Successfully represented a large school board in a labour arbitration where the union sought compensation for expenses employees incurred as a result of switching to remote work at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. All grievances were dismissed.
Industry: School Boards
Successfully resolved an appeal before the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario for a large school board where the complainant challenged the reasonableness of the board’s search efforts in satisfying an access request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Successfully resolved an appeal before the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario for a large school board where the complainant challenged the reasonableness of the board’s search efforts in satisfying an access request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
2023 OPSBA Annual General Meeting & Program: Keynote Address: Human Rights and Equity Priorities for School Boards: A Matter of Opinion?
What if a school board trustee disagrees with the requirements of the Ontario Human Rights Code? Are human rights a matter of opinion? In her keynote address on June 10, Njeri Damali Sojourner-Campbell will discuss human rights and equity priorities for school boards.
Provided strategic advice to school board clients during in-camera board meetings, and to municipal clients during closed-session council meetings.
Provided strategic advice to school board clients during in-camera board meetings, and to municipal clients during closed-session council meetings.
Recent Cases of Note
Welcome to our latest edition of the School Board Update. In this update we discuss two significant decisions. The first is an arbitration decision where the grievor alleged the Ottawa Catholic School Board failed to accommodate her and discriminated against her on the basis of her age by requiring her to teach on site rather…
Agatha Suszek
Agatha Suszek is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. She represents and advises employers on a variety of matters related to employment law and human rights. She regularly advises her clients on a number of workplace-related issues including privacy, discrimination, accommodation and discipline. Agatha serves a variety of clients including private companies and public institutions.
Regularly advises a large school board in labour matters, many of which involve serial grievors who have a tendency of commencing litigation in several forums at once.
Regularly advises a large school board in labour matters, many of which involve serial grievors who have a tendency of commencing litigation in several forums at once.
Ontario Proposes Significant Amendments Impacting School Board Sector
On April 17, 2023, the Ontario government introduced Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 for First Reading. If passed, Bill 98 would amend the Education Act, the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996 and the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007. The government has invited interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed amendments…
Did You Ask to Share That? Arbitrator Comments on School Board’s Ability to Share Medical Information with Third Party
In Toronto Catholic District School Board v Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 1328, Arbitrator Goodfellow recently issued a local arbitration decision concerning the administration of the Board’s sick leave and short-term disability plans. The hearing related to multiple grievances all touching on similar issues. Arbitrator Goodfellow specifically answered two questions: (i) Could the Board…
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA): 2023 Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium
The OPSBA Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium features informative keynote speakers, panels and workshops on managing human resources issues in the media, workplace investigations, safe schools, collective bargaining, social media in the workplace, employment equity and employee wellness.