This workshop focuses on essential investigation skills required by HR Professionals who are charged with investigating workplace incidents including: workplace harassment and violence complaints, discrimination and harassment complaints under the Human Rights Code, employee misconduct, such as suspected sick leave abuse or time theft, health and safety complaints.
Industry: Universities
New Year – New Standard of Review
Just prior to the end of 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada established a new framework that is designed to guide lower courts on applying the standard of review in judicial review applications. The Court’s long-awaited “trilogy” of cases in Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov and the two companion appeals heard together in Bell Canada v. Canada (Attorney General) represents an express departure and evolution from the framework that the Court set out in the case of Dunsmuir decided over a decade ago.
Alberta Appellate Court Renders Significant Decision on University Autonomy and Expressive Rights
Universities value their autonomy, and though subject to court supervision, have long been accorded significant leeway in managing their academic and non-academic affairs. The Alberta Court of Appeal recently issued a decision that is controversial in its recognition that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms governs an Alberta university’s control over the use of its space. This decision conflicts with jurisprudence in other jurisdictions and may be challenged, but it does highlight the pressures on university autonomy today, particularly as they pertain to matters involving free expression.
Sexual Harassment Incident Response Workshop
Your new hire is alleging that she was sexually harassed by the VP Sales Canada at an industry event – and before you can investigate, the incident goes viral. You know how to run an investigation, but how will you manage everything else about the incident? And what happens when things go off the rails?
Action for Constructive Dismissal as a Result of Workplace Harassment Statute-Barred by WSIA
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT) has held that a civil action for constructive dismissal based on alleged workplace harassment and bullying was statute-barred under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) and could not proceed.
Update on Ontario Government Wage Restraint Initiatives
In this FTR Now, we look at the amendments made to the Bill and their impact on collective bargaining and non-union wage review activities that may have occurred since the Bill was first tabled. We also discuss the government’s recently announced plan regarding “designated executives” under the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act, 2014 (BPSECA).
Ryan J. Freeman
Ryan maintains a broad labour relations practice, with a specific focus on construction labour relations. His practice also includes civil litigation, human rights and collective bargaining. When advising his clients, Ryan takes a strategic, forward-thinking approach and always endeavours to ensure the avoidance of unnecessary legal problems and risks. He actively listens to and engages with his clients, and they regularly reach out to him for guidance on how matters will impact their organizations in the long term.
Court Finds University Erred in Placing Too Much Weight on Marks in Assessing Application by Person with Disabilities
The Ontario Divisional Court has held that a university should not have placed as significant weight on previous grades during its admissions process when considering an application submitted by a person with disabilities. Noting the “unusual” circumstances of this case, the Court remitted the consideration of the applicant’s application to the university’s Admissions Committee “for…
Tatiana K. Lazdins
Tatiana provides advice to employers and management in both public and private sectors on management of digital evidence and eDiscovery processes. As a lawyer and electrical engineer with years of experience providing eDiscovery management consulting services, Tatiana is strongly positioned to leverage top technology for timely and thorough analysis of potential evidence in electronic data sets.
Grant R. Nuttall
Grant’s practice is advocacy-focused and includes collective bargaining, labour disputes, grievance arbitrations, wrongful dismissal, human rights and accommodation, and employment standards. He works across the public and private sectors with a focus on the broader public sector.