Practice Area: Labour Relations

Ontario Introduces Legislation to Reverse Key Bill 148 Employment and Labour Reforms

· 3 min read

On October 23, 2018, the Ontario government announced that it will be introducing proposed legislation today to repeal many of the significant employment and labour law reforms enacted by Bill 148 – including provisions with respect to equal pay, paid personal emergency (PEL) days, scheduling, card-based certification for certain industries and eliminating the requirement that employers provide unions with contact information for employees where they demonstrate that they have 20% support. Learn more in this FTR Now.

Chambers Canada 2019 Guide Recognizes Hicks Morley for Employment and Labour, Pensions and Benefits, and Privacy and Data Protection

Hicks Morley has been recognized in Chambers Canada 2019 Guide for Employment & Labour – Nationwide and Ontario, and Pensions & Benefits – Nationwide. The firm receives praise from clients for giving “sound advice and explaining things in a business-friendly way,” as well as for its “very strong bench” as well as its “technical expertise and promptness.”

Congratulations to our lawyers who have been recognized as notable practitioners in Chambers Canada 2019.

Cannabis in the Workplace: Workplace Policy [Video]

· 5 min read

In light of the upcoming legalization of recreational cannabis, it is critical that employers review all current policies to determine whether revisions are required. In this video, Jacqueline Luksha reviews key features of a Drug and Alcohol policy related to cannabis in the workplace. She also discusses the importance of training regarding cannabis use, and touches on policies dealing with accommodation requests.

Appellate Court Finds Employer a Derivative Federal Undertaking, Overturns OLRB Decision

· 3 min read

A recent decision of the Ontario Divisional Court, Ramkey v. Labourers International Union of North America et al, has provided employers performing work in support of federally regulated undertakings welcome clarity with respect to their status. The Court found that an employer (Ramkey) which provided construction technicians to work on telecommunications networks owned by telecommunications…

Amanda P. Cohen

Amanda provides advice and representation to employers and management in both the private and public sectors on a wide range of labour, employment and human rights issues including grievance arbitrations, collective bargaining, labour disputes, occupational health and safety, human rights and accommodation, and employment standards.

Arbitrator Finds Nurse Not Entitled to Compensation for Time Spent Attending Re-Certification Testing

· 5 min read

A recent arbitral decision, South Bruce Grey Health Centre v. Ontario Nurses’ Association, clarifies the issue of compensation for re-certification under the centrally negotiated ONA Collective Agreement with the Participating Hospitals. The two grievances raised the issue of “whether a nurse is entitled to compensation for attending testing for the purposes of re-certification required by the Hospital”.