While human rights legislation in all Canadian jurisdictions prohibits discriminatory hiring practices, only the federal government has legislation, the Employment Equity Act, which requires employers to engage in a review of their employment and hiring practices to ensure the diversity of their workforces. The Employment Equity Act, however, only applies to that subset of employers…
Practice Area: Employment Law
OLRB Considers Legitimacy of Subcontractor Relationship
The Ontario Labour Relations Board recently exercised its discretion under section 1(4) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and dismissed a related employer application without a hearing. The union, which had exercised its bargaining rights with a subcontractor, alleged that the principle of that subcontractor was a “ghost at the bargaining table” and was in…
Federal Budget Bill Reported Back to House of Commons
On November 26, 2012, Bill C-45, Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, was reported back to the House of Commons from the Standing Committee on Finance without amendment. As previously reported, Bill C-45 is the federal government’s second omnibus Bill which, if passed, will give effect to certain initiatives contained in its Budget 2012. For more…
Contribution Limit for TFSA Raised $500
The federal government has announced that it will be raising the annual contribution limit for the Tax-Free Savings Account (“TFSA”) by $500, from the current $5000.00 to $5500.00, commencing in 2013.
Regulation Filed under Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act
On November 22, 2012, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 385/12 made under the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996. It provides that the following amounts are to be considered “salary” for the purposes of the Act for each year, commencing in 2012: 1. An amount received by an employee as remuneration on a per…
Helping Families in Need Act Passes Third Reading
On November 20, 2012, Bill C-44, Helping Families in Need Act, was passed at Third Reading in the House of Commons and was referred to the Senate. As previously reported, if passed Bill C-44 will, among other things, make certain amendments to the Canada Labour Code regarding an employee’s right to take leave if his…
Enjoying a Safe Holiday Office Party
Once again, the holiday season is upon us and it is that time of year when employers begin to plan for seasonal and holiday celebrations. Whether these celebrations are large or small, it is important that employers take proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees who attend office parties or other…
Improperly Sent Email Has Legal Consequences For Employer
In a fast-paced workplace, misdirected emails can easily happen and may occasionally result in an embarrassing disclosure of information to the wrong person. A recent decision of the Divisional Court confirms that the inadvertent email can also result in significant legal consequences for employers. In Fernandes v. Marketforce Communications, the employer forwarded the email of a…
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…
Federal Budget Bill Passes Second Reading, Referred to Committee
On October 30, 2012, Bill C-45, Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, passed Second Reading in the House of Commons and was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance. As previously reported, Bill C-45 is the second omnibus budget bill giving effect to certain initiatives contained in the federal government’s Budget 2012.