Governance

Policies

Policies govern the day-to-day business of the organization and dictate the procedures we put into practice to ensure transparency and accountability, as well as to mitigate risk that the FCSS-FESC may face and our commitment to equity and privacy.

As of 2021, the full text of our policies are available to Members and Staff through Athena (log in required, internal access only). Brief summaries of our policies are posted publicly below for public accountability, as well as to aid Members and Staff in understanding our policies. The summaries-in-brief are not a replacement for reading the full text of the policies. Where there is a discrepancy, the text of the policy shall prevail over the summary.

All Members of the Federation ought to uphold its integrity and public image by behaving and communicating with decorum. They should also be professional and law-abiding by complying with governmental legislations, as well as the Federation’s own by-laws. 

If a Member breaches the Code, the Federation should first help the Member understand their obligations. The Member will then be investigated following the Informal or Formal Complaint Process, depending on the severity of their allegations. If a Chief Officer breaches the Code, the Vice-chairperson will assume the breacher’s authority in the investigation.

All Members should remain impartial when conducting their Federation duties. A conflict of interest arises when there is an incentive to change their expected impartiality and duty. The Board of Directors, specifically the Chairperson who is designated as the Primary Delegated Authority (PDA), is responsible for administering Policy 1001. 

During a Conflict of Interest, the Concerned Individual must fill out Form 1001A to the PDA. If the Concerned Individual chooses inaction, they may face further sanctions. If another person other than the Concerned Individual suspects a Conflict of Interest, they must also fill out Form 1001A to report their concern.

All Members of the Federation must submit two consent forms in terms of media distribution and their safety. The Media Consent Release grants the Federation the right to take and distribute visual and audio records of the Members to the public, even after their Membership term has ended. However, the Federation must request for expressed consent from the Member when it would like to use their personal information.

The Liability Waiver discharges the Federation from being responsible for any harms a Member encounters while attending a Federation event. The Federation is also not obligated to provide assistance such as insurance, first-aid, or medical services during an emergency. Members are entitled to withdraw from any activities they deem unsafe. 

This policy pertains to Class A and B Members, as well as anyone outside of the Federation who is attending a Federation-hosted event. 

This policy recognizes the Members’ responsibilities to report unsafe conditions and take precautions against potential harms. The Federation also has a duty to provide health and safety training programs in apt situations, as well as to make sure that all Members are working in respectful environments, free of violence and threats. These responsibilities and requirements derive from the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

This Policy outlines the FCSS-FESC’s duty in ensuring a safe and respectful environment for its Members and related groups. Taking the essence of the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, it recognizes the importance of freedom from harassment. The policy applies to all work platforms of the Federation, online or in-person. Individuals may file a complaint to be examined by the Federation if they are experiencing harassing or discriminatory behaviours from other individuals or groups within or related to the Federation. 

The FCSS-FESC is a longstanding advocate for equity and social justice. Therefore, the Federation has made this policy to ensure that individuals involved with the organization will not be discriminated against on the basis of their protected grounds, as outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code. This policy acknowledges the different and overlapping systems of oppression, historical or ongoing, and aims to provide a safe and equitable environment for all individuals involved with the Federation. Complaints may be made internally to the Board of Directors through a prescribed process or externally to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

The FCSS-FESC is committed to creating a respectable and equitable environment for all employees, volunteers, Members and Directors. Policy 2003 upholds the Federation’s commitment to accommodate employees, volunteers, Members and Directors who are in need of assistance to fully access all the Federation’s services. This includes people with disabilities, mental illnesses, chronic health problems, or others who are eligible to receive assistance based on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. 

If the Federation’s existing assistive measures are not sufficient, it has a duty to accommodate the individual who requested further assistance. Members may also bring their own personal assistive devices. 

As a student advocacy group, the Federation is keen on cooperating with education programs and facilities, as well as the local government to strengthen its role in helping students across Canada in their lives. Generally, a partnership is considered when both the Federation and the second party can have tangible benefit from each other’s cooperation and allow the Federation to further develop itself in the community. 

When selecting a partner, the Federation generally looks for organizations that are government-funded and not-politically affiliated. The application of this policy will be considered with respect to the partnering organizations’ goals and interests.

Policy 3001 reinforces the Federation’s committent to effective communication, digital security and respecting intellectual property rights. The policy also outlines social media practices, user rights/responsibilites on the Federation's social media and fair dealing.

The FCSS-FESC is keen to form partnerships and sponsorships that permit mutual benefits between the Federation’s programs, its partners, and its sponsors. The Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer are responsible for operationalizing this policy. 

As a nonprofit organization, the Federation also accepts donations free of liens and benefits. Donors will receive a charitable income tax receipt in accordance with the Canadian Revenue Agency Regulations and Guidelines. For additional information on partnerships, sponsorships, and donations, please refer to Policy 2004 - Community and Program Partnership.

To allow for well-rounded decision-making, the FCSS-FESC values listening to a variety of opinions and suggestions. The Federation strives to improve its programs and services for students through its public consultations. Common methods to consult include papers and electronic feedback forms. Except for time-sensitive decisions, the Federation will provide outreach opportunities for feedback submissions. Comments and suggestions will be safeguarded in compliance with Policy 4000 - Data Privacy and Security.

The Federation’s advertisements should further its advocacy for students’ education and wellbeing, as well as opportunities to join as a member. All advertisements should contain factual information and follow Policy 3000 - Manual of Style. 

The Federation may issue official statements on policies and issues that are affecting Canadian secondary students’ wellbeing and education.The Federation is prohibited from endorsing or opposing any political party or candidates, directly or indirectly, because of its position as a registered charity.

To reflect the FCSS-FESC’s diverse and open community, the Federation is committed to using inclusive language whenever possible. This includes terms related to gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ancestry, disabilities, and other identity grounds.  

Through this policy, the Federation recognizes that language is constantly evolving. As a result, it holds itself, as well as its Members, accountable to use the most inclusive and updated language available. Should the conventions change around any terms, the Federation will actively consider and update this policy, as appropriate.

Policy 3007 outlines a consistent editorial style for all FCSS-FESC publications. The Federation follows Canadian spelling as outlined in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary and for referencing, the most recent version of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (McGill Guide).

Policy 3007 outlines a consistent editorial style for all FCSS-FESC publications. The Federation follows Canadian spelling as outlined in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary and for referencing, the most recent version of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (McGill Guide). 

The Federation is required to collect personal information in order to contact their members and business relations whenever possible. This policy ensures that the Federation is compliant with legislation such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), and Part X of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA). These regulations protect information from being breached or misused, and adds accountability to the safety of the Federation’s Members. 

Anyone whose personal information is being collected has the right to request for the information by emailing a subject access request with the Chief Operations Officer. If an individual believes that the Federation fails to comply with this policy, they may file an internal complaint with the Chief Operations Officer. Their complaint will be provided with a Registered Complaint Identification Number (RCIN), and it is the individual’s responsibility to record this number so that they may check on their case’s progress with the Federation. 

The Federation and its Members should keep work-related communications on approved platforms, such as G-Suite and Slack, to ensure the security and accessibility of their information. Members will be provided with electronic mail addresses upon entering the Federation to communicate, and store files on the platforms. 

Facebook is prohibited as a discussion platform for any Federation-related businesses. This is because Facebook’s data security policies do not meet the Federation’s legal requirements. The Facebook page of the Federation should only be used to promote public events, and not for discussing internal businesses. 

The Federation’s Chief Financial Officer is responsible for the proper allocation of resources and accounting of financial transactions. At the end of November and June, the Chief Financial Officer must provide a balance sheet and income statement through the Federation’s Integral Cloud Accounting Platform. These two documents will be reviewed by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, as well as the whole Board of Directors.

Fraud is deliberate financial manipulation for personal gain. It is prohibited within the Federation and the Executive Director is responsible for directing any investigations related to fraud or possible risks. 

If there is a possibility or an incident of fraud, the suspecting individual should immediately report it to the Executive Director or Chairperson of the Board. All investigations should be confidential. Its results should remain within the Board and should not be disclosed to anyone outside of the investigation. This policy prohibits reprisals against individuals who report out of good faith or act as a witness to the investigation. 

It is the policy of FCSS-FESC to engage the public through frequent interactions and to differentiate between external and internal meetings. The Federation’s public meetings will be posted on its website at least seven calendar days in advance. 

During public meetings, the meeting chair should adhere to Bourinot's Rules of Order to begin the meeting. After reading through the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, the meeting chair may choose to proceed with the Rules of Order or exit formal procedure if no motions are being passed. 

The FCSS-FESC strives to maintain a position of financial security. However, should there be a financial emergency, the Federation will act in accordance with the Income Tax Act.

Emergency expenditures should only be issued when an emergency threatens the existence and preservation of the Federation’s facilities. In such cases, the Federation may use its fundings for other budgets, as well as borrowing from reputable Canadian financial institutions.

The FCSS-FESC strives to be a role model for participating in ethical labour practices and transactions. For example, the Federation will only conduct businesses with apparel suppliers who are Fairtrade certified or hold membership to the World Fair Trade Organization. 

For non-apparel products, the College of Chief Officers will review each supplier to ensure that their practices comply with labour laws and align with the Federation’s standards. 

Policy 4009 outlines the Federation's commitment to safe and ethical procurement of funds through fundraising. The policy outlines acceptable fundraising practices and the key distinction between fundraising and sponsorships.

The FCSS-FESC sees research as a valuable opportunity to gain insight on their Members, employees, and the students who participate in the program. But, the participation in these studies, which can be internal or external, as well as non-profit or for-profit, is solely dependent on individual consent. The Federation respects the freedom of choice, as well as the ability to make informed choices. Therefore, the research’s risks, benefits, as well as its precautions for data confidentiality must be presented to its participants in plain language, with minimal technical terms. 

The FCSS-FESC strives to include individuals from all backgrounds and emphasizes on the applicants’ merits without discrimination or preferential treatment. The Federation encourages students from marginalised communities to apply.

The application process will be held through a standardised site, unless the applicant needs technological accommodations. An application’s strength will be evaluated on the basis of merit alone, which includes written response questions, resume, cover letter (if applicable), past experiences and interview responses. The Selection Committee will endeavour to notify all applicants of their application status within 21 days of submission.

The Federation recognizes the importance of stable finance for a non-profit organization. Members pay a membership fee at the start of each Federation to support the operations. If a Member wishes to request an exemption on the grounds of financial needs, they should fill out Form 5001A. If they wish to be reimbursed for other expenses, they should fill out Form 5001B. Both forms are attached to the policy. 

The FCSS-FESC will support the post-secondary and workplace endeavours of mentors by offering reference letters to any Member who has been a part of the Federation for three consecutive months. If a Member wishes to have a letter of reference submitted on time, they must request the letter from the Federation at least ten days in advance. 

Post-secondary references are reserved for Members who are in their last year of secondary/CÉGEP study. Workplace and internship references are available to all Members who have been with the organisation for at least 3 months. Both of these references do not have a maximum number of requests per individual. However, there is a limit of three reference requests for scholarships and monetary awards to ensure equality of opportunity. 

The Federation collects two kinds of information from users who interact with the official website: Device and Order Information. Device information can include IP address, tabs viewed or clicks. Examples of Order Information include your credit card number, PayPal information or phone number. This information helps us track fraud and keep track of your orders. We may share your information with third parties to improve our website functionality. 

The purpose of leaves of absence is to help Members balance their Federation work with other commitments. The Federation offers day leaves (DL), short-term leaves (STL), long-term leaves (LTL), bereavement leaves (BL), and critical illness leaves (CIL). All leaves except for day leaves must be made through Form 5004A - Leave of Absence Request. For more information, please reach out to the Human Resources Officer. 

This policy promotes the overall health of Members. To support Members’ mental health, the Federation provides Employment Assistance Programs in collaboration with LifeWorks, where eligible Members will receive trained and licensed counsellors and psychologists 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year from anywhere in the world in both English and French.