Ontario has published new proposed rules around marijuana use that includes a workplace ban on smoking both the medical and recreational varieties. In response to the federal government’s plan to legalize marijuana in July 2018, Ontario’s proposal is informed by its experience in managing tobacco and alcohol, as well as lessons from other jurisdictions that have […]
A vast majority (94 per cent) of U.S. employers provide some type of flexible working arrangement for their employees, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Among the options, telecommuting is the most popular, with 74 per cent of respondents offering it. However, 60 per cent of those that offer […]
Sixty per cent of Canadians have experienced workplace harassment, according to a new report released by the federal government The report, released on Thursday, summarizes the government’s findings of its consultations around harassment and sexual violence in the workplace. The consultation took two forms: an online survey and a series of roundtable meetings with stakeholders, including […]
Artificial intelligence has found its way into human resources departments and is expected to continue as a growing trend in the coming years, according to a new report by the Human Resources Professionals Association. The report, which explores key areas in which artificial intelligence can help organizations reduce their administrative burden, recruit staff, reduce bias and improve employee […]
How long is your daily commute? Thirty minutes? An hour? Two hours? The actual average amount of time Canadians spend getting to and from the workplace is 53 minutes, according to a new survey by staffing firm Robert Half International Inc. The survey, which looked into the commuting habits of more than 500 Canadian employees, […]
As the emergence of the gig economy continues to change the face of the traditional Canadian workplace, employment laws and public policy are struggling to catch up, according to a new report by Deloitte Canada and the Human Resources Professionals Association. In fact, most contingent workers — a term the report uses to describe contract […]
Fidelity Canada was recognized for its comprehensive diversity program at Benefits Canada’s 2017 Workplace Benefits Awards last week. In 2012, the company established five Canadian employee resource groups, which are made up of self-organized teams. “We’re really proud of the work that our groups are doing because they’re driving us to make the change and they’re […]
A newly hired business graduate, predicted by senior managers of a major bank to have significant potential, left the organization after one year. He sued for harassment and bullying, saying among other things that he had a manager who set out to prove he had limited potential and frequently assigned him impossible tasks and deadlines, […]
Employment contracts often contain clauses limiting an employee’s entitlement upon termination to the minimum entitlements under the Employment Standards Act or any other amount the employer and employee have agreed to. However, if the clauses violate the act in any way, courts may not enforce them and the employee will then be entitled to common […]
Enbridge, Jazz Aviation and the Royal Bank of Canada were among the companies recognized by the federal government for their commitment to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces on Thursday. Eighteen federally regulated private sector employers and federal contractors were recognized at the awards in Ottawa, which were presented by Patty Hajdu, minister of employment, workforce […]