Guide To Employees On Workplace Monitoring & International Experience Canada: Application Process - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 14 General Training Reading Test 3 · Part 2 · Questions 15–27
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 15-21 ====
Guide To Employees On Workplace Monitoring
What is workplace monitoring?
Employers have the right to monitor your activities in many situations at work. For example, your activities may be recorded on CCTV cameras, and your letters may be opened and read. In addition, your employer may use an automated software programme to check the emails you receive at work. Phone calls may be listened to and recorded, and the log of websites you use may be checked.
All of these forms of monitoring are covered by data protection law. Data protection law doesn’t prevent monitoring in the workplace. However, it does set down rules about the circumstances and the way in which monitoring should be carried out.
Before deciding whether to introduce monitoring, your employer should identify any negative effects the monitoring may have on staff. This is called impact assessment.
Monitoring electronic communications at work
Your employer can legally monitor your use of electronic communications in the workplace if the monitoring relates to the business and the equipment being monitored is provided partly or wholly for work.
Except in extremely limited circumstances, employers must take reasonable steps to let staff know that monitoring is happening, what is being monitored and why it is necessary.
As long as your employer sticks to these rules, they don’t need to get your consent before they monitor your electronic communications, but only if the monitoring is for specific reasons. These may be to establish facts which are relevant to the business or to check standards, for example, listening in to phone calls to assess the quality of your work. Monitoring is also allowed if its purpose is to prevent or detect crime. It may be necessary to make sure electronic systems are operating effectively, for example, to prevent computer viruses entering the system. Your employer is also allowed to listen in to any calls you make to confidential helplines, but in this case he or she is not allowed to record these calls.
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 22-27. ====
International Experience Canada: Application Process
If you want to travel and work temporarily in Canada as part of International Experience Canada (IEC), your first step is to become a candidate in one or more IEC pools. There are three categories of pool: International Co-op (Internship), Working Holiday and Young Professionals.
To apply, first use our questionnaire to see if you meet the criteria to get into the IEC pools. This should take you about ten minutes. You can find it at cometocanada.asp. After completing this, if you are eligible you will be sent a personal reference code, which you should use to create your online account. At the same time, you should fill in any remaining fields in your profile with the required information, including which IEC pools you want to be in. (Some parts will already have been completed for you.)
If you are sent an invitation to proceed with your application, you will have 10 days to decide whether to accept this or not. If you accept, click the ‘Start Application’ button. You then have 20 days to complete your application.
For International Co-op and Young Professionals categories, your employer in Canada must pay the compliance fee and inform you of your offer of employment number. (This does not apply to the Working Holiday pool.)
Once you have received this, you should then upload copies of police and medical certificates, if required. If you do not have these, you should upload proof that you have applied for them. You should then pay your participation fee of C$126 online by credit card. (There is an additional payment of C$100 if you are applying for the Working Holiday category.)
Your application will then be assessed. You can apply to withdraw at this stage and will be given a refund if you do this within 56 days. If your application is successful, you will receive a letter of introduction which you can show to Immigration when you enter Canada.
Questions
Questions 15–21 Note Completion
Complete the notes below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
Guide to employees on workplace monitoring
Your employer may monitor you at work by checking
- recordings of your activities
- your letters and 15
- your phone calls and which websites you have visited
Rules for monitoring are established by data protection law. This states that employers must carry out a procedure that is known as 16 before introducing monitoring,
In general, monitoring is legal if
- it relates to the business
- you are using 17 intended for work
- the worker has been informed
Monitoring may be used
- to evaluate the 18 of your work
- to stop of find out about 19
- to stop the possibility of 20 affecting systems
- to check calls to 21 (these cannot be recorded)
Questions 22–27 Flow Chart Completion
Complete the flow-chart below. Choose ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER ONLY from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
Applying To International Experience Canada
| Fill in the online 22 to get a personal reference code |
| Create your 23 and provide the necessary information for the profile in your application |
| If sent an invitation, you must accept this within 24 you then have a limited time to 25 the application |
| Your 26 is required to send you an offer of employment number |
| Upload copies of any necessary certificates or proof of application |
| Make the payment for participation online. You may receive a 27 later if you change your mind |
| If successful you will receive a letter of introduction to be shown at immigration |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | Emails | your employer may use an automated software programme to check the emails you receive at work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that your employer might use a special computer program to look at the emails you get while you are working. This means checking your emails is a way of monitoring you. Answer Explanation: The answer 'emails' means the messages that people send and receive at work using electronic mail. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'emails' because the passage explains that employers can check the emails you receive at work. This means that monitoring includes looking at your work emails, which are a type of communication. |
| Q16 | Impact assessment | Before deciding whether to introduce monitoring, your employer should identify any negative effects the monitoring may have on staff. This is called impact assessment | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employers must check how monitoring will affect workers before they start monitoring. This checking process is named 'impact assessment'. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Impact assessment'. This is a process where the employer checks how monitoring may affect employees. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Impact assessment' because the passage explains that employers should identify any negative effects monitoring may have on staff before they introduce it. It emphasizes that this process is important to ensure staff are considered when deciding about monitoring. |
| Q17 | Equipment | Your employer can legally monitor your use of electronic communications in the workplace if the monitoring relates to the business and the equipment being monitored is provided partly or wholly for work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that your boss can check how you use work tools if it is for the job. This means your boss can look at work emails or phone calls made using the company's tools. Answer Explanation: The answer means the tools or machines you use for your work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'equipment' because the passage says that monitoring is legal if it relates to the business and the equipment is used for work. Monitoring of your electronic communications is allowed when you are using the tools given by your employer for business purposes. |
| Q18 | Quality | listening in to phone calls to assess the quality of your work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employers can listen to phone calls to check how good your work is. Answer Explanation: The answer means how good or bad something is. In this case, it refers to a measure of work performance. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Quality' because the passage explains that one reason for monitoring is to assess or evaluate the quality of your work. This means employers check how well you are doing your job. |
| Q19 | Crime | Monitoring is also allowed if its purpose is to prevent or detect crime | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that monitoring is okay if it is to stop or find out about illegal activities. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Crime', which means illegal activities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Crime' because the text says employers can monitor communications to prevent or detect crime. This means that one of the reasons for monitoring is to look for illegal activities. |
| Q20 | viruses / computer viruses | Monitoring is also allowed if its purpose is to prevent or detect crime. It may be necessary to make sure electronic systems are operating effectively, for example, to prevent computer viruses entering the system | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says monitoring can help keep computer systems safe from problems. It gives an example that talks about preventing computer viruses, which are dangerous and can damage computers. Answer Explanation: The answer 'viruses' means bad software that can harm computers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'viruses' because the passage states that monitoring is allowed to make sure electronic systems are working well and to prevent problems like computer viruses. The keyword here is 'viruses,' which refers to harmful software that can affect computers. |
| Q21 | helplines / confidential helplines | Your employer is also allowed to listen in to any calls you make to confidential helplines, but in this case he or she is not allowed to record these calls | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that your boss can listen to your calls to private support services, but they cannot write down what you say during those calls. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the employer can listen to calls you make to special support services that keep information private. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'confidential helplines' because the passage states that an employer is allowed to listen to calls made to confidential helplines, but they are not allowed to record these calls. This is a specific category of calls mentioned in the text. |
| Q22 | Questionnaire | To apply, first use our questionnaire to see if you meet the criteria to get into the IEC pools | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that to apply, you must first answer questions in a questionnaire to check if you qualify for the IEC pools. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Questionnaire' means a list of questions you need to answer. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Questionnaire' because in the passage, it says you first need to use a questionnaire to see if you meet the criteria for the IEC pools. |
| Q23 | Account | you should use to create your online account | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that after you get your reference code, you need to make your online account. This account helps you finish your application process. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Account'. This means a special page you create online to manage your application. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Account' because the passage explains that after you get a personal reference code, you should use it to create your online account. This account is where you fill in your profile with the information needed for your application. |
| Q24 | 10 days | If you are sent an invitation to proceed with your application, you will have 10 days to decide whether to accept this or not | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells us that if you receive an invitation to continue with your application, you have 10 days to choose if you want to accept it. Answer Explanation: The answer is '10 days.' This means you have a period of 10 days to respond after you get an invitation. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is '10 days' because the passage says you will have this time to decide whether you want to accept the invitation to apply. It is a specific period given to you. |
| Q25 | Complete | At the same time, you should fill in any remaining fields in your profile with the required information, including which IEC pools you want to be in | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says you should add all missing information in your profile for your application and which groups you want to join. Answer Explanation: The answer means that you should fill out the online form completely. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Complete' because the passage talks about filling in remaining fields in your profile with required information. This means you need to provide full information for your application. |
| Q26 | Employer | For International Co-op and Young Professionals categories, your employer in Canada must pay the compliance fee and inform you of your offer of employment number | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you want to apply for certain work categories, the employer in Canada has to pay a fee and give you an offer number to help you with your application. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Employer'. It means the person or company that gives you a job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Employer' because the passage explains that the employer in Canada must pay the compliance fee and inform you of your offer of employment number. This means that the employer plays a key role in the application process for working through International Experience Canada. |
| Q27 | Refund | You can apply to withdraw at this stage and will be given a refund if you do this within 56 days | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says, 'You can apply to withdraw at this stage and will be given a refund if you do this within 56 days.' This means if you decide to cancel your application within 56 days, you can get your money back. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Refund'. This means money that you get back if you decide to withdraw your application. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Refund' because the passage states that if you apply to withdraw your application within 56 days, you will be given a refund. This means you can get your money back. |