Preparing for the ORPP

Editor’s Note: Bill 186 passed Third Reading on June 2, 2016, as amended by the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Please read about the amendments in our blog post, ORPP Act Passes Third Reading as Amended by Committee. The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) was first announced in the 2014 Ontario Budget as a major…

Federal Reforms Introduced to Prohibit Discrimination on Basis of Gender Identity or Gender Expression

On May 17, 2016, the federal government introduced Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, proposed legislation adding gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA). If passed, Bill C-16 would protect transgender and gender-diverse…

Full Payout to End of Fixed Term Contract in Case of Early Termination, No Duty to Mitigate

In Howard v. Benson Group Inc. (The Benson Group Inc.), the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that in the absence of an express provision specifying a pre-determined notice period or pay in lieu (for early termination without cause), on the early termination of a fixed term contract an employee is entitled to the wages the…

Human Rights Tribunal Rules that Miscarriage is a Disability

In a recent decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) found that the Applicant, who had suffered a miscarriage, had a disability within the meaning of the Human Rights Code (Code). While this decision has garnered much attention in the media, its potential significance for employers going forward may not result from the particular…