All of our offices are presently open for business. As recognized leaders in the areas of employment and labour law, Hicks Morley is well-positioned to assist you in your compliance obligations, developing contingency plans and managing the health and safety of your workforce. We have developed a dedicated webpage as a resource regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to assist employers in navigating the potential impact this pandemic may have on your workplace.
Practice Area: Pensions, Benefits & Compensation
COVID-19 and Workplace Preparedness
Health officials in Canada have stated that the risk of contracting COVID-19 remains very low. That said, in recent weeks the virus has been top of mind for many, including employers. In this FTR Now, we discuss workplace pandemic planning and operational issues employers should be anticipating in the unlikely event of an outbreak.
Pension Law 2020: A Clear Look at the Latest Pension Law Reforms
In this FTR Now, we highlight the new pension rules that are of particular interest to employers and pension plan administrators.
Federal Government Postpones Changes to Stock Options
In June 2019, the federal government tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion to limit the benefit of the employee stock option deduction for high income individuals employed at large, long-established, mature organizations. Stakeholders were invited to provide input on the characteristics of small, growing companies that should not be subject to the new…
Hicks Morley Repeatedly Hits the Centre of the Bull’s-Eye for Labour Relations, Employment & Pensions The 2020 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
Hicks Morley is pleased to announce that the firm is consistently ranked as the leading law firm in the “Labour Relations, Employment and Pensions Lawyers Who’s Who: Toronto” according to The 2020 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.
FTR Quarterly – Issue 15
In This Issue: Protection in the Face of Employee Fraud, Key Human Resources Decisions in in 2019 and Cases to Monitor in 2020 and more!
Hicks Morley Recognized in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2020
Clients have recognized Hicks Morley for its unparalleled client service, as published in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2020: Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance. In the report, Hicks Morley was named a Standout in Investing in Client Relationships and Client-facing Communication.
B.C. Tribunal Finds that Reduced Benefits for Employees Over Age 65 under Employer’s Benefit Plan is not Discriminatory
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) recently held that the decision to provide reduced benefits to employees over age 65 under an employer-sponsored benefit plan is not discrimination under the British Columbia Human Rights Code (Code) if the reduced benefits are provided as part of a “bona fide group or employee insurance plan” within…
Ontario’s Bill 132 Referred to Committee, Includes Proposed Amendments to PBA
On November 7, 2019, Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019 (Bill 132), passed Second Reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on General Government. Bill 132 is omnibus legislation which, if passed, will amend a number of statutes, including the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA). Proposed amendments to the PBA…
Ontario Superior Court Affirms that Pension Payments to a Non-Member Spouse Cease Upon Death
In Meloche v. Meloche, the Ontario Superior Court held that, following a pension division under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA), payments do not continue to the estate of a non-member spouse who predeceases the member spouse. The parties separated in 2017 after 30 years of marriage. The respondent teacher retired in 2015, and elected…