Labour & Employment

Not too long ago, pregnancy and parental leaves were the only job-protected leaves under Ontario’s employment standards laws.1 Over the course of the last 12 years, new job-protected leaves have been added to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”)2 at an ever-increasing pace: Persona…

In this entry on Work In Progress Beth Traynor shares an article she read recently that answers the question, “What is it that lawyers sell?”. When clients call me, they sometimes joke that, although I might be personally pleasant to talk to, it’s still a bit like going to the dentist – you …

A recent scandal in the Australian Army has prompted a clear and unambiguous response from the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison. The scandal has arisen in connection with the alleged exchange between certain soldiers and officers of messages and videos which are degrading to …

In her latest blog post, Beth Traynor looks at the impact of extreme heat in the workplace. A 2012 Labour Relations Board decision found that extreme heat can be an ‘Act of God’ and justification for sending employees home if there is a threat to their safety. Beth also discusses the importa…

Q.  When Is a Layoff Not a Layoff? A.  When it’s a termination. A recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court has given some employers confidence that they will always be allowed to lay off employees provided they follow the requirements of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“the ESA”). U…

Many employees have sensitivities to fragrances found in the workplace. This can  lead to headaches, nausea and other symptoms that can hinder an employee’s ability to remain on the job. In this case study, Mary Lou Brady looks at a case involving scent sensitivity and gives tips to employer…

Do you have tattoos?  Do you trust professionals with tattoos? Fashion is constantly changing and more and more people have tattoos and are displaying them in the workplace. In her latest blog post Beth Traynor looks at a 2012 Labour Arbitration decision on whether or not a hospital could ba…

It’s not always enough to understand and apply the law as it stands today.  Employers also need to look to the future in order to make good decisions in the present. This is because today’s decision may be scrutinized by a court or tribunal at some point in the future and any transitions in …

In June 2000, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (“OHRC”) released its Policy on Discrimination and Harassment because of Gender Identity, taking the position that the ground of sex could be used to protect transgender people from discrimination and harassment. The OHRC also called for an a…