1098 Results

Arbitrator Upholds Dismissal of Grievor for Posting Vicious Comments about Co-Worker on Facebook

In a recent labour arbitration award, Arbitrator Laura Trachuk upheld the dismissal of a three and one-half year employee for posting vicious, humiliating and threatening comments about a co-worker on Facebook. While the Arbitrator left many specifics out of her decision in order to protect the identities of those involved, this decision serves as an…

Deadline for Mandatory Health and Safety Awareness Training is July 1, 2014

Commencing on July 1, 2014, all Ontario employers are required to ensure that workers and supervisors receive mandatory safety awareness training pursuant to O. Reg 297/13, Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training. In this FTR Now, we provide a brief reminder about these new training obligations, which were discussed in detail in our November…

WSIAT Finds Limitations on Mental Stress Unconstitutional

On April 29, 2014, Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) issued a significant decision regarding entitlement to benefits for chronic mental stress under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (“WSIA“). In Decision No. 2157/09, the Tribunal found that the provisions in the WSIA limiting entitlement to mental stress that “arises from…

Supreme Court Affirms Broad Public Sector Decision-Making Privilege

Below is a post I wrote for All About Information regarding a significant decision rendered by the Supreme Court of Canada last Friday on the scope of the “advice and recommendations” exemption from disclosure found in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: “Yesterday the Supreme Court of Canada held that the “advice and recommendations” exemption…

Andrew Zabrovsky Discusses Family Status Protections on Global News

Hicks Morley’s Andrew Zabrovsky has was interviewed by Global News on Thursday, May 8, 2014 on workplace accommodations in light of the Federal Court of Appeal’s recent ruling to uphold its Canada (Attorney General) v. Johnstone decision. In Global News‘ video and accompanying article entitled “Court says employers must try to accommodate parents child-care obligations”…

Andrew Zabrovsky Quoted in the National Post

Hicks Morley’s Andrew Zabrovsky was quoted in the National Post on Thursday, May 8, 2014 in an article entitled, “Employers need to be more flexible when work schedules conflict with childcare arrangements, court rules“. The article discusses the Federal Court of Appeal’s ruling to uphold its decision in Canada (Attorney General) v. Johnstone regarding an employer’s…

Federal Court of Appeal Upholds Johnstone, Clarifies Nature and Scope of Family Status Protections

On May 2, 2014, the Federal Court of Appeal unanimously upheld the findings of the Federal Court concerning an employer’s obligation to provide workplace accommodation for an employee’s childcare needs in Canada (Attorney General) v. Johnstone (“Johnstone“), a case that has garnered significant media attention. As the first decision from an appellate-level court on this…

Employer Permitted to Define “Spouse” under Benefit Plan to Exclude Married but Separated Spouses

In a recent decision of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (“Tribunal”) in VanderLinde v. Oshawa (City)  (“VanderLinde”), the Tribunal found that it is not discriminatory for an employer to require that an employee’s legally married spouse be living with the employee as a condition of eligibility as a spouse under its group benefit plan. In…