Education Sessions
Day 2
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Miriam Anbar, Rodney Employment Law and MaxPeople
In today’s fast-changing payroll landscape, understanding the intersection of HR and Employment Law is essential for mitigating risk and ensuring compliance. This two-part session begins with a presentation highlighting the latest developments in employment legislation and their workplace implications.
Key learning objectives:
- Understand recent and upcoming employment legislation and compliance requirements.
- Explore strategies for managing remote, hybrid and flexible work arrangements.
- Navigate challenges in employee relations, performance management and terminations.
- Best practices for workplace accommodation and disability management.
Max van der Klis-Busink, Passion for Payroll
Whether managing payroll in Canada, the US, China, Germany, or all the above: the core payroll process stays the same. Join Max on an insightful journey from operational payroll management, pre-payroll, running payroll and post-payroll. Structure, clear concepts and many tips & tricks are what you’ll get: insights you can apply tomorrow. And it will be fun!
Glynis Devine, SHE-Suite Leaders
AI is reshaping payroll. While 45 per cent of enterprises are implementing AI-enhanced systems, the communication gap is widening, not closing! Many payroll leaders feel like they’ve lost their voice.
Miscommunication causes misalignment, which costs organizations:
- 20-30 per cent of workforce capacity
- Potentially millions in lost value, and
- Lost credibility for payroll leaders.
While labour represents 70 per cent of a business’ expenses, only 23 per cent of payroll leaders see themselves as strategic partners. The credibility gap is real and painful. Payroll leaders hold critical intelligence, including insight into the true cost of turnover (1.5-2x per salary) and seeing compliance risks before anyone else, yet many feel like they can’t translate it into executive language that drives positive change.
Grainne Grande, Payworks
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into payroll and HR operations, effective governance is essential to managing risk, ensuring compliance and responsible use. This session will explore why AI governance matters, AI risk management and the best practices to support the development and implementation of AI governance frameworks. Participants will gain practical insights, equipping them to support responsible, strategic AI use within their organizations.
Charles Fortier, LeedHR Inc.
In a world where technical skills are no longer enough, emotional intelligence has become an essential lever for effective leadership. This interactive workshop will help leaders understand why awareness of our emotions is a key factor for success, explore its impact on decision-making and collaboration, and develop two essential skills: self-awareness and empathy. Through practical exercises and engaging discussions, participants will leave with concrete tools to better know themselves, understand others, and strengthen their leadership influence.
Key learning objectives:
- Understand Emotional Intelligence in Leadership – Explore its role, define influential leadership, and connect EI competencies to professional leadership frameworks.
- Develop Emotional Self-Awareness – Learn why self-awareness matters for decision-making and team management, and apply strategies to enhance it.
- Build Empathy Skills – Differentiate empathy from sympathy, identify key empathetic behaviors, and overcome obstacles to expressing empathy.
- Apply Practical Models and Strategies – Use step-by-step approaches to strengthen self-awareness and demonstrate empathy in leadership situations.
- Enhance Leadership Impact – Gain concrete tools and exercises to better understand yourself, understand others, and improve influence as a leader.
Annie Ménard, Annie Ménard Fiscaliste
Since the audit process is greatly influenced by the auditor assigned to the file, there is no single best recipe for managing an audit. This session will therefore be delivered in a highly interactive format where participants will be asked to share their experiences and opinions, which will enrich the knowledge provided to all participants.
In this session, participants will learn how to better prepare for and manage payroll tax audits through the following best practices:
- Avoid generating unnecessary audits by ensuring that government accounts balance at all times.
- Understand the auditors’ expectations, including:
- Record retention requirements under tax laws
- What types of documents are considered records
- Establish an effective filing system for payroll documents and supporting information.
- Managing the audit process from the outset by proactively clarifying the required documents, setting realistic expectations and providing only the information requested— no more and no less— while ensuring consistency with existing records and prior submissions.
Didier Lemelin, CHSLD de Saint-Lambert-Sur-le-Golf
Il est pertinent de commencer par aborder lʼimportance d’une relation de confiance et de collaboration avec les partenaires d’affaires. Le choix d’un logiciel de paie doit s’inscrire dans une vision à court, moyen et long terme pour une organisation. Une analyse rigoureuse des besions est essentille, tout comme l’obtention d’un appui clair de la direction et du conseil d’administration.
Les organisations ne sont pas toujours suffisamment préparées aux changements qu’implique l’implantation d’un nouveau logiciel de paie ou de gestion des ressources humaines. Ces outils transforment souvent les processus internes, notamment la gestion des horaires et des feuilles de temps, ce qui a un impact direct sur les résultats de la paie. Dans ce contexte, l’implication des professionnels de la paie tout au long du projet d’implantation est incontournable afin d’assurer une transition efficace et un démarrage réussi (« go-live »).
L’objectif de cette présentation est axé sur la gestion du changement lors du remplacement d’un logiciel de paie : comment effectuer un choix éclairé, en particulier dans les environnements syndiqués, et quelles sont les étapes clés à respecter pour assurer le succès du déploiement.
Pier-Luc Bédard, CNESST Normes du travail
La Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) vous présente un atelier de formation sur des situations complexes dans le cadre du traitement des paies au Québec. Nous vous présenterons trois exemples concrets d’analyse sur les sujets suivants : comment calculer l’indemnité afférente aux vacances pour une travailleuse qui s’est absentée pour maladie et qui a été enceinte durant l’année de référence, comment assimiler une journée chômée aux fins des calculs des heures supplémentaires et comment interpréter les règles d’application pour le calcul de l’indemnité pour jours fériés.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Jennifer Quaid and Trish Westbrook, Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange and ATCO
Cyber security extends far beyond IT, it takes all of us to keep our organizations and ourselves safe.
In this session, attendees will gain a stronger understanding of the connection between frauds, scams and cyber security. They will also learn what they can do to protect themselves and their information, whether at work or at home.
This session will examine:
- Where attacks come from and what they want.
- Examples of successful attacks and the impact they have.
- High-profile corporate examples.
- Common Payroll, HR, and Accounts Payable (AP) attacks.
- Steps to create a culture of safety).
- Various methods Payroll, HR and AP can take to uphold the culture of safety.
Alice Maracle, Discovered Intelligence
This session explores the complexities of Indigenous payroll in Canada, with a focus on Section 87 tax exemptions under the Indian Act. Payroll professionals will gain clarity on how tax-exempt status is determined for Status Indian employees, whether employed on-reserve, off-reserve, or remotely. Using real-world examples, the session also covers CRA’s connecting factors, T4 reporting, and how both Indigenous and non-Indigenous employers can ensure compliance. This timely and inclusive topic supports reconciliation and professional equity while addressing a growing area of interest across Canada’s payroll landscape.
Sherisse Mason and Erin Wood, Ontario Public Service and Rippling
Payroll is no longer just about processing paycheques. This session explores the diverse and strategic career paths available to modern payroll professionals, moving beyond traditional administration roles. Leveraging the National Payroll Institute’s Competency Framework, we will show how core payroll skills translate to exciting opportunities in technology, data analytics and business partnerships. Discover how to leverage your expertise to become a respected advisor and leader within your organization and beyond.
Key learning objectives:
- Understand the four core functional competencies of a modern payroll professional as defined by the National Payroll Institute’s framework.
- Learn how to identify and apply key behavioural competencies like leveraging AI, automation and efficiency and strategic partnering to advance your career.
- Gain insights into how payroll expertise can be applied to non-traditional roles, such as technology, finance and human resources.
Michael O’Leary, Robert Half
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming productivity, hiring, and workplace dynamics across industries — but its success depends on how we lead the change. This session reframes AI as a leadership opportunity, keeping people at the center of innovation and progress. We’ll explore the benefits and risks of AI adoption and share practical strategies for ethical, secure, and inclusive integration. Join us to learn how organizations can embrace AI without losing the human touch, turning technology into a catalyst for collaboration and growth.
Johanna Van Bilsen, MaxPeople Canada
Leaders at all levels juggle competing demands; meeting goals, driving results, and supporting their teams. Yet true leadership impact comes from creating the time and space to develop others into confident, capable contributors. This session will help you rethink how you use your leadership time, shifting from doing the work yourself to building the strength of your people. By investing in team growth, you unlock capacity to focus on higher priorities, strengthen engagement and elevate results across your department and organization.
Key learning objectives:
- Prioritize leadership time for people development.
- Delegate with clarity to build accountability and trust.
- Create capacity for strategic priorities by enabling team growth.
Manon Amiot, National Payroll Institute
Understanding the legislative differences for taxable benefits between Revenu Québec (RQ) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is crucial for both employers and employees. While both agencies aim to regulate taxable benefits, their interpretations can differ significantly, impacting how various benefits are treated.For instance, group health plans, long service awards, professional fees could present a unique challenge as RQ and CRA may have different conditions.
Throughout the presentation, attendees will strengthen their understanding of the reporting of group health benefits, awards, professional fees and transit passes through an interactive exercise.
Annie Ménard, Annie Ménard Fiscaliste
Since the audit process is greatly influenced by the auditor assigned to the file, there is no single best recipe for managing an audit. This session will therefore be delivered in a highly interactive format where participants will be asked to share their experiences and opinions, which will enrich the knowledge provided to all participants.
In this session, participants will learn how to better prepare for and manage payroll tax audits through the following best practices:
- Avoid generating unnecessary audits by ensuring that government accounts balance at all times.
- Understand the auditors’ expectations, including:
- Record retention requirements under tax laws
- What types of documents are considered records
- Establish an effective filing system for payroll documents and supporting information.
- Managing the audit process from the outset by proactively clarifying the required documents, setting realistic expectations and providing only the information requested— no more and no less— while ensuring consistency with existing records and prior submissions.
Charles Fortier, LeedHR Inc.
TBC
1:45 p.m. – 2 :45 p.m.
Miriam Anbar, Rodney Employment Law and MaxPeople
This interactive Hot Seat session with the Rodney Employment Law team will focus on today’s most pressing workplace legal and HR issues. In this open-mic Q&A format, participants will gain timely insights on the evolving employment landscape and practical strategies to manage risk while supporting organizational success. Whether your questions are pre-submitted or asked live, this session will provide clarity and actionable takeaways for HR and payroll professionals navigating today’s complex workplace environment.
Caroline Jourdain, Nethris Payroll Services
Payroll is evolving from a transactional function to a strategic business driver, yet many professionals face challenges in making this shift while confronting traditional perceptions of its value. This interactive workshop explores how to strategically position payroll and build key competencies for career growth in an environment increasingly driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Designed for professionals who are new to payroll management or seeking to elevate the impact of payroll within their organization, this session offers practical insights to support this transformation.
Key learning objectives:
- Discover professional skills to thrive in the future of payroll
- Learn to develop a career roadmap aligned with the strategic role of payroll
- Support team members in their career development
Tina Beauchamp, National Payroll Institute
In today’s fast-paced, interconnected business environment, payroll professionals can no longer operate in isolation. Success depends on strong partnerships with HR, Finance, IT and beyond. This engaging one-hour session will equip you with practical tools and strategies to enhance collaboration, break down silos, and position payroll as a strategic partner within your organization.
Sherisse Mason, Ontario Public Service
This session explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming payroll processing and operations, moving the function from a transactional role to a strategic business partner. We will discuss real-world applications of AI for automating data validation, improving accuracy and enhancing compliance. Learn how to leverage these technologies to reduce manual tasks, free up time for more analytical work and provide data-driven insights to leadership. Discover how AI can help you embody a service mindset and partner strategically with the business.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the role of AI in automating core payroll tasks, such as data validation and reconciliation.
- Identify opportunities to use AI to enhance compliance and mitigate risk.
- Learn how to leverage AI-generated data insights to partner strategically with other business units.
- Explore strategies for upskilling and adapting to a payroll environment augmented by AI.
Glynis Devine, SHE-Suite Leaders
Imposter Syndrome costs payroll professionals an average of $150,000 in lost earnings over a career, it affects 70% of professionals in the workplace, and drives 45% to turn down strategic roles, precisely when organizations need payroll leaders most. Here’s the cruel irony: Your organization doesn’t see barriers; they see empty seats at the leadership table they desperately need to fill.
In 2026, future-proofed payroll is a strategic intelligence layer. Deloitte research shows 70% of organizations are dismantling silos and treating payroll as cross-functional infrastructure that acts as a nerve system connecting financial integrity, workforce insight, and M&A velocity.
Meanwhile, payroll professionals positioned to lead this transformation are paralyzed by a belief system that contradicts every objective measure of their competence. This is a neuroscience-informed intervention grounded in cutting-edge research revealing imposter syndrome is NOT a character flaw; it’s a predictable, rewirable brain behaviour.
Nathalie Syratt, Karima Balfoul and Manon Amiot, National Payroll Institute
This dynamic approach will address the most pressing legislative questions employers and employees encounter. At each table, we will tackle the top four Infoline inquiries: Statutory holidays, automobile benefits, vacation and severance packages.
For example: What constitutes an eligible holiday? What components are part of automobile benefits? Vacation time and vacation payout, and all you need to know about severance.
Learning focused, this engaging format not only encourages interactions but also addresses the most pressing legislative questions. Every participant has a chance to learn, share and leave with solutions they can implement immediately.
Malcom Eales, directeur de la Division de l’observation des employeurs, Paula Franchellini, directrice de la Division innovatrice et des initiatives stratégiques
Joignez-vous aux cadres de l’ARC et aux experts des programmes pour une présentation des principales mises à jour et des enjeux qui influent sur les domaines de l’impôt et de la paie. La séance offrira également aux participants l’occasion de poser des questions et d’échanger directement avec des représentants de l’ARC.
4:45 p.m. – 5 :45 p.m.
Malcom Eales, Director of Employer Compliance, Paula Franchellini, Director of the Innovative and Strategic Initiative Division
Join CRA executives and program experts for a presentation of key updates and issues impacting the tax and payroll landscapes. The session will also provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and engage with CRA officials directly.
Day 3
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Tina Beauchamp and Karima Balfoul, National Payroll Institute
In this engaging 1.5 hours session, you’ll learn how to balance the technical requirements of termination payments with compassionate communication. We’ll cover essential compliance rules, timelines, and documentation, and explore practical strategies for supporting employees with clarity, respect, and empathy. Through real-world examples and best practices, you’ll leave with tools to ensure accuracy while making a positive final impression on departing employees.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand compliance requirements and timelines for termination payments.
- Apply communication strategies that explain pay details clearly and respectfully.
- Combine accuracy and empathy to protect both the employee experience and the employer brand.
Tisha Parker Kemp, shiftED Academy Inc.
This hands-on session empowers emerging payroll leaders to elevate their communication skills and leadership presence. Participants will explore the TALL Model (Trust, Audience, Language, Leadership), engage in scenario-based exercises, and practice presenting up with confidence. Aligned with the Payroll Professional Competency Framework, this session supports behavioural growth in areas like strategic partnering, managing change, and building relationships. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to advocate for payroll’s value, influence decision-making, and confidently claim their seat at the leadership table.
Ayse Gauthier, Persevere
This session helps Payroll and HR professionals understand and apply privacy principles across the employee data life cycle. Participants understand their compliance role, and key obligations for collecting, using, and protecting employee information.
Session highlights include:
- Introduction to Employee Privacy Laws: This section defines privacy obligations and applicable laws and introduces the three lines of defense model, highlighting the Payroll Professional’s role in frontline compliance and their collaboration with the Privacy Office.
- Employee Personal Information Life Cycle: This section covers privacy requirements at every stage of employment—from candidate data collection to post-employment retention. Participants learn how to manage, store, and dispose of personal information responsibly throughout the employee journey.
- Processing Employee Personal Information: Participants dive into key privacy principles, including transparency, purpose identification, consent, data minimization, incident and international data transfer management and rights of individuals.
- Privacy impact Assessment case studies: Participants learn how to assess and mitigate risks using privacy impact assessments in case studies.
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Tina Beauchamp and Karima Balfoul, National Payroll Institute
In this engaging 1.5 hours session, you’ll learn how to balance the technical requirements of termination payments with compassionate communication. We’ll cover essential compliance rules, timelines, and documentation, and explore practical strategies for supporting employees with clarity, respect, and empathy. Through real-world examples and best practices, you’ll leave with tools to ensure accuracy while making a positive final impression on departing employees.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand compliance requirements and timelines for termination payments.
- Apply communication strategies that explain pay details clearly and respectfully.
- Combine accuracy and empathy to protect both the employee experience and the employer brand.
Tisha Parker Kemp, shiftED Academy Inc.
This hands-on session empowers emerging payroll leaders to elevate their communication skills and leadership presence. Participants will explore the TALL Model (Trust, Audience, Language, Leadership), engage in scenario-based exercises, and practice presenting up with confidence. Aligned with the Payroll Professional Competency Framework, this session supports behavioural growth in areas like strategic partnering, managing change, and building relationships. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to advocate for payroll’s value, influence decision-making, and confidently claim their seat at the leadership table.
Ayse Gauthier, Persevere
This session helps Payroll and HR professionals understand and apply privacy principles across the employee data life cycle. Participants understand their compliance role, and key obligations for collecting, using, and protecting employee information.
Session highlights include:
- Introduction to Employee Privacy Laws: This section defines privacy obligations and applicable laws and introduces the three lines of defense model, highlighting the Payroll Professional’s role in frontline compliance and their collaboration with the Privacy Office.
- Employee Personal Information Life Cycle: This section covers privacy requirements at every stage of employment—from candidate data collection to post-employment retention. Participants learn how to manage, store, and dispose of personal information responsibly throughout the employee journey.
- Processing Employee Personal Information: Participants dive into key privacy principles, including transparency, purpose identification, consent, data minimization, incident and international data transfer management and rights of individuals.
- Privacy impact Assessment case studies: Participants learn how to assess and mitigate risks using privacy impact assessments in case studies.
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Irene Paul, UKG
Your payroll system calculates taxes in seconds—but what’s going on under the hood? In this session, we’ll peel back the layers of Canadian income tax calculations to show you the logic and formulas driving those results. Explore the different calculation methods, understand how taxes apply to regular pay, bonuses, and commissions, and learn why your system makes the choices it does. By the end, you’ll understand not just what your system does, but why—and how to spot issues before they become costly mistakes.
Nancy Healey, Commissioner for Employers
Is your organization seeing a temporary decrease in business activity beyond your control? Does your organization offer employees any short-term disability plans or paid sick leave? Come discover how to retain your workforce through the Employment Insurance (EI) Work-Sharing program and pay less in EI Premiums through the EI Premium Reduction Program. Learn about the benefits, eligibility criteria, and application processes that can help your organization save costs and avoid layoffs.
Jess Kull and Sherisse Mason, Air Canada and Ontario Public Service
Join our panel for a discussion on how structured learning requirements can safeguard operational quality, support fair hiring practices, and ultimately create a highly certified, high-performing payroll workforce.
We’ll also discuss how a mandatory internal payroll education pathway can become a strategic tool for ensuring competency, strengthening departmental identity, and elevating professional designation rates.
Lisa Mederios, ADP
The world isn’t just changing; rules are constantly being rewritten. From economic whiplash to tech moving faster than company policies and leaders unable to keep up.
AI is no longer a ‘future of work’ topic, it’s here and it’s rewriting workplace culture in real-time.
The question isn’t simply who will lead us forward, it’s how and whether we are willing to rethink what leadership should look like in 2026.
What will leadership require in 2026?
- From authority to teamwork
- Digital dexterity – AIisn’toptional
- Gen X leadership approach
- Rebuilding trust and setting a new purpose
Join our discussion on the critical leadership capabilities driving innovation, strengthen team resilience, and improve retention.
Jeffrey Stinchcombe, People Corporation
Join Jeffrey Stinchcombe, Canada’s leading thought expert in employee benefits, to level up your understanding of how to revolutionize your benefits plan and stay ahead of your competition. In this engaging talk, you’ll learn 10 actionable tips you can immediately put into action. Jeffrey’s easygoing presentation style will have you fully engaged as you learn how to set yourself up for success using today’s best practices in good governance, risk management, the new flex and the latest procurement techniques to optimize your benefits reality.
Laurel Serra, PayrollOrg
In this session, we examine the U.S. federal and state taxation rules. You’ll understand when popular fringe benefits are taxable and how to calculate the taxable wages. We will also review the requirements for completing Forms 940, 941, and W-2.
Ayse Gauthier, Persevere
Cette séance aidera les professionnels de la paie et des ressources humaines à comprendre et à appliquer les principes de protection de la vie privée tout au long du cycle de vie des données des employés. Les participants identifieront les lois sur la protection des renseignements personnels applicables, leur rôle en matière de conformité et les principales obligations liées à la collecte, à l’utilisation et à la protection des renseignements des employés. La séance abordera également des enjeux émergents tels que l’intelligence artificielle, la biométrie et la surveillance des employés, afin de permettre une gestion responsable des données et de renforcer la confiance des employés.
Johana Gutierrez, eiADVANTAGE
Nous avons tous été confrontés à des conflits : certains s’en nourrissent, d’autres les évitent à tout prix. Ces deux réactions sont chargées d’émotion, et aucune n’est véritablement productive. Cet atelier vise à développer les compétences émotionnelles nécessaires pour gérer plus efficacement les conversations difficiles. Nous explorerons comment une mauvaise utilisation des émotions peut perturber la communication et aggraver les conflits. Les participants apprendront des stratégies pour favoriser des résultats productifs grâce à une meilleure conscience émotionnelle, à l’empathie, à une communication stratégique, à l’utilisation d’un langage positif et à l’appréciation. Cette formation vise à créer des interactions plus saines et plus constructives.
Day 4
9 :45 – 10 :45 a.m.
Edward Nagel, Delta Consulting Group
Payroll fraud poses a significant organizational risk that undermines financial integrity and employee trust. This engaging session uncovers the personal and organizational factors driving fraud, revealing how pressures, opportunity, and rationalization can lead to serious breaches. Through vivid real-world examples, participants will be enlightened on how the most common payroll fraud schemes are carried out and detected. They will also gain actionable strategies to strengthen defenses, from practical prevention measures to advanced use of technology and analytics. By the end, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge to spot, prevent, and combat payroll fraud.
Max van der Klis-Busink, Passion for Payroll
Your CHRO or CFO asks you this question: “How do you ensure our payroll is compliant in all jurisdictions we operate in? I sign off on this in our annual report.” That’s not an easy question to answer, and it’s loaded with accountability and consequences. But it’s relevant to organizations of any size, scope and industry. Join Max as he methodologically takes you on a risk and control adventure, leading you to comfortably answer this question to your C-suite.
Kelsey Price, City of Fredericton
Payroll is often seen as a transactional function, but its true impact is a personal one that shapes employees trust, respect and workplace morale. This interactive session highlights how technical accuracy and compliance, communication and customer service with empathy can elevate the payroll practice in your organization and transform it from a transactional task into a people-centered service. Through role-play and case studies, participants will experience the difference between transactional and people-centered approaches, leaving the session with practical strategies to enhance the service mindset in payroll interactions. Let’s reframe payroll as not about numbers, but about people.
John Wunderlich, John Wunderlich & Associates, Inc
Artificial Intelligence (AI) increases both the risks and opportunities for payroll professionals concerned with privacy. This session will review the state of AI and privacy in the context of payroll. Issues that will be covered include the risks of ‘hallucinations’ in chatbots answering payroll questions, privacy risks arising from AI model training, the use of AI by vendors and ‘shadow IT’ within your organization.
Beverly Beuermann-King, R ‘n’ B Consulting – Work Smart Live Smart
Feeling overwhelmed by the constant juggle between work and personal life? You’re not alone—many payroll professionals struggle to find harmony, feeling like they’re walking a tightrope. Work-Life Balance will help you reframe your approach to balance. Instead of teetering on a narrow line, you’ll build a solid foundation that supports both your professional and personal priorities. With the Wheel of Life and S-O-S Principle™, you’ll discover how to harmonize work, personal life, and self-care, eliminating energy drainers along the way. By focusing on what truly matters, you’ll build resilience, simplify your life, and regain control over your time and energy.
Linda Halfyard, ADP
Strategic payroll leadership is a critical component in aligning payroll practices with business strategies to enhance employee satisfaction and drive organizational success. This session explores the integral role of payroll in ensuring compliance with labour laws, managing employees, compensation and benefits, and contributing strategically to information your company requires. By addressing challenges in payroll, business alignment and implementing streamline processes, organizations can foster trust, boost morale and achieve operational excellence.
During this session, you will:
- Gain a better understanding of how payroll accuracy and communication impact employee satisfaction and workplace morale.
- Understand how aligning the Payroll Department to the broader business strategy supports how this department creates operational efficiencies and cost reductions.
- Understand how creating employee trust and engagement goes a long way in your organization.
- Discover benefits ofidentifyingstrategies to streamline payroll workflows through self-service options.
Nathalie Vervais, Collège Sainte-Anne
L’IA bouleverse les communications et les opérations en paie. Confidentialité, efficacité, sécurité : comment s’y retrouver ?
Cet atelier vous offre des réponses, des stratégies pratiques et des exemples inspirants pour intégrer l’IA avec confiance dans votre quotidien professionnel.
Laurence Fourchet, National Payroll Institute
Participez à une séance de formation dynamique qui dévoilera les principales conclusions de notre dernière étude nationale sur la paie. Alors que le paysage de la paie continue d’évoluer, façonné par les nouvelles technologies, les nouveaux modèles d’affaires et les attentes changeantes des employés, notre étude met en lumière des pistes essentielles pour aider les organisations à s’adapter, innover et prospérer dans cet environnement en mutation.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Laurence Fourchet, National Payroll Institute
Join us for an engaging education session unveiling a key finding from our latest national payroll research. As the payroll landscape continues to evolve—shaped by new technologies, emerging business models, and shifting workforce expectations—our research uncovers critical insights into how organizations can adapt, innovate, and thrive in this changing environment.
Karima Balfoul and Janet Grossett, National Payroll Institute
The history of payroll in Canada has undergone significant transformations, particularly regarding legislative leaves. The creation of these leaves marked a pivotal shift in how employees are compensated during absences due to illness or other personal matters.
In this session, you will:
- Learn the historical evolution of payroll and legislative leaves in Canada.
- Recognize the importance of formalized sick leave policies for employee health security.
- Analyze the impact of legislative changes on sick leave policies.
- Navigate current payroll regulations related to sick legislative leave.
- Evaluate the implications of sick leave legislation for employers.
Nathalie Syratt, National Payroll Institute
Bill 96 is a significant overhaul of Quebec’s language laws, aimed at strengthening the use of French in various sectors, with key provisions taking effect on June 1, 2025.
As of June 1, 2025, companies with 25 to 49 employees are now required to register with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) and begin an official francization process. Until now, this obligation only applied to companies with 50 employees or more. The aim is to ensure that French is the normal language of work, communication, and business within these organizations.
This session will cover the different Bill 96 provisions, their effective dates, and how they impact Québec organizations. More specifically, we explain how they impact payroll professionals, payroll documents and process. Finally, we provide Best Practices so organizations can ensure compliance with Bill 96.
Laurel Serra, PayrollOrg
In this session, we examine the U.S. federal and state wage and hour rules. You’ll understand how the federal and state minimum wage and overtime requirements interact. We will also discuss the federal and state child support and creditor garnishment withholding rules.
Alma Haxhiu, AL/MA RESILIENCE GROUP
Payroll leaders face constant disruption including legislative change, artificial intelligence, and hybrid teams. This session introduces a Resilience and Change Readiness Toolkit designed to protect compliance while improving accuracy and efficiency. Participants will conduct a short resilience stress test, analyze payroll processes against disruption scenarios, and practice two practical rituals that reduce rework and burnout while strengthening team performance. They will also learn how to build a change readiness roadmap and measure outcomes with indicators such as first pass accuracy, rework rate, and cycle time. Designed for Intermediate (3–10 years of experience), this session is also relevant to senior leaders guiding payroll strategy.
Beverly Beuermann-King, R ‘n’ B Consulting – Work Smart Live Smart
Humanizing Change provides payroll leaders with tools to address the human side of change—acknowledging stress, managing resistance, and supporting adaptability. You’ll learn how to recognize different responses to change, address resistance with empathy, and build resilience across your team. The transformation? A workplace where employees feel heard, supported, and empowered to adapt—ensuring change is not just implemented, but embraced.
Shireen Clark, CUPE Logan 374
Join us for this informative session, focused on best practices in a unionized environment. In this session, you will receive an overview of benefits, premium pays, entitlements (vacation, sick) and how to interpret collective agreements. We will discuss where to inquire when there is a question on how they should be applied. We will also walk through how to handle payments on terminations involving grievances and provide you with examples of different collective agreements, and the affects on payroll.
François Robitaille, CNESST Pay Equity
Cette conférence vous initiera aux principaux concepts en équité salariale et vous présentera les différentes obligations des employeurs. Elle vous permettra également de comprendre votre rôle et vos responsabilités dans la réalisation des travaux d’équité salariale.
Les sujets suivants seront abordés :
- les principes directeurs de la Loi sur l’équitésalariale;
- les obligations des employeurs relatives à l’exercice initial d’équité salariale et à l’évaluation du maintien de l’équitésalariale;
- les erreurs les plus fréquemment commises par les employeurs dans la réalisation des travaux d’équitésalariale;
- les outils et les services offerts aux employeurs par la CNESST.