Business Beat

Deciding wage levels
is a difficult task

One of
owner of

by Phil Harti
Manager, Terrace

Federal Business
Development Bank

the most difficult tasks for the
a smali business often is to

determine the basis on which to give
salary increases to his employees.

There are a number of factors in-
volved, including the basic consideration
of whether the business can afford to
raise wages. If a higher payroll likely
would cause the business to lose money _
permanently, there would be no logic to
granting any increase because the business
soon would cease to operate.

Other factors particular to each in-

dividual business which must be con-

sidered in

clude:

@ The basic skills and responsibilities of the employee; in other

words, the job being done.

@® The employee’s work performance.
@ Pay relationships within the industry in which the enterprise .

operates.

@ The overall salary. budget provided for the year.

There also are a number of factors that are external to the in-
dividual business: Cost of living trends; supply and demand in
the community for new employees: rates of pay for similar jobs

in other organizations; and wage
All of these factors can exert p

indices and trends.
ressure on the internal pay

structure of a business. There are six main procedures in wage
and salary administration which should be used to determine to

whom raises should be given.

1. Wage Survey: This procedure would establish at regular in-
tervals the average rate for similar work in the community. This
would provide the ranges and averages of wages. Sources could

include the local Board of Trade,

the provincial Department of

Industry and other local employers.

2. Wage Legislation Survey: This procedure establishes
minimum wages, changes to them in the near future, and vaca-
tion pay requirements. Sources include the Canada Department

of Labour and provincial labour
3. Job Descriptions: This is a s

relations authorities.
imple list of duties for each job

and becomes a convenient reference for introducing new

employees or transferring others.
4, Job Evaluation: This proced
of each job.in the business.

ure determines the relative value

~ §. Performance Appraisal: This procedure, done once a year
on the anniversary of the employee’s joining the company,

reviews how well each individual

is doing the job.

6. Wage Revision: This procedure normally is done in conjunc-
tion with each performance appraisal, but also takes into account
other internal and external factors related to wage rates. These
six procedures will tell the employer the minimums he must pay
and allow him to determine if and when an employee is deserving

of a raise.

By considering all factors in this manner, it becomes possible
to pay employees equitably, to change rates of pay sensibly and
promptly, and to keep permanent, accurate records of the work

and pay of each employee.

Laneway |

A request by Terrace resident
Brenda Silsbe to have a section
of North Munroe St. open to the
public has been sent to the Plan-
ning and Public Works Commit-
tee for further study and recom-
mendation. Silsbe explained to
council that Munroe extends one
block north from Halliwell to
 Gair, but. then turns into a lane
which has been taken over by
Carlo Stella of 4304 Munroe.
'. “Theoretically, the lane can
be used by the public to get from
Gair to Dairy,’’ says Silsbe.
“But it is presently being treated
as private property by a certain
resident who parks his truck
across the lane and has reported-
ly yelled at people trying to use
the lane.”
- §ilsbe says that many children
living on Dairy and North Eby
who would ‘love’ to use the
lane in order to get to Uplands
School, ‘‘But they are too
frightened to do so.’? She said
that this means they must walk
around the long way and use
North Eby and Halliwell.

n dispute

“It is ridiculous that one
citizen of Terrace can
monopolize a lane,” she says.
“Tt should be open to the public
to use without fear.”

When asked to comment on
Silsbe’s letter, Stella said there
are three properties involved in
the area in question. He said the

‘lot north of his is owned by

- Terrace Review — Wednesday, J uly 6, 1988 13

Wage subsidy program launched

A total of $16 million has
been allocated to three programs
providing employers with finan-
cial incentives to hire and train
income assistance recipients for
up to six months. Private sector
employers along with municipal
and regional governments and
non-profit societies are eligible
to receive wage subsidies during
the training, Social Services and
Housing Minister Claude Rich-
mond announced recently.

The Employment Oppor-
tunities Program offers the
chance for business and other
employers to train these new
employees full-time for two to
six months, with half the wages,
up to $3.50 an hour, subsidized
by the program. In exchange,
employers wilt have to provide
Social Services and Housing
with an outline of training and
supervision plans for positions
designed to enhance the ability
of the trainees to gain full-time
employment.

Also available in the Terrace
area will be the full subsidy of
$7.00 an hour for registered
non-profit groups wishing to
train and employ income
assistance recipients in the area

of tourism. These projects must

also involve full-time positions

for a maximum of six months,
and leave a “‘legacy”’ which will
enhance the tourism potential of
the community. Mark Creighton
of the Ministry of Social Ser-
vices and Housing in Victoria
gave the example of a Chamber
of Commerce using the program
to develop a tourism booth. He
said the projects can vary
dramatically, and can include
such things as developing and
maintaining hiking or ski trails.
$4 million has been set aside for
this aspect of the program.

Local Social Services and
Housing staff person Terri
Tjernstrom, supervisor of in-
come assistance/employment in-
itiative programs, encouraged
those interested in employing
people through either of these
programs to contact her office.
“We'd love to entertain ideas
about possible projects,”’ she
said. But as the amount of fund-
ing allocated by the provincial
government is limited, this
should be done as soon as possi-
ble. Decisions as to which
groups receive funding will be
made locally.

The Environment Youth Pro-
gram ($2 million) is organized in

THORNHILL MALL
RETAIL/OFFICE SPACE
- FOR LEASE.

a slightly different manner, as
ihe Outdoor Recreation Foun-
dation, with input from the
Ministries of Environment and
Parks and Social Services and
Housing, will serve as the major
contractor to hire and train in-
come assistance recipients be-
tween the ages of 17 and 24. Ter-
race has been chosen as the site
for an environment project
employing ten such youth.
Tjernstrom explained
employable’ income assistance
recipients have been mailed a
questionnaire in regard to the
programs, and the -office will
assist employers to find poten-
tial employees to interview.
Creighton said similar pro-
grams in past years saw no
shortage of income assistance
recipients willing to work.
‘‘They take the opportunity. In
fact, such programs can be so
successful they run out of
caseload to fill the positions.”
He explained the money and
positions for this year’s program
would be divided among the
Ministry’s regions throughout
the province, depending upon
the demand and _ identified

caseload. He said the six month

continued on page 14

14,000 SQ. FT.

- SERVICE/COMMERCIAL

Uses Permitted

Retail sales, Barber; Beauty Salon, Cate, Restaurant, Delicatessen, Florist, Tallor, Photographer, Li-
quot store, Auto accessory, Private art galley, Pharmacy, Retail bakery, Banks, Trust companies &
similar financial institutions, Utilities office, Post office, Travel agent, Shoe repairs, Upholsters, Ap-
pliance service, Bicycle sales and service, Laundry & laundromat.

Tullio Sperman and the one
north of that is owned by Dave
Dams. ‘‘Nobody’s going to go
through unless they pay for it,””
Stella said.

INQUIRIES:

However, the city holds a
right-of-way easement on the
Stella and Sperman properties
signed by the owners Nov. 25,
1981. And while the city is still in
the process of checking, a city
spokesman is confident the
right-of-way continues through
the Dams property to Dairy
Ave,

A report is expected from the
Planning and Public Works
Committee at the next regular
meeting of council on July 11. -

638-0371 office

Horst Godlinski
| oe 635-5399 home

"TERRACE REALTY LTD.
a | 4635 Lazelle Ave.
638-0371