This virtual session offers an inside look at Options Employment Outreach Inc. — a hidden gem in Greater Saint John.   The session will include who we serve, what we do, and how we function as a central hub connecting individuals, employers, and other non-profit organizations.  Mary Stack will share:

• The populations Options supports, including individuals with disabilities and those facing barriers to employment
• The challenges many clients experience when navigating the workforce
• How Options collaborates with other non-profits and agencies to strengthen outcomes
• Why partnership — not duplication — is the key to community impact

This session will provide HR professionals and community leaders with a clearer understanding of how Options supports inclusive workforce participation and how collaboration creates stronger results for everyone.

Options is a proud member-agency of avenueNB. 

Options turns 30 on April 1 and this session in March will serve as a great introduction to CPHRNB’s upcoming event on April 30, a partnership between Options and Eddie Lamoine: https://secure.cphrnb.ca/events-calendar/english.php?event_id=1176

Workplace conflict rarely reaches HR early or in a simple form. It shows up late, emotionally charged, and shaped by fear, power, and organisational dynamics. This webinar offers HR professionals a new way of reading conflict, not as a single issue to fix, but as a signal of how people, systems, and authority are interacting under pressure. Participants will learn how conflict evolves over time, why familiar approaches work in some situations and fail in others, and how HR’s early responses can stabilise or intensify escalation. The session focuses on practical insights HR can use immediately to assess situations, set direction, and respond more effectively.

In this webinar, you will learn to:

• Recognise how and why workplace conflict escalates over time, and how timing affects which HR interventions are likely to work
• Apply interest-based negotiation, the most common “win-win” approach, and recognise its key limitations in workplace conflict
• Identify how interests, rights, and power shape how people enter and escalate workplace disputes
• Apply the most effective early stabilising move HR can make to support de-escalation
• Use conflict reaching HR as a diagnostic lens to understand how conflict is being handled upstream, and how people are using HR within the workplace system

We will explore how HR and recruitment professionals can balance the growing use of technology with the essential human elements that create trust, connection, and meaningful candidate experiences. This session dives into current recruitment challenges, the risks of over‑automation, and the business value of a human‑centered approach. Participants will learn practical strategies, real examples, and actionable tools to make recruitment more authentic, inclusive, and relationship‑driven, while still leveraging technology for efficiency. Ideal for HR leaders and practitioners seeking to elevate candidate experience, strengthen employer brand, and future‑proof their recruitment practices.

April 23rd and 24th

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification is a comprehensive, evidence-based mental health training program developed by Opening Minds, an initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada dedicated to reducing stigma and strengthening mental health literacy across workplaces and communities.

This interactive two-day certification course equips participants with the practical skills, knowledge and confidence to recognize when someone may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or facing a mental health crisis. Participants learn to distinguish between mental health and mental illness, understand common mental health challenges, identify risk factors and protective factors, and respond in a supportive and appropriate way.

Using MHFA’s evidence-informed action plan participants practise how to:

• Recognize signs and symptoms of common mental health problems
• Respond to emerging mental health concerns
• Support someone experiencing a mental health crisis
• Reduce stigma and increase confidence in having meaningful conversations about mental health
• Promote recovery-oriented and strengths-based approaches
• Protect their own well-being as a helper

Through scenario work, group discussion and skill-based scenarios, participants build practical communication tools they can immediately apply in their workplace and community.

Certification Requirements:

To receive MHFA Certification (valid for three years), participants must:

• Attend the full two-day course. Attendance is mandatory for the entire duration. Missed time cannot be made up through alternate sessions or materials.
• Successfully complete the certification assessment with a minimum grade of 75%. Participants are provided up to three attempts to achieve a passing grade.

Upon successful completion of both the full course attendance and assessment requirement, participants receive a nationally recognized MHFA Certification valid for three years.

This training is ideal for HR professionals, people leaders and anyone who wants to contribute to a more psychologically safe and supportive workplace.

May 7th and 8th

This two-day course offers a comprehensive examination of workplace investigations, covering relevant legislation, clarifying the scope of investigation mandates, and providing instruction on effective interview techniques and report writing. This workshop can be provided online or in-person in French or English. A sample agenda is attached. Participants will be provided with a certification in Workplace Investigations through the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources New Brunswick Association.

Day 1: Foundations of Workplace Investigations

Welcome and Training Objectives

Introduction to the training program, facilitator introductions, and participant expectations.

Overview of Applicable Legislation

Review of relevant employment laws, human rights codes, and regulatory frameworks governing workplace investigations.

Understanding the Investigation Mandate

Clarifying the scope, authority, and purpose of an investigation. Discussion on neutrality and procedural fairness.

Conducting Interviews and Collecting Evidence

Best practices for planning and conducting interviews. Techniques for gathering and documenting physical and digital evidence.

Special Considerations: Reluctant Witnesses and Anonymous Complaints

Strategies for handling uncooperative participants and managing confidentiality and credibility in anonymous reports.

Day 2: Applying Investigation Techniques 

Assessing Credibility

Frameworks and indicators for evaluating the reliability of statements and consistency of evidence

Report Writing Essentials

Structure and content of investigation reports. Writing clear findings and recommendations.

Workshop: Applying Investigation Tools

Participants apply learned techniques in a guided scenario-based workshop, focusing on interviews, evidence review, and analysis. 

Workshop Debrief and Lessons Learned

Group discussion on approaches used, challenges encountered, and key takeaways from the workshop.

Save the date for CPHR New Brunswick’s annual Labour & Employment Law Conference, returning June 11, 2026 in the Greater Moncton area.

This highly anticipated event brings together HR professionals, organizational leaders, and legal experts for a day focused on the latest developments in labour and employment law affecting New Brunswick workplaces.

Participants can expect practical insights, timely legal updates, and meaningful discussion on emerging workplace issues, compliance considerations, and best practices for navigating today’s complex employment landscape.

Additional details, including venue confirmation, speakers, and registration information, will be announced soon.

Mark your calendar and stay tuned.

Save the Date

Join HR professionals from across Atlantic Canada for three days of connection, insight, and forward-thinking conversations shaping the future of work.

The 2026 CPHR Atlantic HR Conference will bring together leaders, practitioners, and emerging voices in HR for engaging keynote sessions, practical breakout learning, meaningful networking, and an unforgettable Atlantic experience.

Hosted by CPHR/CRHA New Brunswick, this flagship regional event will spotlight innovation, leadership, workforce transformation, and the evolving role of HR as a strategic partner.

Mark your calendar for October 27 to 29, 2026.
More details, speakers, and registration information coming soon.

We look forward to welcoming you to Saint John.