If an issue arises during your work term, we’re here to help you work through your concerns and find the right support.
Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) is here to support you throughout your work term and partner with employers who offer respectful, safe and positive workplaces. While many students have great experiences, we know things don’t always go as expected.
Employer expectations and your safety
Employers who hire co-op students are expected to follow local employment laws, treat students fairly and provide a safe and healthy workplace. They should have clear policies and practices in place to support you throughout your work term. Before a job is approved for co-op credit, CEE team members review it to make sure it meets these standards. When an employer hires a student, they are expected to follow through on the commitments they’ve made, including the work-term employment agreement.
Co-op students may experience concerns such as:
- Recruiting practices that don't meet legal or ethical standards
- Unsafe working conditions
- Problems with compensation
- Job details not aligning with the original job description (e.g. pay, job location, etc.)
- Harassment or discrimination
- Misalignment of student and employer expectations
If you encounter any of these issues, we encourage you to first connect with your supervisor or your employer’s HR team where appropriate. Your Co-op Advisor is also available to coach you and provide you with access to additional campus resources as required.
Responding to concerns
CEE takes all reported concerns seriously. When a concern is brought forward, we will take action appropriate to the situation. With your permission, we will typically:
- Raise the concern with the employer
- Review relevant information, including past feedback and current context
- Work with the employer to address the issue and reduce any impact on students
- Keep you informed and provide updates throughout the process
In some cases, CEE may need to take action to protect students, even without their permission.
If concerns are not resolved or there is ongoing risk, CEE may discontinue engagement with the employer or a specific department. This can include preventing them from posting co-op jobs or hosting students, including through the Arranged Own Job process.
We recognize that these situations are often complex. Experiences can vary across teams within an organization, and individual students may also have different experiences or perceptions in the same workplace. We carefully consider multiple factors in every case. Our decisions are made to protect your health, safety and overall co-op experience.