On March 5, 2013, the Ontario government introduced Bill 21, Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2013. If passed, Bill 21 would allow eligible employees to take the following three unpaid leaves of absences: Family Caregiver Leave Employees would be entitled to take an unpaid leave of absence to provide care or support…
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.
Human Resources Legislative Update
Certain Old Age Security Amendments Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day sections 449, 450 and 453 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. These sections amend the Old Age Security Act to provide for automatic enrolment of eligible persons for Old Age Security (“OAS”) pensions, to allow an eligible person…
Human Resources Legislative Update
Amendments to SIN and Privacy Codes Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
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…
FTR Now
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…
Human Resources Legislative Update
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…
Human Resources Legislative Update
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…
News
Recent Decisions from Courts of Appeal Provide Guidance on Restrictive Covenants
In a time where employees are unlikely to remain with one employer throughout their working lives, employers often seek to put in place restrictive covenants to limit departing employees from competing with them, soliciting their clients/customers or using confidential information obtained in the course of their employment. The scope of restrictive covenants has recently been…
Human Resources Legislative Update
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…
Case In Point
University’s Removal of Controversial Posters Not Discriminatory under Human Rights Code
In its recent decision SAIA v. Carleton University, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“Tribunal”) found that the decision by Carleton University to remove certain posters from its campus was not discriminatory, nor was it driven by discriminatory animus against Palestinian students. The University had a policy that posters must be approved by the appropriate…
Case In Point
Alberta Court of Appeal Considers Restrictive Covenants and Fiduciary Duties
In Evans v. The Sports Corporation, the Alberta Court of Appeal provides some important guidance on what classes of employees will be considered fiduciaries and what type of conduct will constitute solicitation of clients. Richard Evans was employed for six years by The Sports Corporation (“TSC”) as a sports agent responsible for TSC prospects and…