Employers and human resource professionals will undoubtedly remember 2021 as another year shaped by the pandemic. But … there were also legal developments in 2021 that were not related to COVID-19. In this FTR Now, we look at some of the year’s notable “non-pandemic” cases and legislative developments of interest.
Tag: Sexual Harassment
Appellate Court Upholds Cause Termination for Sexual Harassment
The Ontario Court of Appeal has found that an employer had cause to terminate the employment of a senior employee who had sexually harassed a co-worker and refused to take the remedial steps required by the employer. It reversed a lower court decision which found that the employee had been wrongfully dismissed and awarded 20…
Ontario Bar Association Publishes an Article by Rayaz Khan on a Sexual Harassment Case
Hicks Morley’s Rayaz Khan authored an article published on February 2, 2021 in Ontario Bar Association titled “HRTO Sexual Harassment Case Note: NK V. Botuik.”
Assurer une célébration du temps des fêtes en toute sécurité
La saison des fêtes est un temps de célébration. Pour plusieurs d’entre nous, cela peut comprendre des célébrations du temps des fêtes dans le milieu du travail. Tous les employeurs, grands ou petits, devraient s’assurer de prendre le temps de créer un plan visant à créer un environnement sain et sécuritaire pour les employés et les invités qui participeront à ces célébrations.
Ensuring a Safe Holiday Party
The holiday season is a time for celebration. For many of us, this may include workplace celebrations. All employers, big or small, should ensure that in addition to traditional party logistics, they take the time to develop a plan for providing a healthy and safe environment for employees and guests at any workplace celebrations.
Nadine Zacks Quoted in Benefits Canada on Sexual Harassment Claim by University Employee
Benefits Canada quoted Hicks Morley’s Nadine Zacks in a January 23, 2019 article titled “B.C. University Employee Alleges Sexual Harassment, University Denies Claim.” The article discusses a sexual harassment claim at a university in British Columbia, brought by a female employee against her male colleague.
Lauri Reesor Quoted in Canadian Lawyer InHouse on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Hicks Morley’s Lauri Reesor was quoted in the September 2018 edition of Canadian Lawyer InHouse in an article titled, “Navigating Sexual Harassment in a #MeToo World.” With the initiation of the #MeToo movement, allegations of sexual harassment are being brought forth exposing high-profile individuals at an unprecedented rate. Lauri notes that she is “seeing an increase in the number of internal complaints that are being made” involving corporations. “People are feeling empowered to come forward.” This opens an organization’s policies, procedures and investigative techniques to scrutiny.
Lauri Reesor Quoted in Benefits Canada on #MeToo in the Workplace
Benefits Canada quoted Hicks Morley’s Lauri Ressor in a May 11, 2018 article titled “A Workplace Guide for the #MeToo Era.” With the #MeToo movement in full swing in recent months mostly focused on high-profile cases of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry and the political sphere, Benefits Canada discusses what employers should be doing to respond to a new reality of zero tolerance for misbehaviour.
Reminder: New Employer Workplace Harassment Obligations Now in Force
Effective today, significant reforms to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) are coming into force which place additional duties on employers with respect to the prevention of workplace harassment. As previously reported, these changes were outlined in Bill 132, Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2016…
Maintaining a Workplace Free of Sexual Harassment
Over the past several months, the issue of workplace sexual harassment has been in the spotlight and the subject of considerable discussion. In response to recent media attention, the Ontario Human Rights Commission recently issued a statement reiterating the legal duty of employers to prevent sexual harassment and to respond to any complaints in the…