2013 Winter Edition

FOCUS ON BARGAINING Hard bargains LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS The OLRB declines to interfere with  legitimate subcontractor relationship Employment contracts: how to get it right and help your chance of success PROFILE Quick study Download PDF

Supreme Court of Canada Weighs in on Plan Deficits and the Fiduciary Duty of Pension Plan Administrators in an Insolvency: Sun Indalex Finance, LLC v. United Steelworkers

INTRODUCTION On February 1, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its highly anticipated decision in Sun Indalex Finance, LLC v. United Steelworkers, largely overturning the 2011 Ontario Court of Appeal decision. The Supreme Court upheld an expansive definition of the deemed trust under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (“PBA”) and struck down a constructive…

Raising the Bar – Fifth Edition

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”                                                                        Albert Einstein Dear Friends, We’re very pleased to bring you the first 2013 edition of Raising the Bar, as our publication hits its second year. In this issue, we shine a light on the law of fiduciary duties. We discuss…

Ministry of Labour to Target Health Care Workplaces for Safety Inspections

The Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) has announced a safety blitz targeting health care workplaces in the months of February and March. MOL inspectors will conduct inspections to check on issues related to workplace violence and harassment. In this FTR Now, we review some steps you can take to ensure your workplace is compliant with its…

Tattoos/Piercings Part of an Employee’s Identity: Arbitrator

A recent arbitration award has found that a hospital’s dress code policy for unionized employees was unenforceable as it prohibited certain body piercings and required large tattoos to be covered. The arbitrator found that tattoos and piercings are a part of an employee’s identity and that the restrictions in the dress code policy were an…

Supreme Court of Canada to Render Indalex Decision on February 1, 2013

The Supreme Court of Canada has announced that it will render its decision in Sun Indalex Finance, LLC et al. v. United Steelworkers et al. (“Indalex“) on Friday, February 1, 2013. The appeal relates to a decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario that granted “super-priority” to pension funding deficits in a Companies’ Creditors…

Certain Education Act Regulations Revoked

On January 25, 2013, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 38/13 made under the Education Act. The Regulation revokes the following regulations made under the Education Act, effective January 25, 2013: Regulation 287 of R.R.O. 1990 – Designation of School Divisions Regulation 288 of R.R.O. 1990 – Designation of Support Staff Regulation 289 of R.R.O….