Insights

Hicks Morley publishes a number of materials, both electronic and print, on issue-specific and sector-specific topics of interest to our clients. Our insights section has links to all of our various publications, updates and blogs, both current and historical, to keep you informed of developments in the law that impact human resources.


FTR Now

Changing Workplaces Review Final Report – Focus on the Labour Relations Act, 1995

· 11 min read By: Simon E. C. Mortimer, Michael S. Smyth

In this update related to the Final Report of the Special Advisors under Ontario’s Changing Workplaces Review (Final Report), we focus on the recommendations made by the Special Advisors regarding changes to the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA). While some of the key issues we identify in our discussion overlap with recommendations relating to the…

FTR Now

Changing Workplaces Review – Final Report Issued

· 4 min read By: Craig S. Rix, Paul E. Broad

Earlier today, the government issued the long-awaited final report from the Changing Workplaces Review, entitled An Agenda for Workplace Rights (Final Report), which was prepared by the government-appointed Special Advisors Mr. Justice John Murray and Mr. Michael Mitchell. The Special Advisors were mandated to consider the changing nature of the workplace, the causes behind those…

FTR Now

L’examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail – Publication du Rapport final

· 5 min read By: Craig S. Rix, Paul E. Broad

Le 23 mai 2017, le gouvernement a publié le très attendu rapport final découlant de l’Examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail. Ce rapport, intitulé Un programme pour les droits en milieu de travail (le « Rapport final »), a été préparé par les conseillers spéciaux nommés par le gouvernement, soit M. le juge John Murray…

Case In Point

Landlord Required to Give Additional Notice to Tenants as Religious Accommodation

· 3 min read By: Jeffrey Patterson

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) has recently found that a landlord’s statutory right to show an occupied rental unit with 24 hours’ notice may be limited by a tenant’s requests for accommodation. In Madkour v. Alabi, a Muslim married couple (the Applicants) rented an apartment in the home of the landlord (the Respondent)….

Minimum Standards Monitor

Recent Minimum Standards Cases of Note

· 7 min read By: Nadine S. Zacks, Sunny J. Khaira

In this Minimum Standards Monitor, we discuss two recent cases of interest to employers. In the first, an arbitrator found that an employee returning from maternity/parental leave was not entitled to the exact same work conditions which she left, even though the original job still existed. A comparable replacement position was sufficient…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario 2017 Budget Bill Passes

· 1 min read By: Pamela M. Hillen

On May 17, 2017, the Ontario government passed Bill 127, Stronger, Healthier Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017, omnibus legislation giving effect to initiatives contained in the Ontario Budget 2017. See our FTR Now of May 2, 2017, Ontario Budget 2017, for a detailed discussion of those initiatives which are of interest to employers, human resources…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario to Move Forward with Recommendations on Preventing Violence in the Healthcare Sector

· 2 min read By: Sarah A. Eves, Nadine S. Zacks

The Ontario government has announced that it will be moving forward with certain recommendations from the Workplace Violence Prevention Care Report (Report), released on May 15, 2017, to enhance safety in hospitals and to reduce incidents of workplace violence across the healthcare sector. Among other things, the government will be consulting with stakeholders on the following…

Case In Point

Appeal Court Affirms Exclusive Jurisdiction Model Applies in CFL Concussion Case

· 4 min read By: Stephen J. Shamie, Sean M. Sells

In a case that continues to attract media attention, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (Court) upheld a lower court decision that concluded it was without jurisdiction to hear claims brought against the Canadian Football League (CFL), its teams and various individuals relating to concussions alleged to have occurred to a former professional football player,…

College Update

Are You Properly Authorized to Make that Freedom of Information Decision?

· 2 min read By: Paul E. Broad, Daniel Michaluk

This is a short reminder to our college contacts about an often overlooked feature of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) – the assignment of formal powers and duties to the Chair of the Board of Governors. These powers and duties include those related to the processing of freedom of information requests…