Employer Obligations and the Right to Vote
Election day is quickly approaching! With the Federal election scheduled for October 21, 2019, employees of your organization may be entitled to paid time off to vote. The Canada Elections...
Articles
Beware of the Dreaded Oral Agreement!
A recent Ontario decision serves as a good reminder to employers to be weary of entering into oral employment agreements. In Mineault v. E.S. Fox Limited, the employee was hired...
Six Months’ Service = Six Months’ Severance
A very recent decision from the British Columbia Superior Court reaffirms that short service employees will be awarded disproportionate reasonable notice awards if the circumstances fit. Mr. Greenless worked for...
Contractors: Dependent or Independent
The Ontario Court of Appeal recently provided some much-needed guidance on how to identify a dependent contractor in Thurston v. Ontario (Children’s Lawyer) (“Thurston”). A dependent contractor is a third...
Beware of the fixed-term contract! $1.3 million awarded to Former Employee
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently awarded a whopping $1.3 million to a former general manager of a funeral home in North Bay, Ontario. In, McGuinty v. 1845035 Ontario...
A Slap (or Three) in the Face – Ignore a Harassment Claim and Pay the Price!!
In Bassanese v German Canadian News Company Limited et al, an employer learned the hard way that ignoring a complaint of workplace harassment can result in serious financial consequences. The...
Is “Ethical Veganism” Considered a Prohibited Ground of Discrimination?
In 2017, Adam Knauff, an Ontario firefighter, was working for his employer – Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in British Columbia – fighting forest fires. Mr. Knauff is...
Bills C-63 and C-86 to come into force September 1, 2019
Federal employers finally have an in-force date for previously proposed legislation as the federal government recently confirmed the changes to the Canada Labour Code will come into force on September...
Legislative Changes for Alberta
The Alberta government has proposed Bill 2: An Act to Make Alberta Open for Business (“Bill 2”). If passed, Bill 2 will repeal or revise some of the workplace amendments...
Good News! Severance Pay Based on Ontario Payroll Only!
As most employers who operate in Ontario are aware, in accordance with the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, as amended (the “ESA”), an employer who terminates an employee without cause...