For those federally regulated employers which became subject to the Pay Equity Act (Act) as of August 31, 2021 (the day the Act came into force), final versions of their pay equity plans and notices of pay increases must be posted no later than September 3, 2024 (the deadline specified by the Pay Equity Unit…
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.
Safe Sport
Key Legal Issues on “Safe Sport” in Canada: Latest Developments on Policy and the Law
Executive Summary Creating and protecting a respectful sport culture is an important priority for governments and public policy-makers in Canada and, increasingly, it is an important legal issue for employers and organizations in the sector as well. A review of any number of recent news articles makes this point clear. This year, the federal government…
FTR Now
Nouveau projet de loi fédéral sur les préjudices en ligne: répercussions possibles pour les employeurs fédéraux
Le gouvernement fédéral a déposé le projet de loi C-63, la Loi sur les préjudices en ligne (projet de loi 63), le 26 février 2024. Le projet de loi C-63 vise à réduire les préjudices en ligne, en particulier pour les enfants, en ciblant la propagation de contenu haineux sur les médias sociaux. Si la loi…
Human Resources Legislative Update
New Federal Online Harms Bill: Possible Implications for Federal Employers
The federal government tabled Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) on February 26, 2024. Bill C-63 aims to curb online harms, especially to children, by targeting the spread of harmful content on social media. If passed, key features would include the establishment of the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, the introduction of an…
Case In Point
Supreme Court of Canada Finds Individuals Have a Privacy Interest in Their IP Addresses
In R. v. Bykovets, released on March 1, 2024, the majority of the Supreme Court of Canada (Court) found that individuals have a privacy interest in their internet protocol (IP) addresses. The issue arose in the context of the Court’s consideration as to whether police had breached section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights…
Human Resources Legislative Update
WSIB Revises Mental Stress Policies to Clarify Role of Witnesses
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has announced that minor revisions to the Operational Policy Manual documents 15-03-02, Traumatic Mental Stress and 15-03-14, Chronic Mental Stress are in effect as of March 1, 2024. As stated by the WSIB, the revisions are intended “to clarify the role of witness evidence in the adjudication of…
Human Resources Legislative Update
WSIB Amends Its Appeals Practices and Procedures
Following a recent stakeholder consultation, in February 2024 the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) published changes to its Appeals Practices and Procedures. The WSIB reports these changes will improve its “efficiency in providing timely, quality decisions and excellent customer service.” Some key changes include:
FTR Now
Ontario Tables Bill Introducing Policy Requirements for Colleges and Universities
Bill 166, Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024 (Bill 166) was tabled by the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities (Minister) on February 26, 2024. If passed, Bill 166 will require every college of applied arts and technology (College) and publicly assisted university (University) to have a student mental health policy and a policy…
Case In Point
Ontario Court Finds Failure to Accept Comparable Position Constitutes Complete Failure to Mitigate
In Gannon v. Kinsdale Carriers, the Ontario Superior Court recently considered what constitutes “comparable employment” for the purpose of mitigation of reasonable notice damages. The plaintiff was employed by the defendant, a federally regulated trucking company, for 23 years. At the time of her termination from employment, the plaintiff held a role that included accounts…
Human Resources Legislative Update
Proposed Regulatory Amendments to Teacher Assignment and Proficiency in Mathematics
The Ontario government recently posted two regulatory amendments related to teacher assignments and proficiency in mathematics for comment. The first is the Proposed Regulatory Amendments to Teacher Assignments. Regulation 298 made under the Education Act mandates that principals must assign their teachers to the best possible program, in accordance with the teacher’s qualifications or as…