Search

This study aimed to investigate differences in work disability duration among immigrants (categorized as economic, family member or refugee/other classification upon arrival to Canada) compared to Canadian-born workers with a work-related injury in British Columbia. Immigrants and Canadian-born workers were identified from linked immigration records with workers��� compensation claims for work-related back strain, connective tissue, concussion and fracture injuries requiring at least one paid day of work disability benefits between 2009 to 2015. Quantile regression investigated the relationship between immigration classification and predicted work disability days (defined from injury date to end of compensation claim, up to 365 days) and modeled at the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile of the distribution of the disability days. With a few exceptions, immigrants experienced greater predicted disability days compared to Canadian-born workers within the same injury cohort. The largest differences were observed for family and refugee/other immigrant classification workers, and, in particular, for women within these classifications, compared to Canadian-born workers. For example, at the 50th percentile of the distribution of disability days, we observed a difference of 34.1 days longer for refugee/other women in the concussion cohort and a difference of 27.5 days longer for family classification women in the fracture cohort. Economic immigrants had comparable disability days with Canadian-born workers, especially at the 25th and 50th percentiles of the distribution. Immigrant workers��� longer disability durations may be a result of more severe injuries or challenges navigating the workers��� compensation system with delays in seeking disability benefits and rehabilitation services. Differences by immigrant classification speak to vulnerabilities or inequities upon arrival in Canada that persist after entry to the workforce and warrant further investigation for early mitigation strategies.

The traditional career arc is often organized around the assumption that the most productive “work years” are before the age of 65. As such, workplaces have the potential to engage in harmful age discrimination. As scholarly literature based in the Canadian context has been quite limited, this study aimed to gain a qualitative understanding of older Ontario workers’ lived experiences of ageism. Semi-structured interviews with 10 older adults (55+) who were either currently employed, recently retired, or looking to gain re-entry into the labour market were conducted. Using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-stage framework for thematic analysis, five key themes that each mediate the varying experience of ageism in the workplace and labour market were identified. Participants highlighted the complex nature of the ageist interactions as well as the gamut of psycho-social consequences that they have faced. Participants also discussed several different types of preferred coping mechanisms. Intersections with other forms of discrimination and the degree to which COVID-19 has impacted participants were also central in shaping the experiences of ageism in the workplace. The findings from this research shed light on the lived experiences of those who have faced age-based discrimination in the labour market, an area of research that is currently lacking. Additionally, results have the ability to inform employers’ equity, diversity and inclusion practices and policies that often do not include age-related issues. The findings from this thesis are positioned in terms of their implications for future research and policy. The results of this thesis contribute substantively to the current social gerontological literature. This work provides insight into the importance of age in the workplace and labour market, as well as the role that age segregation throughout the life course plays in the perpetuation of ageist attitudes and behaviours throughout one’s working life. Thesis Master of Arts (MA) The only remaining socially acceptable form of discrimination is considered to be ageism; which is the discrimination against individuals for reasons based solely on their age. This form of discrimination runs rampant in popular society and can be found in the media, healthcare, technology, advertising, and nearly every other significant facet of our lives. That being said, it has been proven to be especially prevalent within the workplace and labour market. Much of the previous investigation has merely sought to estimate its prevalence using quantitative methods. In light of this gap in the scholarly literature, this thesis asks: what are older workers’ (55+) lived experiences of ageism? Using semi-structured interviews, this thesis uncovers the nuances, contradictions, emotions, and realities that constitute the experience of ageism in the Canadian workplace. In-depth analysis of the results allows us to understand the role of age in the labour market more comprehensively and imagine the implications that this thesis has for future workplace policy.

The focus of this research is the economic, social and health impacts of a living wage for employees in Ontario who were previously earning less than a living wage. The living wage is a calculation based on how much it costs for a family to live in a specific region. The rise of living wage campaigns is a response to the prevalence of low wage work. This research explains the significance of a living wage from the perspectives of workers compared to current research which concentrates on labour market impacts and how this policy affects businesses. Lived experience is emphasized as an important type of knowledge by including the voices of workers through qualitative interviews. Their experiences highlight how low-income and precarious work can affect workers’ lives and how the living wage addresses these problems. Their experiences also demonstrate how a living wage is a vast improvement from the minimum wage but also reveal the shortfalls of the current living wage framework. Overall, the living wage has a significant impact on the economic, social and health aspects of living wage workers but falls short as an all-encompassing solution for achieving a decent standard of work. Issues such as unaffordable housing, high tuition costs, lack of job opportunities for young workers and precarious work all contribute to an insufficient living wage. These types of social policies from governments and decent work provided by employers need to assist the living wage in achieving a good standard of living for all workers. Thesis Master of Arts (MA)

This study examines issues arising from the popular use of technology and social networking in the classroom during lecture and its effect on student grades. Data were collected in a first year social science course. Findings of a general survey show that the use of technology and social networking during lecture is a popular form for multitasking with little impact on grades up to a certain threshold. Addressing this issue, this paper puts forth a broad historical overview of the use of leisure activities by workers during preindustrialization and industrialized capitalism. Through an examination of multitasking during lectures, this paper will assess the extent to which social norms of time discipline may be changing and the impacts this could have on the future of work organization. Activity theory is one method of guiding research in order to incorporate these multitasking activities into teaching and learning paradigms and policies for use in the classroom. Master of Arts (MA)