Planning 10 - Mr. Berra: Day 16

Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities

There are several rights you need to be aware of when you go out into the working world. Young workers are often too scared or too naive to question their superiors in jobs they are not familiar with for fear of appearing stupid. In British Columbia, your rights are documented in the Employment Standards Act. If you know what your rights are and where to find them, you will be both physically safer and there will be less of a chance of you being taken advantage of.

Complete the following worksheet using the Working in BC: Your Legal Rights & Responsibilities

Click on the following link to access your worksheet:  Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities Worksheet

Lost Youth

B.C. has more than 250,000 young workers ranging in age from 15 to 24. Many are high school, college, or university students who hold part-time jobs while attending school and who take on full-time jobs during summer months.

Others work full-time, usually in entry-level jobs, and are just beginning their climb up the work ladder. They work in many areas from fast-food and retail clothing sales to construction and tree planting.

These young people have one thing in common; they are at high risk of being injured on the job. Their injuries range from minor to serious, resulting in short-term or long-term disabilities, and sometimes in death. Like all workers, they have a right to a safe and healthy workplace. (Source: Lost Youth Discussion Guide - Worker's Compensation Board of BC)

Before viewing the video Lost Youth, you need to read the following from the Lost Youth Booklet

• page 3
• page 5,
• page 6 (read "About Lost Youth"),
• Page 7 (first and last paragraph) and
• page 8

Unit Four: Workplace Rights and Safety

Now that you are developing your job seeking skills, there are some key ideas you need to consider after you get the job. Two work related topics that may not be the first thing you consider are your rights and the employers work related rights and workplace safety.

Do you think young workers have the same risk of injury on the job as other workers?

Actually, young people between 15 and 24 years are particularly vulnerable to work-related injuries and have more risk to injury. They're eager to please and have much to offer, but they typically lack the experience to judge whats safe and whats not. Some are convinced nothing bad could ever happen to them. Others lack confidence, so they don't question what happens at their workplace. Young workers are at the greatest risk of getting injured during their first six months on the job. And, young men are more likely to get hurt than any other group of workers.

Young people are also at risk for other reasons. Often, they:

• Receive little or no safety training or supervision
• Are reluctant to ask questions for fear of appearing stupid
• Are assigned physically demanding or dangerous tasks
• Have to use equipment or machinery designed for adults
• Are unaware of their rights and responsibilities
• Are distracted by other things going on in their lives
• Are tired from juggling school, homework, a job, family life, and social life
• Feel rushed and pressured to get things done

Please take out a piece of paper from your notebook and complete this Pre Quiz. Record your answers and have them ready for a classroom discussion.

WorkSafe BC Video - Lost Youth

You are about to view the video, Lost Youth.

The video features the true stories of four injured young workers whose lives have been permanently changed by their workplace accidents. Michael, Jennifer, John, and Nick talk emotionally about learning to live with the aftermath of their accidents.

Their parents also speak about their children's shattered bodies and dreams. The accident scenes are re-creations and not real. However, the young people, their parents, and their stories are real. If you are upset by the reality of the video, look away during the accident scenes (which come toward the end of the video.)

Can't see the video? Click the appropriate link below