HRPA’s professional guidance is comprised of three elements: The Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, Professional Standards and Professional Guidelines. Together, they provide ethical direction and establish professional expectations for all registered HRPA members, firms and students.
Professional guidance has three major objectives:
- Help protect the public (ex. jobseekers, employers and employees) from potential harms caused by the practice of HR;
- Provide directional support to our registered members, firms and students regarding ethical and professional HR practice; and
- Assist the public with determining what they should be able to expect from registered members, firms or students.
If you are a registered member, firm or student, you are expected to be aware of any professional guidance issued by HRPA – and to comply with any guidance relevant to your practice. Your compliance helps to ensure competent and ethical HR practice that promotes and protects the public interest – and Ontario workplaces.
If you are a member of the public, you should expect all registered members, firms and students to follow the Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct and any other professional guidance issued by HRPA applicable to their HR practice. To learn more about this and access helpful resources specifically for the public, please click here.
The Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct apply to all registered members, firms and students. They define what is acceptable professional conduct and what constitutes professional misconduct that could result in complaints and/or discipline. Should any registered member, firm or student be the subject of a complaint to the HRPA, they will be expected to be able to demonstrate their compliance with the Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct.
View the Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct
Related Webinar:
Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct
HRPA’s Practice Standards and Practice Guidelines importantly supplement the Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct. They offer detailed guidance on specific HR-practice areas that have been determined to be high-risk, based on HRPA’s risk roster.
Practice standards define the minimum expectations/standards of professional practice that registered members, firms and students must follow to ensure safe and effective practice as it relates to the specific topic area. Practice guidelines are advice to assist registered members, firms and students on specific practice areas.
HRPA Practice Standards
HRPA Practice Guidelines
HRPA’s risk roster is a repository of risks the practice of HR may pose to the public (ex., jobseekers, employees, employers). The risks were identified through extensive research and consultations, with severity rankings for each risk based on likelihood and impact scores. The risk roster is a living document that will be updated on an ongoing basis as new or changing risks emerge and is an important step in HRPA’s shift to risk-based regulation – a proactive approach where we partner with our registered members, students and firms to prevent or mitigate any potential risks posed by the practice of HR.
Leading workplaces into the future means creating HR practice that poses less risk and less harm to employees and businesses.
There are two versions of the Risk Roster for your convenience. The Risk Roster – Categorized is organized around five risk categories and can be used to easily find any risks related to each of those categories. The Risk Roster – Highest-Lowest Ranking Risks instead lists the risks based on their consolidated likelihood and impact scores, meaning risks that have a higher likelihood of occurring and causing harm are listed at the top.
Questions pertaining to professional guidance issued by HRPA can be addressed to guidance@hrpa.ca.