December 2024
November 2024
Nov. 27, 2024 – Former B.C. Interior Health exec who refused COVID vaccine on religious grounds loses fight for EI at Federal Court
Nov. 20, 2024 – Return to sender: Firing of Canada Post supervisor for undisclosed romance with subordinate upheld
Nov. 13, 2024 – Human Rights Tribunal orders Ivy Social Club to pay $35,000 to former bartender for sexual harassment, reprisal
Nov. 6, 2024 – Ontario Court of Appeal rules employee’s release includes vested stock units
October 2024
Oct. 30, 2024 – ‘Refreshing reminder’: Ontario court upholds termination clause, signaling shift to a more employer-friendly approach
Oct. 23, 2024 – Do your workers have ‘side hustles?’ Here’s how employers can (and should) respond
Oct. 16, 2024 – B.C. court rules termination clause unenforceable due to lack of fresh consideration for HungryPanda exec
Oct. 9, 2024 – No suspension for union rep who angrily confronted HR after termination meeting: Court
Oct. 2, 2024 – Disciplining for off-duty conduct: A balancing act for employers
September 2024
Sept. 25, 2024 – Badger Infrastructure Solutions loses bid for injunction against former manager, competitor who hired him
Sept. 19, 2024 – One more chance: Railway conductor at CN reinstated after substance abuse-related dismissal
Sept. 12, 2024 – Bombardier employee must undergo medical exam, answer questions around substance use: Court
Sept. 4, 2024 – Pan Pacific Hotel workers win COVID dismissal case, but B.C. court clears employer of bad faith
August 2024
Aug. 28, 2024 – Review employment contracts regularly or risk incurring extra costs: Lai-King Hum
Aug. 21, 2024 – WSIB didn’t know worker was pregnant when it fired her, says human rights tribunal
Aug. 14, 2024 – Printing specialist terminated during COVID awarded 24 months’ notice, but failed to mitigate damages
Aug. 7, 2024 – Ontario court orders independent medical examination in wrongful dismissal case
July 2024
July 31, 2024 – Union argues TTC worker who quit should be reinstated
July 24, 2024 – ‘You’re hired… just kidding’ – Rescinded job offer costs B.C. employer
July 17, 2024 – Longtime farm worker awarded nearly $440,000 in wrongful dismissal case
July 10, 2024 – Drug, alcohol use creates delicate dance between safety and accommodation: Stuart Rudner
July 3, 2024 – Octapharma ordered to pay $105K after terminating worker who needed accommodation to care for ailing mom
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
April 24, 2024 – Top 10 legal errors employers make – and how to avoid the costly consequences
April 17, 2024 – Arbitrator orders security upgrades in parking garage at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre in wake of assault on nurse
April 10, 2024 – Ontario court overturns reinstatement of GO Transit drivers fired for crude WhatsApp chats, orders new arbitration
April 3, 2024 – Fired CFO at City of Nanaimo awarded $650K, tribunal says misconduct report was tainted by unconscious bias against Black men
March 2024
March 27, 2024 – After the fact: Alleging cause post-termination is fair game, but tread carefully
March 20, 2024 – Rewriting the rules: Employment contracts need review in light of Dufault, says Rudner
March 13, 2024 – Nova Scotia Court of Appeal restores arbitrator’s ruling in contentious UFCW, Sproule Lumber spat
March 6, 2024 – B.C. prof, fired after lying about sexual harassment allegations, has termination upheld
February 2024
Feb. 28, 2024 – Federal Court upholds firing of RBC advisor who manipulated client transactions
Feb. 21, 2024 – Parks Canada underwater archaeologist reinstated after safety dispute over Franklin Expedition shipwrecks
Feb. 14, 2024 – Cupid in the cubicles: Balancing love, and law, in workplace romances
Feb. 7, 2024 – CN Rail had no cause to fire manager who allegedly failed to respond to complaints of sexual harassment: Manitoba court
January 2024
Jan. 31, 2024 – Record human rights award given to B.C. executive assistant subjected to extreme harassment, abuse
Jan. 24, 2024 – Health and safety manager’s termination upheld by Ontario court in bizarre workplace accident case
Jan. 17, 2024 – Former BMO Nesbitt Burns advisor awarded 24 months’ notice, but no bad-faith damages
Jan. 10, 2024 – No free lunches: B.C. Court of Appeal upholds termination of car dealership president who lied about expenses
Jan. 3, 2024 – Labour board dismisses DFR complaint against Saskatchewan union in case involving inappropriate comments during women-focused training
December 2023
Dec. 27, 2023 – ‘Poor decision’: Purolator’s extension of COVID vaccine mandate past June 2022 unreasonable, says arbitrator
Dec. 20, 2023 – Engineer fired without cause via courier, accused of taking kickbacks and even murder, awarded nearly $600,000
Dec. 13, 2023 – Festive fun without the legal fallout: Tips for workplace holiday parties
Dec. 6, 2023 – Project manager at fireplace design firm awarded damages for wrongful dismissal, but court rejects his share entitlement claim
November 2023
Nov. 29, 2023 – Manager at motorhome dealership sentenced to six months’ prison for workplace sexual assault against two women
Nov. 22, 2023 – Former Sotheby’s real estate agent awarded 11 months’ severance after fixed-term contract terminated
Nov. 15, 2023 – What are the standards that employers are responsible for when it comes to harassment?
Nov. 8, 2023 – Courts have repeatedly breached 24-month cap on notice periods, specialized skills might be the factor: Rudner
Nov. 1, 2023 – 30-month notice period for former Avaya Canada worker upheld by Court of Appeal for Ontario
October 2023
Oct. 25, 2023 – ‘Exceptional circumstances’: Ontario Court of Appeal upholds 27-month reasonable notice period for IBM worker
Oct. 18, 2023 – ‘Abusive, planned and deliberate’: B.C. court blasts China Southern Airlines’ conduct that tarnished worker’s reputation
Oct. 11, 2023 – Secret tapes in the workplace: Dismissal of senior analyst over covert recording upheld on appeal
Oct. 4, 2023 – ADR can be faster, easier route to find amicable solutions to workplace disputes: Stuart Rudner
September 2023
Sept. 27, 2023 – Lawsuit alleging ‘poisoned and toxic work environment’ at 3M can proceed: Ontario court
Sept. 20, 2023 – B.C. Court of Appeal affirms ‘distinct’ difference between aggravated, punitive damages in employment law cases
Sept. 13, 2023 – Appeal court ends ‘grudge match’ between employer, worker over meeting and planning future employment with competitor
Sept. 6, 2023 – Calgary Transit worker, fired for refusing to vaccinate or test for COVID, awarded job back
August 2023
Aug. 30, 2023 – Bruce Power had cause to fire manager for schedule manipulation, policy breaches
Aug. 23, 2023 – NB Power justified in firing foreman with clean record for serious safety violation
Aug. 16, 2023 – Turning down the heat: Third-party mediation can resolve workplace conflict, repair relationships
Aug. 9, 2023 – Class action against BMO over vacation, holiday pay ‘provisionally’ certified by B.C. court
Aug. 2, 2023 – Rogers ordered to hand over information on termination packages, HR practices to former worker in wrongful dismissal suit
July 2023
July 26, 2023 – Court reporter, denied late starts to drop kids off at school, wasn’t discriminated against: Tribunal
July 19, 2023 – City of Nanaimo’s former CFO fired for personal use of credit card
July 12, 2023 – How to respond to a Ministry of Labour investigation
July 5, 2023 – Fired Toronto firefighter awarded loss of earnings benefits for work-related PTSD
June 2023
June 28, 2023 – Navigating workplace investigations: Expert insights and best practices for employers
June 21, 2023 – Side hustle exposed: Worker fired for moonlighting during business hours
June 16, 2023 – Company’s ‘unconscious bias’ in firing of Black worker from transit project cited in $160,000 arbitration award
June 7, 2023 – Former PearTree president wins wrongful dismissal case, awarded $10K in punitive damages
May 2023
May 31, 2023 – Employer awarded $112,000 from former worker who quit, stole client in ‘flagrant’ breach of duty of good faith
May 24, 2023 – Man sentenced to jail for sexually assaulting co-worker
May 17, 2023 – B.C. man fired by text after disclosing he had Hepatitis C following workplace injury
May 10, 2023 – Man ordered to pay co-worker $50K for sexually harassing her at work, and at home, before getting her fired
May 3, 2023 – VP, fired while battling colon cancer, awarded $400K as court blasts ‘scorched earth’ defence
April 2023
April 26, 2023 – Lessons from Lisa Laflamme, echoes from Julie Payette and the perils of a toxic workplace
April 19, 2023 – Airline’s argument fails – Canada Labour Code doesn’t allow for layoffs absent contractual right
April 12, 2023 – ‘Attempt to silence’: Employers $150 million counterclaim against worker dismissed
April 5, 2023 – Pregnant pizza server who had hours slashed and was fired awarded $35,000
March 2023
March 29, 2023 – Alberta woman awarded workers’ comp for psychological injury caused by email forwarding
March 22, 2023 – Construction owner barred from human rights hearing for disrespectful conduct
March 15, 2023 – Unrepentant worker fired after discussing co-worker’s sexual orientation on podcast
March 8, 2023 – Edmonton can’t force its transit drivers to pay photo radar, red light tickets
March 1, 2023 – Secret recording made by fired worker highlighted ‘disturbing aspects’ of termination: Court
February 2023
January 2023
Jan. 25, 2023 – ‘Are you here again?’ retort from City of Toronto manager not harassment: Arbitrator
Jan. 18, 2023 – B.C. company wins time theft case against remote worker
Jan. 11, 2023 – China Southern Airlines hit with $100,000 in punitive damages in B.C. termination
Jan. 4, 2023 – Our editors ‘sat down’ with ChatGPT to talk employment law
December 2022
Dec. 28, 2022 – Top 10 stories of the year on HR Law Canada
Dec. 21, 2022 – Sheridan College justified in firing worker who leaked materials to Rebel News
Dec. 14, 2022 – Worker’s secret audio recording of bosses OK: Alberta court
Dec. 7, 2022 – Pandemic did not nullify employment contracts at pub, says B.C. court
November 2022
Nov. 30, 2022 – Pub worker awarded $35,000 after being sexually harassed by owner
Nov. 23, 2022 – Bystanders have a huge role to play in reducing workplace harassment
Nov. 16, 2022 – Intek justified in firing worker who stymied accommodation efforts
Nov. 9, 2022 – Clumsy, expletive-filled meeting a bad idea: Court
Nov. 2, 2022 – Loss of company vehicle constructive dismissal: Ontario court
October 2022
Oct. 26, 2022 – Housing executive fired for sexually harassing job candidate
Oct. 19, 2022 – Pay equity: What happens when a job class evolves from male to female?
Oct. 12, 2022 – Oracle’s just cause termination clause tossed by Ontario court for being too broad
Oct. 5, 2022 – Former employee entitled to see copy of workplace investigation: N.L. Supreme Court
September 2022
Sept. 28, 2022 – Court slams HBC for walking long-serving manager, accused of no wrongdoing, out the front door of Toronto store
Sept. 22, 2022 – Man fired for slapping woman’s buttocks awarded termination pay under ESA by Ontario Court of Appeal
Sept. 14, 2022 – Baker awarded $25K in punitive damages after employer gave him choice between signing incriminating affidavit or keeping his job
Sept. 7, 2022 – Alberta employer justified in firing man who scrawled ‘I am not Muslim’ on his mask at work
August 2022
Aug. 31, 2022 – Executive chef didn’t have right recipe for constructive dismissal: B.C. court\
Aug. 17, 2022 – Alberta doctor suspended after using inappropriate sexual language with colleagues
Aug. 10, 2022 – Vancouver hotel worker, sent packing during pandemic, awarded 18 months’ notice
Aug. 3, 2022 – Cop fired for inappropriate, offensive cookie pic wins job back