Get a clearer picture of where your HR practices stand.
A structured audit of your employment documentation and practices against the requirements that actually apply to your organization — followed by a plan to close the gaps in priority order.
Most organizations we meet are not deliberately non-compliant. They have simply never had anyone sit down and check. Requirements arrive gradually, from different places, and nobody owns the list.
The audit produces that list. You end up knowing what applies to you, what you already satisfy, what is missing and what to do first — in writing, in plain language, with named owners and dates.
Start here when
- You are not certain which written policies your organization is actually required to have
- A funder, board or insurer has asked for documentation you cannot produce quickly
- Your handbook has not been reviewed since employment standards changed
- You have grown past the point where informal practice is defensible
- You want a clear list of what is missing before deciding what to build
Five steps, fixed scope.
- STEP 1
Scope
We confirm which jurisdiction applies to your organization, how many employees you have, which worksites are in play and which employee groups exist. Jurisdiction drives everything that follows.
- STEP 2
Document review
We review your handbook, policies, contracts, offer letters, job descriptions, health-and-safety documentation and any records that show how requirements are currently being met.
- STEP 3
Gap assessment
Each requirement area is assessed against what actually exists, and rated: in place, partially in place, missing, or out of date. Nothing is graded on intent.
- STEP 4
Register and calendar
We build a Compliance Register listing each obligation, its status, who owns it and when it must next be reviewed — plus an annual calendar so recurring items do not get missed.
- STEP 5
Remediation plan
A prioritized plan that separates what must be fixed now from what can wait, with a fixed-scope option to have us do the remediation work.
Every requirement gets one of four ratings.
No colour-coded dashboards or risk scores you cannot explain. Each obligation is assessed plainly so leadership can act on it.
| Rating | What it means |
|---|---|
| In place | Documented, current and being applied consistently. |
| Partially in place | Something exists but it is incomplete, unclear or not applied. |
| Missing | No document or process exists for the requirement. |
| Out of date | The document exists but no longer reflects current requirements or practice. |
Provincial or federal — it changes the list.
Most nonprofits and community organizations are provincially regulated. Some employers are federally regulated, and the obligations are different. We confirm which applies before reviewing anything.
Newfoundland and Labrador employers
Example areas reviewed for provincially regulated organizations:
- Written harassment prevention plan and complaint process
- Occupational health and safety program and required designations
- Health and safety committee or worker representative arrangements
- WHMIS and hazard communication
- Employment standards: hours, overtime, breaks, statutory holidays
- Vacation, leave and statutory leave entitlements
- Payroll records, pay statements and record retention
- Termination, notice and final pay practices
- Human rights, duty to accommodate and accessibility obligations
- Personal information handling for employee records
Federally regulated employers
Where an organization falls under federal jurisdiction, the review shifts to areas such as:
- Canada Labour Code standards for hours, overtime and leave
- Workplace harassment and violence prevention requirements
- Employment equity reporting obligations, where applicable
- Pay transparency and reporting requirements, where applicable
- Accessible Canada Act plans, feedback processes and progress reports
Pay equity and accessibility obligations vary by jurisdiction, employer size and sector. We identify what applies to you rather than assuming, and we say clearly when a question needs legal input.
What you receive.
- Jurisdiction confirmation and scope summary
- Gap assessment across every requirement area reviewed
- Compliance Register with owner and review date for each obligation
- Annual compliance calendar
- Prioritized remediation plan with sequencing
- A short leadership briefing you can take to your board
Compliance Audit or Foundations Sprint?
The Compliance Audit answers a narrow question: are we meeting our obligations, and where are the gaps? It is the right starting point when the pressure is coming from a board, funder, insurer or auditor.
The Foundations Sprint answers a broader one: do we have a working people system? It builds the handbook, hiring, onboarding, performance and manager tools that make the workplace function day to day.
Many organizations do the audit first and use its findings to scope the Sprint. Some only need one. We will tell you which.
Scope of our work
Plainspoken HR is not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice, legal opinions or compliance certification, and an audit is not a legal audit. Our work is developed using established HR practice and is risk-informed: it tells you where your documentation and practices fall short of generally applicable workplace requirements so you can act. Where a question involves legal interpretation, litigation, a regulator, a union grievance or meaningful legal exposure, we will say so directly and recommend qualified legal counsel. Final responsibility for compliance rests with your organization.
Find out where you actually stand.
A short call is enough for us to tell you which jurisdiction applies, what an audit would cover for an organization your size and whether you need one at all.
A short discovery call. No pitch. No obligation.
See ongoing support