Northwestern Ontario Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) HR Employment and Labour Law Conference

Overview The 2018 HR Employment and Labour Law Conference will challenge the way employers think about human resources. Subjects include Human Rights and Health and Safety Case Law, Social Media use, Employer Obligations for creating a Psychologically Safe Workspace, Attendance Support Programs, Obligations to support Transgender/Transitioning Employees, Bill 148, Investigations and Terminations – Best Practices,…

Labour Notes® Newsletter Features Article by Jessica Toldo on an HRTO Decision on Medical Marijuana in the Workplace

The April 30, 2018 issue of Labour Notes® newsletter features an article authored by Hicks Morley lawyer Jessica Toldo. In this article “HRTO Finds No Discrimination Where Use of Medical Marijuana at Worksite Breached Zero Tolerance Policy”, Jessica examines a recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) which found that an employer did not discriminate against the applicant when his employment was terminated for smoking marijuana while at work…

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal Finds Benefit Plan Can Exclude Medical Marijuana

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently confirmed that an administrator of a benefit plan may choose what specific drugs and medications will be covered by a plan, and in particular, held that the exclusion of medical marijuana is not discriminatory under human rights legislation. In Canadian Elevator Industry Welfare Trust Fund v. Skinner, an…

Medical Marijuana in Your Workplace: Employer FAQs

Today – April 20 (4/20) – marks cannabis culture’s unofficial day of celebration, and we thought “weed” mark the occasion by answering a few common employer questions. When do I have to accommodate medical marijuana? While employers have no obligation to permit recreational consumption of marijuana at work or tolerate impairment, they must appropriately accommodate…

AdvantAge Ontario Human Resources Law: The Year in Review

Overview Join this popular annual webinar to hear about important developments in human resources law over the past year, and the key trends to think about for 2018. Topics will include an update on bargaining trends in the LTC sector, key changes under the WSIB regime, labour and employment update with a focus on Bill…

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…