On March 5, 2013, the Ontario government introduced Bill 21, Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2013. If passed, Bill 21 would allow eligible employees to take the following three unpaid leaves of absences: Family Caregiver Leave Employees would be entitled to take an unpaid leave of absence to provide care or support…
Practice Area: Employment Law
Amendments to SIN and Privacy Codes Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day Division 7 Part 4, sections 304 to 308 and 310 to 312 and sections 685 and 687 to 695 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. Division 7 Part 4 of the JGLPA consolidates the Privacy Codes of the…
John Field Mentioned in The Lawyers Weekly
Hicks Morley’s John Field was mentioned in the March 1, 2013 edition of The Lawyers Weekly in an article entitled, “Case shows individual nature of constructive dismissal”. The article discusses the Ontario Divisional Court’s decision in Kafka V. Allstate Insurance Co. of Canada where the Divisional Court unanimously upheld the Class Proceedings Judge’s decision which…
Hicks Morley Welcomes New Associate
We are pleased to announce that Jodi Gallagher Healy has joined Hicks Morley as an Associate in our Toronto office. Jodi Gallagher Healy is a frequent speaker and commentator on human resources law developments and advises employers on a broad spectrum of labour, employment and human rights issues. Jodi was called to the Bar in 2004…
AODA Accessible Built Environment: Consultation Paper on Proposed Changes to Building Code Released
The Ontario government has released a consultation paper on proposed changes to the barrier-free design requirements of Ontario’s Building Code. The proposed Building Code changes arise from the development of built environment accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”). The consultation process focuses on certain key accessibility requirements, including: Renovations…
Hicks Morley Named in 2013 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide
Hicks Morley is pleased to announce it has been ranked as the leading law firm in the Labour Relations and Pensions category according to the 2013 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. Practice groups included in this category are Employment Law, Labour Relations, Occupational Health & Safety, Pensions & Employee Benefits…
Hicks Morley Lawyers Named in 2013 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide
Hicks Morley is pleased to announce that two of the firm’s lawyers, Christopher Riggs and Stephen Shamie have been recognized as the country’s top practitioners in the 2013 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. They are featured in the prestigious guide based on peer recommendations for their distinguished expertise in Labour…
Amendment to EI Act on Employer Repayment Obligations Proclaimed Into Force
Sections 605 and 607 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, which amend the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) have been proclaimed into force effective January 6, 2013. Section 607 amends section 46 of the EI Act by adding a section which creates a time limit of 36 months on certain EI repayment obligations…
New AODA Built Environment Standards Regulations Filed
On December 17, 2012, the Ontario government filed two regulations amending the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and the Integrated Accessibility Standards, regulations enacted under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 1995 (“AODA”). O. Reg. 413/12 adds new Built Environment Standards on the design of public spaces to the Integrated Accessibility Standards regulation (O….
Second Omnibus Budget Bill (C-45) Receives Royal Assent
On December 14, 2012, Bill C-45, Jobs and Growth Act 2012, passed Third Reading in the Senate and received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill C-45 is the federal government’s second omnibus budget bill which gives effect to certain initiatives contained in its Budget 2012. The Bill should be consulted for coming into force information….