Publication Type: Article

Arbitrator Declares that DECEs Need Not be Scheduled “Side By Side” with FDK Teachers

· 9 min read

In an arbitration award released on October 13, 2017, Arbitrator Russell Goodfellow dismissed a grievance brought by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) concerning the scheduling of breaks accorded to Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs) under the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) support staff collective agreements applicable to them. Arbitrator Goodfellow declined to follow the controversial path taken by Arbitrator George Surdykowski in a 2014 decision involving the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (Surdykowski Award) and has established a very useful precedent for school boards to employ. In this School Board Update, we review this important award.

WSIB Issues Final Chronic Mental Stress Policy: What Employers Need to Know

· 6 min read

Recent amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) will expand the scope of benefit entitlement for mental stress to include chronic mental stress. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has just issued the final version of its operational policy in support of this new entitlement. This expanded entitlement will have significant consequences for employers – read more for what you, as an employer, need to know..

Ontario Introduces Changes to the Ambulance Act

· 3 min read

On September 27, 2017, amendments to the Ambulance Act were tabled as part of Bill 160, Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, 2017, omnibus legislation which addresses a number of changes in the healthcare system…

Back to School Edition – Student-Focused Case Law and Legislative Update

· 16 min read

Welcome back to school! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful summer season. To kick off the school year, we bring you the latest edition of our School Board Update with particular emphasis on legislation and decisions involving the student body…

Change on the Horizon: Ontario Pension Plan Funding Reform is Coming Soon

· 14 min read

Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced proposed reforms to pension plan funding that will have a significant impact on employers and plan administrators with plans registered in Ontario. These changes are expected to be part of the government’s Fall agenda, and will be of particular interest to employers who provide single employer defined benefit (DB) pension plans or participate in multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) in Ontario.

Bill 148 and Pay Equity: A Changing Landscape and Increasing Scrutiny of Ontario Employers

· 11 min read

As part of the 30th anniversary of the Pay Equity Act (Act), the Pay Equity Office has implemented several new initiatives in 2017 in support of its mandate to administer and enforce the Act. These initiatives, coupled with pending legislative changes under Bill 148, present significant changes and potential risks to employers across the province.