The Ontario government has established a Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee to lead consultations and to provide recommendations on the “future of work” in the province. As stated by the government, the Committee’s recommendations regarding the “future of work” will focus on three pillars: Economic recovery: How to make Ontario the top jurisdiction with a world-class…
Practice Area: Labour Relations
Arbitrator Upholds College’s Requirement that Employee be in Receipt of Employment Insurance Benefits to Receive SUB Payments
In Re Niagara College v. Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Arbitrator Schmidt held that revisions to pregnancy and parental leave provisions in the 2017 – 2021 academic collective agreement did not extend entitlement to Supplementary Unemployment Benefits (SUB) where an employee’s entitlement to employment insurance (EI) benefits had been exhausted. In the 2017 negotiations, the…
Ontario Moves to Step 3 of Reopening Plan
Effective July 16, 2021, all public health units in Ontario will be permitted to move to Step 3 of the province’s Roadmap to Reopen. This move comes ahead of schedule and is the result of improvements to key health indicators including decreasing COVID-19 case rates and high rates of vaccination. Once this occurs, all public…
Important Updates Regarding the Federal Pay Equity Act, the Canada Labour Code and CLC Regulations
In this Federal Post, we cover recent developments with respect to the federal Pay Equity Act, amendments to the Canada Labour Code (CLC) and highlight the proposed amendments to the CLC Regulations that are currently open for public consultation. Federal Pay Equity Act In Force on August 31, 2021 By: Lucy Wu The federal Pay…
Henry Dinsdale and George Vuicic Elected Fellows of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers
Hicks Morley is pleased to announce that Henry Dinsdale and George Vuicic have been elected Fellows of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers in the Class of 2021. The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers is a non-profit professional association honouring the leading lawyers in the practice of labour and employment law.
Arbitrator Upholds Employers’ Mandatory COVID-19 Testing Program
In Ellisdon Construction Ltd. v Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 183, Arbitrator Kitchen recently upheld the Abbott Panbio Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Screening Program implemented by EllisDon, a construction and building services company, at many of its worksites. Arbitrator Kitchen stated that “[w]hen one weighs the intrusiveness of the rapid test against the objective…
Ontario Moves to Step 2 of Reopening Plan
Effective June 30, 2021, all public health units in Ontario will be permitted to move to Step 2 of the province’s Roadmap to Reopen. Once this occurs, all public health units in the province will be subject to the conditions established by O. Reg. 263/20, Rules for Areas in Step 2, as amended by O….
Queen’s University IRC Labour Relations Foundations Programs 2021
Hicks Morley`s Michael Smyth will be presenting at the IRC Queen`s Labour Relations Programs on June 16, 2021
Federal Government Designates September 30 as Public Holiday for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On June 3, 2021, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), received Royal Assent. It officially designates September 30 of each year as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This marks a new public holiday under the Canada Labour Code (Code).
Ontario’s Declared Emergency and Stay-at-Home Order End on June 2, 2021
The declared emergency and the Stay-at-Home Order, both made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) on April 7, 2021, terminate today, June 2, 2021. Note that a Declared Emergency Leave (DEL) taken under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, generally ends on the date the declared emergency terminates, subject to exceptions. By motion…