Advantage CPD: Access Requests Under MFIPPA – A Practical Guide For School Boards Webinar

Please note registration for this event has closed. Fee: Complimentary Overview FOI Coordinators responding to access requests need to balance a wide range of issues from clarifying requests and arranging reasonable searches to preparing fee estimates all within tight time frames. This program addresses a number of the strategic and practical considerations which go into…

Public Input Regarding Exemptions From The Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 Requested

On February 10, 2021, the Ontario government published a consultation paper seeking stakeholder input regarding possible changes to the exemptions from the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 (Act). Because the information disclosed as a result of police record checks is often used to assist in determining suitability for employment, employers may wish to offer their…

Ontario’s Regional Approach to Pandemic Management: Amendments to the Yellow, Orange, Red and Grey Zones

The Ontario government is continuing its recently announced return to a regional approach to pandemic management and to a modified provincial COVID-19: Response Framework. The first phase, discussed in greater detail in our February 10, 2021 FTR Now, involved the creation of a new Shutdown Zone as part of the Rules for Areas in Stage…

Ontario Ends Declared Emergency and Resumes Regional Approach to Pandemic Management

On February 8, 2021, the Ontario government announced that the declared emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act would be terminated at the end of day, February 9, 2021. It also announced that it would be gradually resuming its regional approach to managing the pandemic that was previously in effect. While most regions of the province will remain in a shutdown, three public health regions have been moved to lesser restrictions.

Religious Accommodation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression

Requests for accommodation based on an individual’s religious beliefs, gender identity and/or gender expression can present unique challenges. How you respond to these types of requests can mean the difference between a finding that suitable accommodations were offered and one that exposes your organization to significant liability. Join us for a webinar that addresses the legal obligations and best practices to keep in mind as it relates to religious accommodation, gender identity and gender expression.

Ontario Publishes Updated Tool for Screening Workers

The Ontario government has updated its COVID-19 tool for screening workers before they go to work each day. The “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers),” issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, contains several changes of note to employers. These include: a reference to the regulatory screening requirement under O. Reg….

Ontario Court of Appeal Finds Anti-SLAPP Motions Can Apply To Causes of Action Beyond Defamation

The Ontario Court of Appeal recently released two decisions which consider the Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) provisions of the Courts of Justice Act. The provisions are aimed at discouraging actions that have the harmful effect of chilling individuals and organizations from speaking out on matters of public interest. The first decision of the…

Enforceability of Minimum Standards-Only Termination Clauses in Employment Contracts – What Employers Need to Know

On January 14, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada denied the employer’s leave to appeal application from the decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal in Waksdale v Swegon North America. That decision held that termination clauses in employment contracts must be read together and if one contravenes the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), all…