OAKVILLE, ON – Two trucking groups have teamed up to host a joint educational seminar in Truro, NS next month dealing with a variety of employee issues.

The event by the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) and the Trucking Human Resources Sector Council Atlantic (THRSCA) is set for Sept. 16.

This half-day seminar will include a presentation from Kimberley D. Pochini, the Patterson Law firm’s head of their labor and employment team, entitled “Understanding our Responsibilities as Leaders.”

She will discuss the complexities of dealing with mental illness in the workplace, applicable legislation, the duty to accommodate, an employer’s right to medical information, recent legal cases as well as available resources for employers.

Following this will be the seminar “Medical Marijuana and the Workplace”, presented by Dr. Barry Kurtzer, a physician with more than 30 years of experience providing occupational health programs to employers.

This session will cover how Canada’s federal medical marijuana regulatory changes could impact the transportation industry; medical qualification to drive issues; the health benefits and risks of using medical marijuana, including impact of medical marijuana on driving and workplace safety; case examples of workers in safety-sensitive jobs who use medical marijuana; and developing a “game plan for employers,” including considerations around policy, supervisor training, and job physical demands analysis/safety impact evaluations.

“PMTC wants to ensure we expand our service offerings and value added products to our members and potential members across this great country” said PMTC president Mike Millian. “This co-operative effort between PMTC and THRSCA allows us to not only achieve this, but it also introduces our Atlantic region members to the products and services provided by their own regional Human Resource Sector Council”.

The seminar will run from 9am until 1pm, with lunch provided. Attendance is free for private fleets, however you must register to attend. To register, contact Vanessa Cox at info@pmtc.ca or Susan Robben at susan@thrsc.com.