The Spectrum Office will be closed September 7 for Labour Day
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BC records highest ever daily case numbers
New cases of Covid-19 have been climbing the past couple of weeks, with a record 100 new cases identified this past Saturday. Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson, filling in for Dr. Bonnie Henry, provided Monday’s update and repeated Dr. Henry’s message from last week urging people to keep social gatherings to small numbers of close contacts. The majority of new cases over the weekend were among people under the age of 40, a trend that has been on the rise recently. While younger people are generally at lower risk of serious complications from Covid-19, they are by no means immune and can still pass the virus along to others who are more vulnerable. BC’s health minister Adrian Dix reinforced Dr. Gustafson’s call to all British Columbians, especially younger people, to keep our social gatherings small and to keep up with the measures that we know are effective at minimizing the spread of Covid-19:
- Maintain safe distancing
- Wash your hands
- Stay home if you are sick
Rapid identification of new cases and contract tracing of anyone who may have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 are a critical piece of BC’s Covid-19 response. The BC Centre for Disease Control maintains a list of all outbreaks and exposure events across the province. Dr. Gustafson encouraged people to check out this list and to follow up if they were at any of locations or events listed. Also included on this site is a list of international and domestic flights that have had identified exposures among travelers.
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Understanding the COVID-19 one-time payment for people with disabilities
The Canadian Association for Community Living created this FAQ sheet on the federal one-time payment for people with disabilities.
“On July 17, 2020 the Government of Canada announced a one-time $600 payment for people with disabilities. The payment is meant to help with the extra costs people with disabilities are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The payment is expected to be sent to people sometime this Fall, but no specific date has been announced.”
Click the link to view the complete document: https://cacl.ca/2020/08/05/understanding-the-covid-19-one-time-payment-for-people-with-disabilities/
$300 supplement for PWD extended four more months
Yesterday the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Shane Simpson, announced that the Province will be extending the $300 supplement for people who receive PWD benefits and income assistance in BC for four more months. Here is more on the announcement:
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/emergency-support-extended-for-b-c-s-most-vulnerable-amid-pandemic-1.5067574
Pandemic Pay Update
Also yesterday, we had a brief update on BC’s Temporary Pandemic Pay program. The government provided information for service providers on how to claim funds to distribute to eligible employees. An online template and claim form will be available mid-September, and once the claims are validated the funding will be provided to service providers to distribute to employees. The priority is to have a quick turnaround time and streamlined process so funds can be distributed to employees as soon as possible.
Thank you everyone for your continued dedication to the people we support.
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Equal Work Equal Pay
We have joined a coalition of agencies to press government to make an ongoing commitment to equal pay for non-union staff. The Recruitment and Retention funding was a welcome increase for 2020, but government did not address the increase for 2019 or the next planned increase for 2021.
We want government to know this is a serious problem for community social services. Our workers deserve equal pay, and the people we support deserve stable staff teams with skilled caregivers.
The website www.equalpaybc.ca has a page where you can send a letter to your MLA by entering your home address. The website will enter your MLA’s name and email address and the letter will be sent to their office. Over 1,400 letters have been sent in one week! Please add your letter to your MLA’s mailbox so they know this is an important matter for them to bring to the government’s attention.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication to the people we support and their families.
Let us know if you have any questions.
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If your Emergency First Aid Community Care Training has expired we have good news!
St. John Ambulance (SJA) has resumed Emergency First Aid Community Care training.
To accommodate the new distancing regulations, SJA has reduced class sizes, provides full body mannequins to remove the need of partner activities, and is selling masks for students to wear during the course. Spectrum can provide you with a cloth mask prior to you attending the course. If you choose to purchase a mask through SJA for $12.99, you can do so separately on the day you attend the course.
If you have already obtained your certificate, please forward a copy of your certificate to the office so we may update your file.
If you have not obtained your first aid certification, please register yourself and email me (judy@spectrumsociety.org) please, letting me know the date you have registered to complete the course.
How to Register for Emergency First Aid Community Care:
- Call St. John Ambulance: (604) 321-7242
- They above number is their main line, but they have a number of locations across the lower mainland if you would like to call a location directly: http://www.sja.ca/English/About-Us/Pages/Locations.aspx
- Register yourself for Emergency First Aid Community Care.
If you did not have your first aid certificate upon hire, you are responsible for the initial cost, which is currently $102.00, and Spectrum covers renewal fees.
- If you are renewing your first aid, ask St. John Ambulance to invoice Spectrum Society
- Let them know Spectrum Society will be paying for your course fee.
*St. John Ambulance may request authorization from Spectrum. Email hr@spectrumsociety.org with the date/location you want to complete the course and we will call them to confirm your registration.
First Aid is a requirement for employment as indicated in ‘Policy 4: Requirements for Employment.’
If requirements for employment are not met within a timely manner, shifts will be suspended without pay until this requirement is met. Below is a link to Spectrum’s First Aid policy:
Please respond back with your course date..
Please let Judy know if you have any questions or issues registering, by emailing her at judy@spectrumsociety.org