With the colder weather soon to arrive, many employers are preparing to hire seasonal workers for the winter. A recent decision regarding a seasonal worker serves as a reminder to employers that having the appropriate HR infrastructure in place can save employers from costly mistakes when hiring seasonal workers. In a recent decision, an employee...
ONTARIO ONLY: Having (playfully) mocked the Ontario government for its profound lack of creativity in naming the statutes by which it has been amending employment related legislation in past e-alerts; they have responded, deadpan, with the Working For Workers Five Act, 2024. Yes, folks, it has received Royal Assent. Here are some of the key...
British Colombia Effective November 1, 2024, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) relating to the provision of occupational first aid take effect. These amendments better align BC with the Canadian Standards Association and include updates to requirements for first aid certifications and training levels, first aid kits, first aid assessments, transportation and...
A recent decision by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“HRTO”) reminds Ontario employers once again to avoid terminating employees based on a prohibited ground of discrimination, in this case pregnancy (sex). Ms. Iskander was hired as a cook at a restaurant in Ottawa. During the interview process, Ms. Iskander made it known to the...
September means back to school and, for many families, adjusting to a new childcare routine. Let’s take a moment to re-visit and update our understanding of family status accommodation. To be brief, family status discrimination is the unfair, or less favourable, treatment of an employee due to their caregiving role. Canadian employers have a legal obligation...
The legal obligation to accommodate employees with disabilities is a cornerstone of workplace inclusivity and equality. Rooted in human rights, accessibility, and employment standards legislation, the duty to accommodate is a mechanism to ensure that employees with disabilities are treated with dignity in the workplace. Understanding the Duty to Accommodate The duty to accommodate refers...
A recent case out of Nova Scotia is a cautionary tale for foreign employers (including employers who promote ‘work from anywhere’ type policies/programs). In Mian v. Expro Group Canada Inc., 2024 NSSC 218 (CanLII), the employee originally applied to work for a UK company called Expro North Sea Ltd. and worked for this company temporarily,...
You have posted for an open position, screened through the resumes, interviewed your top candidates and you are now ready to put out an offer. You chat with the candidate on the phone and they are eager to get more information. You draft an email and/or a quick “offer” letter/confirmation, send it to the candidate...
Manitoba Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) is now a general holiday for employees in Manitoba. The new holiday is observed on September 30. Prince Edward Island As of October 1, 2024, in addition to the unpaid sick leave available to employees, employees will also be entitled to paid sick leave based...
In last year’s Alert, we outlined some of the risks and concerns underlying remote and hybrid work policies. As fully remote roles continue to be prevalent, and in light of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Revenue Quebec (RQ) policies announced earlier this year, let’s outline 3 key questions employers need to consider when hiring an...