers to entering the industry have dropped, so anyone with a computer can set up a “news website” and write articles to push any possible agenda.
Transformation of Journalism and Media Consumption
The convergence of electronic media has made a dramatic change in journalism because new digital technologies need less time for a turnaround, so the public does not have to wait until the next day to get the morning paper and read about recent news. With modern digital technologies, news media can reach the public faster and easier. Some media outlets have a “news now” approach and report on main stories in the online regime.
Despite the fact that there are strong indicators showing that mainstream media have accepted technologies and new journalism trends, the concern over ethics and credibility remains. As discussed previously, there are some persistent challenges associated with the deliberate spreading of false information. Therefore, in the future, only those news organizations that will adapt their operations to changing technologies while adopting the essential principles of journalist writing will be able to succeed.
Reference
Alcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(2), 211-236.
Misrepresentation Of Law Enforcement By Media
Introduction
In the recent past, law enforcement in various parts of the world has come under serious threat from different types of media. In the United States, law enforcement agencies argue that their work is greatly affected by the misrepresentation made by electronic, print, and social media (Colbran, 2014). They fear that in the contemporary world, social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are negatively affecting their work and playing a major role in the rising cases of violence across the country. The misrepresentation of law enforcement by media has been termed as the biggest challenge that authorities have had to deal with in the contemporary world of high technological advancements.
People have developed a tendency to make video recordings of various interactions between law enforcement agencies and the public, which are shared on social media (Colbran, 2014). The police argue that even the mainstream media often highlights scenes where they use excessive force to maintain law and order while ignoring all the good things they do for the people they serve. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the negative manner in which law enforcement agencies are portrayed by the media negatively affects their relationship with the public because people tend to feel insecure and vulnerable (Garner, 2012). Social media has played a major role in the strained relationships between the public and law enforcement officers in various parts of the country, as people spend a lot of time discussing the negative images and baseless propaganda posted by others.
Discussion
In the United States, the media has always been at the forefront in addressing the challenge of police brutality. The most documented cases involve shootings and constant altercations between the police and members of the African American community (Colbran, 2014). However, most of these cases are often blown out of proportion by the media that focus on showing the way police officers kill innocent people and ignoring the crime committed. This explains the argument by law enforcement agencies that this kind of misrepresentation often contributes to the increase in criminal activities because it influences people into protests against the police.
According to public relations experts, police officers in the United States have a hard time doing their job because the media has created the country’s information platforms on the elements of racism, violence, police brutality, and exploitation (Colbran, 2014). Cases involving shootings are the ones mostly used by the media to portray the law enforcement agencies in a bad light. The media often like to pit the white American community against the members of the black community where the shooters are always reported to be white, while the victims tend to be from a minority group (Garner, 2012). This has created an image or an impression that law enforcement agencies unlawfully target innocent black Americans during their operations.
Cases of shooting that involve white police officers and African American victims often receive massive coverage and discussion time across all forms of media compared to the rest. Psychologists argue that the public has mastered the art of playing the victim when dealing with law enforcement agencies through the help of the media. It ignores reporting on the time that officers take negotiating with criminals before shooting them because of provocation (Garner, 2012). It portrays members of the black community as criminals who are always targeted by police officers. The media has instilled fear in public with regard to the power of the Black Lives Matter Movement as a way of validating their claims that members of the African American community often face a lot of brutality from the police.
This situation has not been made any better by the existence of smartphones and the increasing number of people using social media. People use their phones to record video clips and report various incidents of police misconduct by posting them on social media (Garner, 2012). These videos are shared widely. Various senders end up creating a negative image of the work of law enforcement agencies. The police argue that the challenge does not lie in people recording and sharing their confrontations with the public, but the manner in which the whole situation is put in the wrong context and shared with people that have little knowledge about the real events that took place (Colbran, 2014). People have also gone to the extent of using videos and images from movies involving shootings to insinuate that they are real events of the police using excessive force.
The misrepresentation of law enforcement across all media affects the public in various ways. In the United States, the media has contributed to the development of various divisions within the black community because it portrays them as criminals (Garner, 2012). Most of them make an honest living and do not want to be associated with every crime that happens across the country. Americans have been made to believe that a crime is based on race. This has affected the fight against racism in the country, as many white Americans argue that they tend to feel unsafe around members of the black community (Colbran, 2014). The misrepresentation by the media has also contributed to the losing public trust in the law enforcement agencies. It has portrayed police officers as incompetent, inhuman, and overly insensitive to the safety of the people they are supposed to protect.
Conclusion
The media has an ethical responsibility of informing and educating the public using valid stories that are not put in the wrong context for the sake of getting more viewers or pushing their own agendas. Many valuable acts conducted by members of law enforcement agencies are often ignored and misrepresented by the media without considering the negative impacts it may be having on the parties involved. The media has made the public believe that police officer are inhuman and racists because most of the stories they tell portray the law enforcement agencies in a bad light. Contemporary media disregards the safety of the police officers and the need to end racism. In addition, they avoid addressing the deteriorating relationship between law enforcement agencies and the public. The increasing use of social media has also contributed to the misrepresentation of the law enforcement because people tend to share images and video clips with other users without taking time to establish their validity. There is an urgent need for the media to change the way they tell stories involving the police and their work. It is important to tell both sides of the story and avoid focusing too much on the elements they perceive to be negative about law enforcement.
References
Colbran, M. (2014). Media representations of police and crime: Shaping the police television drama. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Garner, G.W. (2012). News media relations for law enforcement leaders. New York, NY: Charles C Thomas Publisher.