2311 Results

Federal Committee Considers Bill Requiring Disclosure of Information by Labour Organizations

On November 7, 2012, Bill C-377, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Requirements for labour organizations) was considered before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Bill C-377 is a private member’s bill which, if passed, will amend the Income Tax Act to require labour organizations to file a public information return…

What Happens When an Employee Breaches a Confidentiality Provision in a Human Rights Settlement?

In Tremblay v. 1168531 Ontario Inc., the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario issued its first decision in which it held an applicant accountable for breaching a confidentiality clause in a settlement arising from the resolution of a human rights application brought against her employer. The employee had signed an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of…

The CBA National Labour and Employment Law Section Newsletter Publishes Article by Julia Nanos

An article by Hicks Morley’s Julia Nanos was published in the November 2012 issue of The CBA National Labour and Employment Law Section Newsletter. In the article entitled, “‘Non-construction employer’ declaration provision of Ontario’s Labour Relations Act, 1995 does not infringe the Charter: ONCA”, Julia comments on a recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision concerning…

HRTO and Developments in the Law of Reconsideration

Organizations which have experience litigating matters at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”) are likely aware that unsuccessful parties often utilize the Tribunal’s “reconsideration” process to attempt to overturn those decisions. While the Tribunal regularly issued reconsideration decisions, it was quite rare for it to grant a reconsideration request. However, recent decisions suggest…

Pension Solvency Funding Relief Is Here…Again

INTRODUCTION On November 1, 2012, important amendments were made to the Pension Benefits Act Regulation 909 (the “Regulation”). The amendments extend the temporary solvency relief measures for eligible defined benefit pension plans and make housekeeping changes to the sections requiring defined benefit pension plans to file annual, rather than triennial, actuarial valuations. This FTR Now…

Significant Decision on Pre-Retirement Death Benefits Rendered by Ontario Court of Appeal

On October 31, 2012, the majority of the Ontario Court of Appeal departed from the pension industry’s widely held interpretation of section 48 of the Pension Benefits Act when it awarded the pre-retirement death benefit payable under an Ontario registered pension plan to a member’s designated beneficiaries rather than to the member’s common law spouse….

Ontario Court of Appeal Decision Rewrites the Pension Pre-Retirement Death Benefit Regime

On October 31, 2012, a majority of the Ontario Court of Appeal awarded the pre-retirement death benefit payable under an Ontario registered pension plan to a member’s designated beneficiaries rather than to his common law spouse. The majority’s decision in Carrigan v. Carrigan Estate (“Carrigan”) is a departure from the pension industry’s widely held interpretation…

New Solvency Funding Relief Regulations Filed

On November 1, 2012, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 329/12 and O. Reg 330/12, each of which amends Regulation 909 (General) made under the Pension Benefits Act. Further to the government’s Budget 2012, O. Reg 329/12 extends temporary solvency funding relief measures for private sector defined benefit pension plans, as first introduced in 2009…

Helping Families in Need Act Reported Back to House of Commons

On November 2, 2012, Bill C-44, Helping Families in Need Act, was reported back to the House of Commons without amendment by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. As previously reported, if passed Bill C-44 will, among other things, make certain amendments to the…