April 2, 2020 – Considering current world events, the SLSG is hosting weekly “Conversation Matters: You Ask, We Share” and spent an hour sharing information and responding to questions from over 45 sport leaders on employment, employment insurance, leadership, financial management, and other matters related to managing through COVID-19. The free, online drop-in session hosted by SLSG Partners Steve Indig and Dina Bell-Laroche will remain flexible, based on your questions, and hopefully leave sport leaders feeling informed and inspired to put in place measures to deal with the stuff that is keeping you up at night. As needed, we are also inviting members from our team or other thought leaders who can help sport leaders make better decisions. Thanks to Kathy Hare, our financial guru, for making sense of the ever-shifting environment around financial aid. Here is what we shared during the session:

• Federal Government announced a number of financial support initiatives for individuals, families and employers. A key one for sport organizations is the Emergency Wage Subsidy that is subsidy of up to 75% of remuneration on a maximum amount of $57,800 over a 3-month period equal to about $846/week maximum. There are eligibility requirements, and this does not apply to publicly funded organizations.

• Additionally, organizations may be able to access the Emergency Business Account which provides an interest free loan up to $40,000. Organizations are encouraged to contact their financial institutions for more information.
• Employment Insurance requirements have been eased for workers who are required to stay home due to Covid-19. The one week waiting period has been waived as has the requirement for a medical certificate.
• In order to ensure EI applications are not delayed, employers are advised to not write anything in Box 18 of the Record of Employment.
• Remember to practice self-care so you can continue to support those you care about during this crisis. Basic physiological needs like taking frequent deep breaths, maintaining your physical workouts (although likely modified), drinking lots of water, and finding ways to stay socially connected while physically distanced are essential to weathering this unprecedented event.
• We spoke about how poetry can be used to shift energy. Dina shared a poem called Generous Listening and invited leaders to open up their Board meetings and other online sessions with this beautiful way to hold conversations.
• We also spoke about using this time differently to engage in some of the leadership training that we always tend to put on the back burner. How might you invite your staff to learn something new through the use of psychometric tools or by working with a leadership coach? In what ways can we continue to strengthen our culture as we redefine how we work together? How are we providing supportive environments for athletes, coaches, volunteers and administrators to grieve their accumulated losses in a healthy and nonjudgmental way?
• When considering different scenarios, consider the risk of and the risk of not pursuing this option; check back against your corporate values to ensure they are aligned; and ensure you are communicating the decision to your key stakeholders through various mediums.
• Holding AGMs can still be accomplished if you access online communication and voting tools. Consider using the services of a parliamentarian to support your online meeting needs.
• Check your provincial or territorial legislation relating to employee temporary lay-offs and seek legal advice prior to implementing decisions.
• Note the provisions in a Contractor relationship are defined by the terms of the contract.
• Begin planning for multiple scenarios, including variable return to ensure the best interests of your staff and the organization.
• Consider risk management techniques and a review of your standard of care when making decisions; consider trends in the industry and reasonableness.
• Remind all individuals of the organization’s code of conduct relating to social media.
• Review lease agreements to determine if there are options to mitigate rental payments during closures.

Join our next SLSG Conversation Matters: You Ask, We Share! on April 9, 2020 at 12pm when two of our Integral CoachesTM will lead us in a conversation on how to ‘Lead from the Basement’, tips on how to manage through COVID-19. You can also visit our SLSG online store to access previous conversations.

Flow: Each conversation will begin with the SLSG Partners welcoming everyone and offering a few comments on something topical that is affecting the sport community. We will then move into providing listeners with an opportunity to ask a question or share a perspective that they would like some advice on. Dina and Steve will create a safe and engaging environment for the listeners to address some very specific topics that will most certainly benefit the entire group.

The Sport Law & Strategy Group has been providing strategic insight to the Canadian sport community since 1992. We offer a full range of management consulting, leadership development and legal services to the Canadian sport community. We are accessible, affordable, highly skilled, and bring experience and common sense to every project. Our mission is to help you achieve yours. To learn more about us please visit www.sportlaw.ca.

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For more information please contact Dina Bell-Laroche at 613-591-1246 or 613-294-4118 or DBL@sportlaw.ca.