Latest news in Legal issues

NL case involving employer duty to accommodate medical cannabis sent back to arbitration

The Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal has found a labour arbitrator failed to properly analyze an employer’s efforts to accommodate an employee taking medical…

Ontario court rules again for employees in CIBC overtime class action

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has issued additional reasons for judgment in a long-running unpaid overtime class action lawsuit against Canadian Imperial Bank of…

  • By: Staff
  • August 14, 2020 December 2, 2020
  • 15:15
Budget watchdog says wage subsidy program may cost less than predicted

Budget watchdog says wage subsidy program may cost less than predicted

Canada’s official fiscal watchdog says the federal wage subsidy program may cost $14 billion less than the government predicted. A new report by Parliamentary Budget…

Successful return-to-work processes more essential during coronavirus

Successful return-to-work processes more essential during coronavirus

For Chantelle Tadman, returning to work after maternity leave was more eventful than she’d hoped it would be. Between needing to take disability leave during…

Former Starbucks Canada employee suing for unpaid OT on behalf of store managers

A former Starbucks Canada employee is suing the company for unpaid overtime for himself and other store managers. Trevor Hopman is the lead plaintiff in…

B.C. employer’s health tax to impact employees, says study

British Columbia’s new health tax will cost the average worker nearly $3,000 a year in foregone wages, according to a new study released by the…

  • By: Staff
  • August 10, 2020 November 24, 2020
  • 15:15

Government calling for employers to join EI commission

The federal government is seeking applicants for the positions of commissioner for employers and commissioner for workers in its Canada Employment Insurance Commission. The commissioners…

  • By: Staff
  • August 5, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:15
Report calling for paid sick, family leave and changes to EI as part of pandemic recovery

Report calling for paid sick, family leave and changes to EI as part of pandemic recovery

A new report is urging the federal government to introduce new types of leave and make broad changes to employment insurance. The report, by the YWCA Canada…

  • By: Staff
  • July 30, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 08:45

B.C. launches online tool to process temporary layoff extension applications

British Columbia’s ministry of labour is introducing a new online portal to help the government process applications for temporary layoff extensions more quickly. In late June, the province extended the…

  • By: Staff
  • July 27, 2020 December 2, 2020
  • 09:15

Liberals revise wage subsidy, ease eligibility to boost takeup

The federal government is easing eligibility rules for the government’s emergency wage subsidy and changing the amounts businesses can receive. The government had been under pressure…

Genetic non-discrimination law is constitutional, says Supreme Court

Genetic non-discrimination law is constitutional, says Supreme Court

In a split decision, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a federal law that forbids companies from making people undergo genetic testing before buying insurance…

Ontario appeal court ruling marks substantial shift in enforcement of termination clauses

Ontario appeal court ruling marks substantial shift in enforcement of termination clauses

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that where one provision of a termination clause doesn’t meet minimum statutory requirements, it renders the entire clause…

Supreme Court sides with Uber driver seeking better pay, benefits

The Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the way for Uber drivers to take the next step in their fight to be recognized as employees.…

Feds extending time period for temporary layoffs during pandemic

Feds extending time period for temporary layoffs during pandemic

Canada is providing federally regulated employers with more time to recall employees who were laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic. Under employment legislation, employers could temporarily lay…

  • By: Staff
  • June 25, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:15

Feds introducing new regulations to prevent workplace harassment, violence

The federal government is introducing new regulations to protect employees from harassment and violence in the workplace. The regulations, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2021,…

  • By: Staff
  • June 25, 2020 December 2, 2020
  • 08:45
An in-depth look at LGBTQ+ benefits

An in-depth look at LGBTQ+ benefits

In June 2017, the federal government amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals, forbidding employers across all…

Foodora workers vote to join Canadian Union of Postal Workers

While Foodora announced in April that it’s shutting down its Canadian operations, its Toronto and Mississauga drivers, nevertheless, have voted to join the Canadian Union of Postal…

  • By: Staff
  • June 17, 2020 December 2, 2020
  • 15:15

Ontario amending employment standards to make temporary layoffs part of new emergency leave

The Ontario government is amending the Employment Standards Act to make temporary layoffs which occurred after March 1, 2020, part of new emergency leave provisions…

Employers can’t use SUB plans to top up employees laid off due to pandemic

Employers can’t use SUB plans to top up employees laid off due to pandemic

Employers with registered supplemental unemployment benefit plans aren’t able to use them to top up laid-off employees who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.…

Legal considerations for employers as pandemic drags on

With the coronavirus pandemic set as the backdrop for the foreseeable future, employers are getting mixed signals about the best way to function safely and…

Unions across job sectors crying out for increased safety measures

Unions across job sectors crying out for increased safety measures

Unions across the country are pushing for further measures to keep their members safe, whether they stock the frozen food section in a grocery store…

A legal update on the government’s CEWS and CERB programs

A legal update on the government’s CEWS and CERB programs

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many complicated issues for employers. Prudent employers should ensure they’re aware of the resources that may be available during this…

  • By: Rayaz Khan
  • April 14, 2020 November 11, 2020
  • 08:30

Considerations for employers rehiring with help from federal wage subsidies

With a few days under their belts to digest the federal government’s proposed wage subsidy benefits, some Canadian employers are starting to rehire workers who were put…

Webinar: Coronavirus: What do employers need to know?

Webinar: Coronavirus: What do employers need to know?

With the coronavirus pandemic rapidly evolving, the global employment landscape is facing unprecedented challenges. Looking at short-term disability programs, benefits plans, human resources policies and…

Employer responsibilities around benefits, pension provision during coronavirus

Employer responsibilities around benefits, pension provision during coronavirus

As many employers are forced to temporarily lay off employees due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, what does that mean for the provision…