Change is coming to your current service delivery model. Legislation recently proposed by the Ontario government to repeal and replace the Child and Family Services Act will enhance existing accountability and compliance rules…
Category: Uncategorized
Addiction Defence to Theft of Hospital Opioids Not a “Get Out of Jail Free Card”
Theft of opioids by an employee who subsequently asserts a substance abuse problem can be a particularly challenging workplace issue for healthcare sector organizations. But in this most recent case, the arbitrator upheld a just cause discharge as an appropriate disciplinary response…
Regulation Classifying Employers Under WSIA Amended
On December 16, 2016, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 470/16, amending O. Reg. 175/98 “General” made under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (Act)…
FTR Quarterly – Issue 4, Volume 1
This issue features articles on; Human Resources Trends and Issues to Watch in 2017, the Top 10 Developments in Human Resources Law in 2016 and the Featured Lawyer is Amy R. Tibble…
Arbitrator Rules That He Has No Jurisdiction Over ETFO Central Grievance Concerning Report Cards
In a significant decision, Arbitrator Hayes has concluded that, as a Central Arbitrator, he does not have jurisdiction under the central terms of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) collective agreements to consider a grievance concerning a school board’s instructions to teachers regarding the preparation of report cards…
Default Judgment Giving Rise to New Tort of “Public Disclosure of Embarrassing Private Facts” Set Aside
Early in 2016, we reported on a case in which the Ontario Superior Court articulated a new private tort: “public disclosure of embarrassing private facts.” The plaintiff in that case had been coaxed by a former boyfriend (the defendant) to send him a sexually explicit video of herself. Despite promising the plaintiff confidentiality, the defendant…
Clarifying Pension Portability in Ontario for Retired Members
With the publication of draft regulations to support recent amendments to the Pension Benefits Act (PBA), the PBA will soon expressly permit…
OLRB Considers Employer’s Obligation to Pay for Commuting Time of Employee Using Company Vehicle
When employees are provided with company vehicles to take home at the end of the work day, does the employer have to pay for their commuting time directly to and from a job site?
EI Regulations Amended, Implementing Reduced One-Week Waiting Period
As expected, key amendments to the federal Employment Insurance Act reducing the Employment Insurance (EI) waiting period from two weeks to one week were proclaimed in force effective January 1, 2017…
New Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan to Focus on Criminal Justice System & Policing Practices
With the recent release of the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2022, renewed focus will be placed on criminal justice system accountability and issues around systemic discrimination. Find out what’s in store for your organization – and what you should be doing to ensure that you’re prepared…