Case In Point

Supreme Court of Canada Recognizes Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in Digital Communications

There has been significant discussion of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decisions in R v Jones and R v Marakah – cases in which the Court recognized a reasonable expectation of privacy in text messages that police obtained from others. In Jones, the police obtained messages from a telecom company and in Marakah the police…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Supporting Regulations to Bill 148 Now Available

On December 18, 2017, the Ontario government filed the following regulations in support of amendments made by Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Betters Jobs Act, 2017, to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA): Regulations Made Under the ESA: 1.   O. Reg. 526/17 amends O. Reg. 285/01 (Exemptions, Special Rules and…

FTR Now

Can Workplace Discrimination Arise Out of a “Non-Traditional” Employment Relationship? The Supreme Court of Canada Says “Yes”

In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of Canada held that workplace discrimination can be perpetrated by someone other than the complainant’s employer or superior. Accordingly, employers should be aware that they may be responsible for discrimination against workers who are not their employees, where a “sufficient nexus” exists between a complainant and a respondent in the employment context. Learn more in this FTR Now.

FTR Quarterly

FTR Quarterly – Issue 8

In This Issue 10 Top Developments in Human Resources Law in 2017 The Road Ahead: Key 2018 Implementation Dates Cross-Border Expertise Featured Articles 10 Top Developments in Human Resources Law in 2017 By: Amanda Lawrence-Patel 2017 was quite a year for news – with harassment revelations that have rocked institutions across North America, a new…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Bill 177 Receives Royal Assent, Amends WSIA, OHSA, PBA and BPSECA

On December 14, 2017, Bill 177, Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017, received Royal Assent. Bill 177 is omnibus legislation which amends several statutes, including the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Pension Benefits Act and the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act. Workplace Safety and Insurance…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Announces Intention to Add Nurses as First Responders for Purpose of WSIB PTSD Presumption

On December 6, 2017, the Ontario Ministry of Labour announced that it intends to add nurses who provide direct patient care to the list of “first responders” who benefit from a presumption of work-relatedness if they develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The change is aimed at expediting front-line nurses’ access to benefits and timely treatment…

Human Resources Legislative Update

The (Funding) Future is Here: Ontario Releases Pension Funding Reform Details

On December 14, 2017, the Ontario government published the long-awaited details to support the proposed reforms to funding rules for Ontario pension plans. The proposed regulations describe the amendments to the Pension Benefits Act Regulations that will, among other things: Alter solvency funding obligations, by reducing the solvency deficiency required to be funded (such that…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Omnibus Healthcare Bill Passed

On December 12, 2017, Bill 160, Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill 160 is omnibus legislation which addresses the delivery of healthcare services in Ontario. It enacts the Health Sector Payment Transparency Act, 2017, Medical Radiation and Imaging Technology Act, 2017 and Oversight of Health Facilities…