A recent decision under the Alberta Employment Standards Code, 1611827 Alberta Inc. v. Shrestha, highlights the importance of understanding how “work” is very broadly defined under employment standards legislation. In the summer of 2019, a worker immigrated to Canada and was struggling to find work in Alberta. After being connected with a pizzeria, the owner...
Atlantic Canada has a reputation for being friendly so perhaps it should come as no surprise that two of its provinces are increasing their respective minimum wages on April 1, 2023 – recognizing the soaring inflation rates across the nation. Nova Scotia’s minimum wage will increase to $14.50 on April 1, 2023. It will subsequently...
While we’re sure you’ve already heard all about the Disconnecting from Work legislation introduced in Ontario last year, we felt it was time for a little reminder. Last year, employers who had 25 or more employees as of January 1, 2022 were to have their Disconnecting from Work Policy implemented by June 2, 2022. But...
While the concept of progressive discipline in the workplace isn’t anything new, it is often under-utilized and misunderstood by many employers. In exceptional circumstances, immediate termination for an act of severe misconduct may be appropriate but, in almost all cases, employers should be guided by the principle of progressive discipline before proceeding with termination for...
A recent decision (Besse v. Reach CPA Inc.) from British Columbia’s Civil Resolution Tribunal (“CRT”) has caught the attention of many – both locally and internationally – and in particular, those employers with remote workers. Facts Karlee Besse, an accountant, was terminated without cause after less than 1 year of service with Reach CPA Inc....
The Ontario government’s second Working For Workers Act, 2022 was passed on April 7, 2022 and makes amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) that relate to the status/classification of IT Consultants and Business Consultants. These changes came into effect as of January 1, 2023. The amendments specifically indicate that ‘business consultants’ and ‘information...
The Government of Canada has announced that, effective December 18, 2022, Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits will increase from 15 weeks to 26 weeks. Eligible employees who are unable to work because of illness, injury, or quarantine who file a claim on or after December 18, 2022 will be eligible for EI sickness benefits up...
The British Columbia Ministry of Labour introduced Bill 41, the Workers Compensation Amendment Act (No.2), 2022, in October 2022. If Bill 41 is passed into law, it will increase employers’ obligations to injured workers who operate in BC under the Workers Compensation Act (“WCA”). The most notable implications of the Bill include the creation of...
The holiday season is just around the corner – yes, already! For many employers, this means gearing up for workplace holiday festivities, perhaps for the first time in-person since the breakout of COVID-19. To make sure a holiday party is a big success, all employers, regardless of size, should consider their responsibility to provide a...
At e2r™, the one topic we talk to our clients about daily are terminations. It is definitely one of the trickiest parts of the employment life cycle, which is further underscored by the sheer number of court cases that come from terminations – and the below case is a prime example. The recent Ontario Superior...