Emboldened by the #MeToo movement, McDonald’s workers have voted to stage a one-day strike next week at restaurants in 10 cities in hopes of pressuring management to take stronger steps against on-the-job sexual harassment. Organizers say it will be the first multistate strike in the U.S. specifically targeting sexual harassment. Plans for the walkout — to […]
A court-appointed monitor for the Sears Canada bankruptcy process says it opposes a proposal that would effectively allocate all the failed retailer’s remaining assets to the company’s underfunded pensions. FTI Consulting argued in a Sept. 7 filing to Ontario Superior Court that the pension proposal should be dismissed due to legislation and case law. A petition […]
British Columbia’s Court of Appeal has upheld an award of five months’ notice for an employee with only 12 months of service who was terminated without cause. “The case is an important reminder to employers that notice obligations on termination can be significant even for short-term employees,” says David McInnes, an employment and labour lawyer […]
Just six months after a City of Calgary employee started her job as a tractor-trailer driver, everything started to go wrong. Her foreman and indirect supervisor both ignored her concerns about the workload, insisting she simply wasn’t trying hard enough. They mocked her appearance, spread rumours she was having an affair with a colleague and […]
An Ontario court is allowing a terminated employee to continue with an action for long-term disability benefits despite signing a document that released such claims. When Joe Swampillai was terminated, he was pursuing an appeal for the denial of his benefits against his employer, Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada, and against Sun Life […]
On Oct. 17, 2018, it will be legal to purchase and consume recreational cannabis in Canada. In a recent survey of Mercer’s employer clients and Canadian employees, we found 78 per cent of respondents believe the legalization of recreational cannabis is a concern for human resources leaders. In addition, nearly half (45 per cent) of respondents believe it’s a concern for […]
One-third of Canadian employers feel prepared for the impending legalization of cannabis, according to a new survey by Mercer Canada. The survey, which polled 366 Canadian employers and more than 1,000 employees, found another third feels somewhat prepared and 27 per cent of employees feel their employer is ready. Among leadership, 78 per cent of human resources leaders, […]
Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of older workers in the United States said they’ve experienced age discrimination in the workplace, according to a survey by the American Association of Retired Persons. The survey, which polled 3,900 Americans who are aged 45 or older, also found 91 per cent of respondents reported age discrimination is very or somewhat common. It starts when employees are […]
Even as regulators move to expand decumulation options for Canadians in defined contribution pension plans, the degree to which employers will actually adopt the solutions available, including variable benefits, remains an open question. Various factors fuel the conundrum, but exposure to liability and litigation risk loom as perhaps the most daunting obstacles. Proponents of safe […]
Sears Canada Inc. retirees, through Koskie Minsky LLP, filed a motion in court on Friday seeking the retailer’s remaining cash to help fund their pension shortfall. While the plan’s deficit sits at $260 million, the company currently holds about $135 million, according to a recent report by FTI Consulting Canada Inc., the court appointed monitor for the retailer’s insolvency. If the […]