While a “snow day” means something very specific to Canadian children (an unexpected day off school!) – it can mean something very different to employers and their employees. Is an Ontario employer required to pay its employees for the day, or at least comply with the “three-hour rule” if they are unable to provide work...
A recent decision by the British Columbia Supreme Court sheds new light on an employer’s ability to terminate an employee for just cause for secretly recording conversations in the workplace. Facts Mr. Shalagin was terminated by Mercer Celgar Limited Partnership on a without cause basis in March 2020. Following his termination, he brought forth complaints...
2022 brings along another increase to Canada Pension Plan premiums contributions. This year, the maximum contributions by employees and employers to CPP is $3,499.80, compared to last year’s $3,166.00 – a 5.3% increase. In 2017, the provinces and federal government agreed to enhance the CPP, commencing in 2019 and spanning over seven years. This year’s...
A recent Quebec labour ruling found that an employee who sustained an injury while working from home was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Back in September 2020, a Canadian airline employee who was working from home got up to take her lunch break. As she was leaving her office to go to the kitchen, she...
Earlier this fall, Ontario’s minimum wage increased by $0.10 to $14.35 per hour, however, that number is now set to increase even more. Effective January 1, 2022, Ontario’s new general minimum wage is going up to $15.00. Student minimum wage will raise from $13.50 to $14.10. It’s also noteworthy that currently the minimum wage for...
The Ontario government announced on December 7, 2021 that it will be extending the Worker Income Protection Benefit program, which provides three (3) paid infectious disease emergency leave days, until July 31, 2022. The purpose of such extension is to continue to keep workers safe and ensure they do not lose pay if they need...
Effective January 1, 2022, all employees covered by the British Columbia Employment Standards Act (Act) will be entitled to 5 paid sick days per year. The entitlement is in addition to the 3 unpaid sick days employees are currently entitled to under the Act. The paid sick leave entitlement will apply to all full time...
On November 30th, 2021, the Ontario government passed the Working for Workers Act (“Act”). The Act, which was first introduced back in October, will require employers with 25 or more employees to develop a written disconnecting from work policy. In the Act, “disconnecting from work” is defined as, “not engaging in work-related communications, including emails,...
Both the BC and Ontario Human Rights Tribunals have recently issued significant general damages awards to employees where an employer failed to respect the employee’s request for the employer to use their preferred pronouns. In Nelson v Goodberry Restaurant Group LTD., the BC Human Rights Tribunal awarded a former server $30,000.00 in general damages for...
Ontario has taken the first step towards requiring employers to provide employees with the ‘right to disconnect’ from work., The Working for Workers Act, 2021 (“Act”) has been introduced (but not yet passed) and would require most employers introduce “right to disconnect” policies as well as bar non-compete clauses. In a purported effort to promote...