Ontario’s small claims court has ruled that recalling an employee from a remote working arrangement to in-person work can amount to a constructive dismissal giving rise to liability for damages. The employee in question, Lesley Byrd, had worked for Welcome Home Children’s Residence Inc. in Ottawa since 2018, but without a written contract of employment. […]
An article on a series of court cases dealing with remote working arrangements in Quebec was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Quebec’s approach to remote workers’ rights holds lessons for other provinces: lawyer 2. How […]
When the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, companies across Canada scrambled to shift their employees to home setups. For the dozen or so staff at Edmonton-based technology company Punchcard Systems, the new reality meant figuring out new patterns of how to communicate as they would have at their downtown office. […]
Quebec’s approach to legislation impacting remote workers’ rights holds lessons for the rest of Canada, says Geneviève Beaudin, a Montreal-based partner in Lavery de Billy LLP’s labour and employment law group. “There have been five cases in Quebec that focus on the meaning of ‘establishment’ [in a remote working arrangement] which is central to labour […]
John Deere & Co.’s shareholders are reaffirming the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, voting overwhelmingly against a resolution targeting its DEI efforts, according to a report by USA Today. The resolution was filed by the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative-leaning Washington think tank, said the report. The vote makes the farm […]
Economic uncertainty, including the potential for new U.S. tariffs, is prompting businesses to review their workforce strategies and benefits policies to remain resilient. While employers have no control if or when their products may be subject to tariffs, there are steps that can be taken to be more prepared. Read: Financial markets resilient in wake […]
More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) U.S.-based employer-sponsored retirement plans have at least one likely Employee Retirement Income Security Act red flag from a regulatory and/or fiduciary perspective, according to a new report by consultancy Abernathy Daley 401k Consultants. The report, which analyzed filings for more than 760,000 plans, found 43 per cent […]
An article on incoming changes to Alberta-based employers’ workplace violence and harassment policies was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. What Alberta-based employers need to know about incoming workplace violence, harassment policy changes 2. Gen Z, […]
While Newfoundland and Labrador employees who take three or more consecutive days of sick leave are no longer required to provide their employer with a doctor’s note, it doesn’t mean employers can’t demand evidence of illness or injury, says Tim Young, a St. John’s-based partner at Curtis Dawe Lawyers. “All the legislation does is eliminate […]
Changes to Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Code are simplifying workplace violence and harassment prevention requirements for employers, says Cristina Wendel, an Edmonton-based employment lawyer at Dentons Canada LLP. The amendments, which take effect March 31, include a requirement for employers to develop and implement a consolidated violence and harassment prevention plan. The plan must […]