All organizations in Ontario which employ at least one employee are required to comply with a series of requirements under the standards established by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the regulations promulgated under it. In this Checklist, we provide a general overview of an organization’s AODA compliance obligations, along with checklists to assist you in assessing your degree of compliance and the anticipated timing for future compliance deadlines.
Practice Area: Human Rights
Hicks Morley’s Accommodation Training Workshop Featured in The Lawyer’s Daily
The Lawyer’s Daily has featured Hicks Morley’s Accommodation Training Workshop program in an article published on February 13, 2019. “The grounds for accommodation have been in the Human Rights Code for some time, but they are certainly in the news more. They are increasingly at the forefront of discussions we’re having […] and employers are going to be…
Attention Ontario Colleges and Universities: It’s Time to Review Your Sexual Violence Policies!
All Ontario colleges and universities have an important task to complete soon. They must conduct a review of their sexual violence policies, and this review must consider student input.
Nadine Zacks Quoted in Benefits Canada on Sexual Harassment Claim by University Employee
Benefits Canada quoted Hicks Morley’s Nadine Zacks in a January 23, 2019 article titled “B.C. University Employee Alleges Sexual Harassment, University Denies Claim.” The article discusses a sexual harassment claim at a university in British Columbia, brought by a female employee against her male colleague.
An Update on the Status of Family Status – Just in Time for Family Day
In a recent decision released by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Tribunal found that an employer discriminated against the Applicant, a personal support worker, by failing to accommodate her special childcare needs. The Tribunal found that the Applicant’s employment was terminated at least in part because she was unable to offer more flexible hours due to her childcare obligations. The Tribunal awarded a remedy of $30,000 in compensation for injury to the Applicant’s dignity, feelings and self-respect.
Reaching Out – Fourteenth Edition
Dear Friends, Welcome to our Winter 2019 edition of Reaching Out. The last 18 months have been a tumultuous time in employment law in Ontario. We saw the introduction of sweeping changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Labour Relations Act, 1995 in January 2018, only to see many of them repealed in January…
David Alli Explains the Difference Between Workplace Harassment and Performance Management on Canadian HR Reporter
Hicks Morley’s David Alli was featured by the Canadian HR Reporter on February 4, 2019 in an interview where he addressed the main differences between workplace harassment and constructive criticism and how employers can mitigate these claims.
School Boards Take Note: Recent Developments of Interest
In this Update, we discuss a recent decision of Arbitrator Nyman with respect to what constitutes a collective agreement and which re-affirms the longstanding principle that the interpretation of a collective agreement is first to be based on the plain and ordinary meaning of the written words. We also discuss a topical case with respect to a grievor’s obligation to produce arguably relevant medical documentation in the context of a grievance arbitration – notwithstanding the contractual restrictions that may exist.
We Welcome Thomas Agnew, Kathryn Meehan, Siobhan O’Brien, and Nadine Zacks into the Partnership
Meet our new partners Thomas Agnew, Kathryn Meehan, Siobhan O’Brien, and Nadine Zacks. All are experienced and accomplished labour and employment lawyers who continue to develop their thriving practices.
Tribunal Confirms Human Rights Issues Need not be “Explicitly Decided” to Have Been Appropriately Dealt With in Another Proceeding
In Hewitt v. HTS Engineering Ltd., the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) addressed the issue of whether the Ontario Labour Relations Board (Board or OLRB) had appropriately dealt with the substance of an Application. The decision confirms that human rights issues do not need to be explicitly at issue in another proceeding in order to…