In a March 2009 announcement, the Government of Canada announced changes to the Work-Sharing programme that will benefit employers and employees.  Work-Sharing helps avoid layoffs, and allows businesses to retain their skilled employees during difficult business times - such as the current recession.  Work-Sharing involves:
* a 3-party agreement between employers, employees and Service Canada. 
* once approved, an employer can temporarily reduce workloads for a period of between 6 weeks and 52 weeks.
* employees will be eligible to receive EI benefits for one to three days per week during the work reduction.
* a recovery plan for the business to remain viable, including employee training and skills enhancement to better position your Company for recovery as the economy strengthens.

For more information about Work-Sharing, click on the link

Http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/work_sharing/index.shtml

or Telephone toll-free: 1.866.945.7342 (Ontario), or 1.866.891.5319

Communitas Associates has extensive experience developing
business competitiveness through employee training and skills
development. We work with your employees to assure that they
have the processes, tools and resources to ensure that job
performance is focused on key business targets and results for
growth and profitability.  Our services focus on key areas in:

Joint employee - management planning for continuous improvement in operations to drive business development.
Training for On-the-Job Trainers develops on-the-job training resources for expanding job knowledge and skills, job coaching, and cross-training that ensure skills transfer back-to-the-job.
Employee engagement develops resources for employees in all operations to work effectively in work teams to transform your products and services into lean operations, focused on business and performance targets and results.
Leadership impact training and development for Managers, Supervisors and Team Leaders develops skills and resources needed to support employee and work team performance.
Multi-media training resources in print, video, and computer-based training (CBT) linked to on-the-job training reduces costs, ensures standardization in training for major job competencies, and tracks employee certification.