The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day Division 7 Part 4, sections 304 to 308 and 310 to 312 and sections 685 and 687 to 695 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. Division 7 Part 4 of the JGLPA consolidates the Privacy Codes of the…
Industry: Healthcare
Rules Amending Federal Courts Rules Registered
On February 8, 2013, the federal government registered Rules Amending the Federal Courts Rules (“Rules”). The Rules are the result of a consultation process and are housekeeping in nature. Among other things, the Rules give greater flexibility to the Chief Justice to schedule motions days, specify formatting requirements for documents, set out exceptions to general…
Accommodating Childcare Needs: Understanding Your Obligations
In a recent edition of FTR Now, we reported on two significant Federal Court decisions, Johnstone v. Canada and Seeley v. Canadian National Railway, which confirmed that employers have an obligation to accommodate their employees’ childcare needs. Since the date that FTR Now was published, these two decisions have continued to generate a considerable amount…
British Columbia Introduces PRPP Legislation
On February 28, 2013, the government of British Columbia introduced Bill 16, Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act. If passed, Bill 16 would authorize pooled registered pension plans (“PRPPs”) to be made available to provincially-regulated employees and self-employed persons in British Columbia, subject to the requirements set out in the federal Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act…
Regulation under Section 80.1 of the Pension Benefits Act Proposed
The Ontario government has proposed a new regulation relating to pension asset transfers made under section 80.1 of the Pension Benefits Act (“Act”). Proposed content for this regulation was previously posted for consultation in July 2011. This regulation is required before section 80.1 of the Act comes into effect. Once proclaimed into force, that section…
Court of Appeal for Ontario Clarifies Obligation to Report Injuries to Non-Workers
The recent Blue Mountain Resorts decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario has clarified the circumstances in which employers are required to report a critical injury or fatality suffered by a non-worker under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”). This FTR Now reviews the decision and its implications for employers. BACKGROUND On December…
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…
Can Hospitals Impose a Dress Code that Prohibits Large Tattoos and Excessive Body Piercings in a Unionized Environment?
Apparently not, according to Arbitrator Slotnick’s recent award in Ottawa Hospital v CUPE. This award concluded that a hospital’s dress code policy was unenforceable as it required employees to cover up large tattoos and prohibited “visible, excessive body piercings.” The hospital argued that the dress code was minimally intrusive and its goal was to improve…
Nortel Pension Plans Regulation Filed
On January 15, 2013, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 10/13, Nortel Pension Plans, made under the Pension Benefits Act (“Act”) In May 2011, the Act was amended to allow all pensioners of two specified Nortel Networks pension plans to transfer the commuted value of their benefits out of the plans. O. Reg. 10/13 prescribes…
BYOD Policy – Charting A Good Path To Higher Ground
The desire to use personal mobile devices to undertake work has risen like the incoming tide. Employers must make a choice: turn the tide on the use of personal devices by re-enforcing an outright ban or chart a thoughtful path to higher “Bring Your Own Device” or “BYOD” ground. Employers that do neither will sink…