The Federal Court of Canada has upheld the finding of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (“Tribunal”) that “family status” under the Canadian Human Rights Act (“CHRA”) includes a parent’s obligations to care for a child, and that an employer is obligated to provide accommodation for an employee’s childcare needs. This decision is the latest in…
Practice Area: Human Rights
Lauri Reesor Interviewed by Human Resources Professionals Association
Hicks Morley’s Lauri Reesor was interviewed by the Human Resources Professionals Association at the 2013 HRPA Annual Conference and Trade Show. In the interview, Lauri provides a brief overview of her presentation entitled “The Ontario Human Rights System: Key Developments and Useful Strategies,” which she co-presented with Andrew Zabrovsky. Watch the interview.
HRTO Hearing to Proceed Despite Monetary Offer of Compensation by Respondent
In Sears v. Honda of Canada Mfg., an interim decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“HRTO”), the HRTO rejected a respondent employer’s proposal that it pay the applicant the monetary compensation sought and that the HRTO then decline to hear the matter further as doing so would serve no useful purpose. The applicant…
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…
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….
Reaching Out – Second Edition
Dear Friends, Happy Holidays! Since our first edition of Reaching Out this past summer, the fall has managed to fly by and we find ourselves already gearing up for the holiday season. We hope you found our first edition of our social services update informative and we always appreciate your feedback. In our Winter edition,…
Lauri Reesor Quoted in Canadian Lawyer Legal Feeds
Hicks Morley’s Lauri Reesor was quoted in the December 7, 2012 edition of Canadian Lawyer Legal Feeds. In an article entitled “Case law gap in age-related workplace discrimination,” Lauri comments on the difficulty of addressing workplace discrimination based on age-related disability. She emphasizes that encouraging older workers to retire may constitute discrimination however, once an…
The Federal Contractors Program: What Employers Need to Know
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…
HRTO Considers Allegations of Age Discrimination in Employer Hiring Practices
A recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”) reaffirms Tribunal jurisprudence that an employer’s decision not to interview or hire an older job candidate will not necessarily be a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”). In Loose v. Ontario (Education), the applicant applied for a position posted by…