Request Support
Do you have a complaint about your boss? Are you missing wages? Were you fired without cause? Do you want to organize to make improvements to your workplace?
We can help. We’re here to help guide you through it and achieve worker victory through our Solidarity Stewards Program!
What is the Solidarity Stewards Program?
The Worker Solidarity Network’s Solidarity Stewards Program (SSP) offers direct and free one-on-one support for non-unionized workers in B.C., in 3 types of workplace issues (see ‘Types of Workplace Issues’ below). Support ranges from providing information or referrals, up to representation, depending on each case.
The Solidarity Stewards Program (SSP) is staffed by a small team of legal advocates who will be there to discuss your concerns with you, determine if WSN is able to offer you support with your specific problem and help connect you with other resources whenever possible. SSP advocates are not lawyers, and cannot give legal advice.
Note about mask and vaccine policies: WSN is composed of a group of advocates who support low-wage workers primarily with recovering missing wages. We are limited by the fact that we are not lawyers, and are thus unable to provide legal advice.
The aspects of a mandatory vaccine policy are beyond the scope of the services that the Worker Solidarity Network (WSN) is able to provide, but we can provide some information about the way the Employment Standards Branch and the Human Rights Tribunal have addressed COVID-19 protections and vaccination policies. Click here for more information.
How do I request support?
Step 1:
Review the “Types of Workplace Issues”, “Kinds of Help”, and “Eligibility Checklist” sections below to ensure that you are eligible and that WSN is able to offer the help you are looking for.
Note: If you’re filing an Employments Standards complaint, the deadline to do so is 6 months from your last day of work.
Types of Workplace Issues
- Employment Standards: Includes wage theft, unpaid leave, hours of work, vacation, termination of employment; Your concern may fall under Employment Standards if you are concerned that you are missing pay, unfairly terminated, or if your employer is otherwise not meeting the minimum legal requirements for pay and employment conditions under the Employment Standards Act.
- Human Rights: Protections against discrimination, in the area of employment. WSN can support you with writing and submitting your complaint, but will not be able to represent you in a hearing. Your issue may fall under Human Rights if you possess one or more “protected characteristics”, which was a factor in the mistreatment you experienced at work.
- WorkSafe Prohibited Action: Workplace retaliation resulting from reporting or addressing a health and safety issue or hazard in the workplace. . This can include refusing unsafe work, physical hazards, and bullying & harassment in the workplace.
Kinds of Help
The type of support the legal advocate may provide will vary based on the nature of your problem, and the SSP’s current caseload and capacity.
- A legal advocate may provide you with information about your rights related to your workplace problem or concern in one of the 3 areas stated above.
- A legal advocate may help you navigate the complaint process, help you write and submit your complaint.
- A legal advocate may represent you in your Employment Standards complaint and try to help you recover unpaid wages.
Eligibility Checklist
Here is a checklist to determine if SSP is likely to be able to help you with your problem. If you’re not sure what some of these terms mean, please refer to the key terms definitions list on this page.
- Are you or your employer in B.C.?
- Are you a provincially regulated employee?
- Are you an employee? (not self-employed)
- Are you non-unionized?
- Are your problems or concerns related to one of the 3 areas the SSP covers? (Employment Standards, Human Rights, WorkSafe Prohibited Action)
Step 2:
Fill out the Request Support Form.
Step 3:
Once you have submitted your form, you will be directed via email (keep an eye on your inbox/spam folder!) to book a mandatory merit call appointment. This is a short call with one of our Solidarity Stewards to make sure that your issue is something the program can help with. Please note that a high volume of requests may mean you will wait for a time slot to open up. If that is the case, be sure to keep checking back until a time slot opens up.
Step 4:
Once a Solidarity Steward has confirmed that your issue WSN can help you with, you’re good to go! A Solidarity Steward will keep in touch with you about next steps, and help guide you through the process. In the meantime, you can check out our resources and ally organizations pages, as well as our Know Your Rights information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will my employer know that I spoke with you?
Everything you share with us is completely confidential, including the fact that you reached out to us at all. WSN will never contact your employer without you requesting that we do so in order to help you with your situation. This does not depend on whether or not we are able to open a file for you, and does not expire once your complaint has concluded, or after you have left your employment.
Will I have to confront my employer directly?
You may have the option to speak to your employer directly. However, the amount of risk and also confrontation that will take place in your situation will be up to you. Generally, you can easily avoid speaking directly with your employer if you no longer work there, but this will always depend on your specific situation. If you submit something like an Employment Standards Complaint, you may be invited to virtually participate in a voluntary resolution meeting, which will be a virtual call to try to resolve your complaint without having to go through the whole process.
WSN will not pressure you to confront your employer or even contact your employer directly. You are in charge of what happens.
Will this cost me anything?
No. WSN does not charge or accept payment for any support offered through the Solidarity Stewards Program.
Will I have to go to a hearing?
This will depend on your specific situation. More and more commonly, the complaint process involves mostly written submissions. You may be required to attend virtual meetings in some circumstances, and in some types of complaints.
Can my employer fire me or discipline me if I report health & safety concerns, refuse unsafe work, or report bullying and harassment?
As a worker, you have the right to report hazardous conditions, health and safety concerns, report bullying and harassment, or refuse unsafe work, and you are protected from retaliation from your employer. These are known as protected actions.
Retaliation looks like an employer intimidating, disciplining, firing or otherwise retaliating against you because you took a protected action. If your employer retaliates against you, you may be able to submit a Prohibited Action complaint within 6 months of the retaliation.
You can also use WorkSafe’s complaint assessment tool to help you figure out if you have a complaint. See also our Prohibited Action section above.
Key Terms
What is the Employment Standards Branch?
The Branch receives complaints about contraventions of the Employment Standards Act, conducts investigations and decides complaints. They may order an employer to repay unpaid wages, and in some cases, expenses and other compensation that results from the contraventions. The Branch may be able to facilitate early and voluntary resolutions of complaints if both parties can agree to an outcome.
Complaints to the Employment Standards Branch must be filed within 6 months of your last day of employment in order to be accepted.
Learn more about the Employment Standards Act, and about filing a complaint directly with the Employment Standards Act (without WSN’s support).
What is the Human Rights Code?
SSP can offer limited support with workplace complaints and issues covered by the BC Human Rights Code. The Human Rights Code protects those who possess “protected characteristics”, as listed before, from discrimination in different areas, including employment. Your employer should not discriminate against you before hiring, during the hiring process, or during your employment. Workplace discrimination can take place in many ways, including:
- Your employer acts as if your protected characteristic makes you a bad employee
- Your employer holds you to a different standard than others in a similar position
- Your employer denies you opportunities or benefits that you ought to be able to obtain, compete for or apply for.
- You employer refuses to provide you with appropriate accommodations
- Your employer fails to appropriately address incidents of discrimination.
Protected Characteristics
| Indigenous identity | Family Status | Marital Status | Sexual Orientation |
| Race | Place of Origin | Physical Disability | Sex |
| Colour | Ancestry | Mental Disability | Gender Expression |
| Religion | Political Belief | Age | Gender Identity |
| Criminal Conviction unrelated to employment | |||
Learn more about Human Rights at Work here.
What is the Human Rights Tribunal?
The Human Rights Tribunal receives and hears complaints made about breaches of the Human Rights Code. If you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, you may submit a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal on the Tribunal Website.
Complaints are submitted to the Human Rights Tribunal, within 1 year of the adverse treatment. A successful complaint may require an employer to repay wages, expenses, and compensation that makes up for the effects of the adverse treatment. The employer does not have to intentionally discriminate against an employee in order for a complaint to be successful.
What does the Tribunal look for to establish discrimination?
- The Complainant possesses a protected characteristic
- The Complainant experienced negative effects in their employment
- The protected characteristics were a factor in the negative effects.
What is WorkSafe BC?
WorkSafe is a provincial agency that covers various issues related to health and safety in the workplace, and can receive claims. WorkSafe deals with the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health & Safety Regulation.
What is Prohibited Action?
Prohibited Action is a type of retaliation. Workers who report hazardous conditions, health & safety concerns, report bullying & harassment or refuse unsafe work are protected from retaliation. If an employer intimidates, disciplines, fires or otherwise retaliates against you because they took one of the protected actions, you may be able to submit a Prohibited Action complaint within 6 months of the retaliation. You can also use WorkSafe’s complaint assessment tool to help you figure out if you have a complaint.
Prohibited Action Complaints
You can submit a complaint online by filling out the Worker Prohibited Action Complaint form. Once you have completed and signed the form, you can submit it through the complaint portal.
When writing your complaint, you should share a detailed account of the employer’s actions, and include dates, names, and other specific details whenever possible. You can also include related documents, such as text messages and emails, write-ups and termination letters, and anything else that is related to your complaint. However, please note that your employer will likely see what you submit at a later date.
