At HRPA’s Annual HR Law Conference, Tatha Swann, founder of Swann Law in Toronto, provided an insightful session on constructive dismissal viewed through the lens of COVID-19 related layoffs. “There …
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Employment ContractsFeatured
Clear employment contracts can reduce liability, if you steer clear of pitfalls: J.P. Karam
There’s a simple reason why employment lawyers encourage HR professionals to use employment agreements with employees, according to J.P. Karam, a partner at Willis Business Law in Windsor, Ont. “It’s …
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Opinion/Commentary
Ruling highlights HR challenges in balancing termination, discipline in zero-tolerance era
What would you do if one of your workers, in the lunchroom before the start of his shift, referred to women as “hos”? And what if your workplace was in …
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FeaturedWrongful Dismissal
Terminated pulp mill employee, induced to leave secure job, awarded 12 months’ notice by B.C. court
A former operations specialist at Mercer Celgar has been awarded 12 months’ notice after the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled he was induced to leave a long-term job. G.F., …
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Occupational Health & SafetyOpinion/Commentary
Finding good in the bad: Alberta’s creative sentences for OHS incidents create legacy of safety improvement
Alberta continues to be creative with its fines for workplace safety incidents — and it’s a path other jurisdictions in Canada should be going down when it comes to penalizing …
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An Ontario court has stayed a class action lawsuit against Lyft over the classification of their drivers as independent contractors. Lyft is a San Francisco-based ride-sharing company that connects dr… …
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Opinion/Commentary
Masked defenders: Walmart Canada steps up, takes heat off employees in human rights fight
Retail giants are often viewed as villains. But a recent move by Walmart Canada to defend two of its employees in a workplace human rights complaint is worth lauding — …
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Opinion/CommentaryWorkplace Investigations
Parq Vancouver plays winning hand in human rights case, provides blueprint on how to handle serious complaint
I’ve written a lot of stories over the years about legal missteps by employers and the damages that can cause to workers, reputation, and the bottom line. But every once …
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Arbitration/Labour RelationsFeaturedWorkplace Violence
Arbitrator orders security upgrades in parking garage at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre in wake of assault on nurse
An arbitrator has called out an “unacceptable level of risk to the safety of employees” using a parking garage at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) hospital in Winnipeg. Arbitrator Kristin …
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Opinion/Commentary
GO Transit case highlights the shadows cast by off-duty conduct after Ontario court blasts arbitrator’s reasoning
An Ontario court has confirmed, underscored, highlighted — and just plain emphasized, yet again — that employers have a duty to investigate allegations of workplace harassment even if there is …