Federal Court Affirms Employer’s Obligation to Accommodate Childcare Needs

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld the finding of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (“Tribunal”) that “family status” under the Canadian Human Rights Act (“CHRA”) includes a parent’s obligations to care for a child, and that an employer is obligated to provide accommodation for an employee’s childcare needs. This decision is the latest in…

Reaching Out – First Edition

Dear Friends, The Social Service Sector Practice Group is pleased to introduce its first FTR Now edition of Reaching Out. Reaching Out is our Social Service Update designed to provide you with legal updates on new and developing cases, trends and topics that are relevant to your sector and which provide you with information and…

School Bus Transportation Policy Deemed Discriminatory

A recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“HRTO”) has added to the fast growing group of “family status” discrimination cases. J.O. v. London District Catholic School Board highlights that there are many different ways a school board may be vulnerable to claims of family status discrimination. In this FTR Now we review…

2012 Winter Edition

FOCUS ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY Boundaries expanding on occupational health and safety LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS The challenges of accommodating environmental sensitivities in the workplace Ontario WSIB: Tackling unfunded liability issues PROFILE Touching all the bases Download PDF

School Board Update

IN THIS ISSUE Arbitrator Provides Helpful Award in Ontario’s First TPA Discharge Arbitration Divisional Court Re-Affirms the Importance of Time Limits Pay Equity Remains a Priority Legal Issue for School Boards Accommodating Scent Sensitivities in the Workplace Ontario Human Rights Tribunal Endorses Employer Control Over Accommodation Process Integrated Accessibility Standards under the AODA OMERS Omissions…

Michael Hines Quoted in Hamilton Spectator Newspaper

Hicks Morley’s Michael Hines was quoted in the May 10, 2011 edition of the Hamilton Spectator newspaper. In an article entitled “No laws broken in excluding Westmount and Saltfleet from accommodation review,” Michael commented on the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s exclusion of Westmount and Saltfleet Secondary Schools from its current student accommodation review process. View…

School Board Update

IN THIS ISSUE EFTO Bargaining Support Paid Religious Leave Management’s Rights Job Qualifications of Teachers Union Dues Trustee Conflict of Interest Damages for Maximum Class Size Violations Access to Adverse Reports Workers’ Compensation Claims and the Human Rights Code ETFO BARGAINING SUPPORT Public district school boards have less than a month in which to reach…