Hicks Morley is pleased to announce it has once again ranked as the leading law firm in the Labour Relations and Pensions category according to the 2015 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. Practice groups included in this category are Employment Law, Labour Relations, Labour Relations (Construction Sector), Occupational Health & Safety,…
Practice Area: Occupational Health
Maintaining a Workplace Free of Sexual Harassment
Over the past several months, the issue of workplace sexual harassment has been in the spotlight and the subject of considerable discussion. In response to recent media attention, the Ontario Human Rights Commission recently issued a statement reiterating the legal duty of employers to prevent sexual harassment and to respond to any complaints in the…
The Ministry of Labour and Ebola Preparedness
In light of recent concerns regarding the outbreak of Ebola abroad, the Ontario Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) has been conducting a series of Ebola preparedness investigations targeting hospitals and paramedic services. In this FTR Now, we outline best practices for handling an investigation by the MOL and consider the right of employees – including health…
Omnibus Workplace Laws Bill Amended at Committee Stage (Bill 18)
On November 4, 2014, Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”) was reported back to the Legislature as amended by the Standing Committee on General Government, and has been ordered for Third Reading. Among other things, the Committee’s amendments will accelerate the coming into force of key amendments, including the following…
David Bannon Joins the Firm as a Partner
We are pleased to announce that David Bannon has joined Hicks Morley as a Partner in our Toronto office. David practises in all areas of labour and employment law with a particular specialty in OHSA, construction labour relations, WSIB and the automotive sector. He has been certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as…
Amendments to Federal Health and Safety Regime in Force October 31, 2014
Important amendments to the health and safety regime in Part II of the Canada Labour Code (the “Code“), contained in the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act No. 2 (the “Act“), come into force on October 31, 2014. Among other things, the Act will amend the definition of danger which is central to the right of…
Reaching Out – Sixth Edition
Dear Friends, With summer heating up, burning human resources issues continue to smolder as well. At Hicks Morley, we hope that you are enjoying the summer sunshine and we welcome you to the Summer 2014 Edition of Reaching Out, designed to address a number of relevant practical issues of particular interest and application to management…
Ontario Reintroduces Legislation Amending Workplace Laws
On July 16, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”). If passed, Bill 18 would make significant changes to a number of employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance…
Ontario Human Rights Commission Releases New Policy on Mental Disabilities and Addictions
One of the most significant challenges facing employers today involves identifying, managing and accommodating mental health and addiction issues in the workplace. In June 2014, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) issued a new policy dealing with this issue. The new policy, entitled Policy on preventing discrimination based on mental health disabilities and addictions,…
The Ontario Bar Association Publishes an Article by Jacqueline Luksha
The Ontario Bar Association published an article authored by Hicks Morley’s Jacqueline Luksha in their May 28, 2014 edition entitled, “The Duty to Investigate Workplace Complaints Under the Ontario Human Rights Code…Is hind-sight really 20/20?” In the article, Jacqueline discusses lessons learned from Scaduto v. Insurance Search Bureau, including the importance of employers carrying out…