Most Popular

Duty to accommodate doesn’t require exempting employee from essential duties

by Andrew Bratt and Megan Rolland Canadian human rights legislation generally requires employers to accommodate the disabilities of their employees up to the point of undue hardship. In the recent case of Pourasadi v. Bentley Leathers Inc. (2015 HRTO 138), the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario considered whether undue hardship was reached in the context […]

Perception Matters

Like it or not, how people perceive you is, in part, who you are. This uncomfortable truth contains valuable lessons when it comes to employment branding efforts.

Minimizing the risks of workplace violence

by Whitney Brown On August 26, a TV reporter and cameraman were fatally shot by a former coworker while on location doing a live interview in Roanoke, Virginia. That same day, a sous chef at P.F. Chang’s in the Northshore Mall in Peabody, Massachusetts,  was stabbed to death by a coworker. Just this week, a […]

Tips for Curbing FMLA Abuse

Combating FMLA abuse can be frustrating, but there are some straightforward actions employers can take to limit abuse before it happens. It all starts with proper administration of FMLA leave, including the use of medical certifications and recertifications as allowed within the FMLA regulations. These tools not only provide clarity for FMLA leave eligibility, but […]

Understanding the Power of Employment Waivers

by Jonathan Hauer Some people are just plain trouble. Take me, for instance. I was born with two left feet and 10 thumbs. I make a bull in a china shop look graceful. I am, if you didn’t catch my oh-so-subtle hints, clumsy. You can tell this just by looking at me — and the […]

Even under ADAAA, being ‘ill-tempered’ is not a disability

Ever since the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) became law and substantially expanded the definition of “disability,” employers have been warned not to focus on whether an employee has a disability when evaluating reasonable accommodations. While that warning is valid, it is not absolute, and employers should not completely skip evaluating whether an employee […]

identify

Discrimination and document abuse in the hiring process

by Kathy Neal You’ve been verifying I-9s since the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) took effect in 1986. You know the difference between List A, B, and C documents, and you can fill out I-9s in your sleep. Imagine your surprise to receive a letter from the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair […]

Human rights protection expanded to include gender identity

by Alix Herber Human rights legislation protects a wide range of individuals in Canada. It prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on obvious grounds such as age, ethnic origin, gender, and disability. It also prohibits harassment and discrimination in many provinces on less obvious grounds, such as record of offenses and sexual orientation. And that […]

Companywide Ethics Training Helps Ensure Policy Effectiveness

Many organizations train their supervisors and managers on employee ethics. While it is imperative for those individuals to have a thorough understanding of ethics policies and codes of conduct, training for all employees will increase the likelihood that the policy and code are followed companywide. Here is some information to convey to supervisors and managers […]