This Guide provides American employers with an introduction to employment laws and regulations that affect businesses in Canada. It outlines an overview of the main differences between Canadian and U.S. workplace laws.
Tag: Human Rights Code
Ontario’s Proposed New Anti-Racism Standards
As we previously reported, the Ontario Anti -Racism Act (ARA) came into force on June 1, 2017. One of the purposes behind the ARA is to allow certain organizations to collect information that will be used to identify and monitor systematic racism and racial disparities for the purpose of eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial…
HRTO Finds No Discrimination Where Use of Medical Marijuana at Worksite Breached Zero Tolerance Policy
In Aitchison v L & L Painting and Decorating Ltd., the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) found that an employer did not discriminate against the applicant when his employment was terminated for smoking marijuana while at work, which was contrary to the employer’s “zero tolerance” policy. The applicant was employed as a seasonal painter…
Are Service Providers Liable for Harassment Between Customers? The Divisional Court Weighs In
In City of Toronto v. Josephs, the Divisional Court reviewed a recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) and specifically addressed the question of a service provider’s liability for harassment issues arising between customers. In so doing, the Court has provided useful guidance for organizations that provide services to the public, and…
Ontario Human Rights Commission Releases New Policies on Drug and Alcohol Testing and Ableism and Discrimination Based on Disability
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has published updated guidelines on these critical issues – and what it thinks your organization should be doing…
Reaching Out – Eleventh Edition
In this Issue: The Human Rights Tribunal rules that a man’s goatee is not protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code, WSIB and Mental Stress Claims and more…
Appellate Court Upholds Significant Remedy Decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
A decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) which ordered reinstatement and back wages for an employee who had been…
Accrual of Service or Seniority Based on “Days Worked” is Not Discriminatory, Tribunal Rules
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) recently issued a decision of particular interest to employers with groups of employees who, although covered by a collective agreement, accrue service…
Human Rights Tribunal Rules that Miscarriage is a Disability
In a recent decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) found that the Applicant, who had suffered a miscarriage, had a disability within the meaning of the Human Rights Code (Code). While this decision has garnered much attention in the media, its potential significance for employers going forward may not result from the particular…
$30,000 in Damages Awarded against Volunteer Board of Directors for Discriminatory Posters in Housing Co-operative
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) recently awarded $30,000.00 in damages against the volunteer members of the Board of Directors of Rouge Valley Co-operative Homes Inc.