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Can you keep a secret? Court upholds termination for breach of confidentiality

By Hannah Roskey When will an employee’s breach of confidence justify immediate dismissal under Canadian law? A recent decision by the British Columbia Supreme Court demonstrates that clearly drafted employer policies intended to protect confidential information can indeed be strictly enforced. In Steel v. Coast Capital Savings Credit Union, the court upheld the dismissal of […]

Is Strategic Thought a Part of Your Leadership Development?

Strategy is almost synonymous with leadership, but too often training and development for leadership roles focuses more on strategic planning than strategic thinking (yes, there’s a difference!). Read on for more on strategic thinking in training. “An increasing number of organizations are putting strategic thinking on their list of topics. It’s becoming a bigger priority, […]

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Steps for Using Noncore Staff More Strategically

In a previous post, we discussed the importance of leveraging noncore staff more efficiently. Most companies use administrative assistance or specialized teams, such as communications or marketing, to focus on activities that are noncore, depending on the industry (i.e., for a PR or marketing company, communications and marketing may very well be core functions).

How the boss stole Christmas

by Vanessa L. Goddard Many thanks to Dr. Seuss for the inspiration. Everyone down in HR-ville Liked Christmas a lot. But the boss, in his office upstairs, He did not! The boss hated parties, The whole holiday season. Free turkeys, Secret Santa, I’m not even teasin’. It could be he was stingy, Wouldn’t part with a […]

In ‘denial’: Alberta Court of Appeal revisits addiction in the workplace

by Hannah Roskey The Alberta Court of Appeal recently released its decision in Stewart v. Elk Valley Coal Corporation, a must-read for Canadian employers dealing with employee addiction issues. In lengthy reasons, a majority of the court agreed that there was no discrimination when an employee under the influence of cocaine was fired following a […]

Communicating with Your Team is Priority One

As a manager, you receive considerable information about what is happening at your company and use that information to get your job done. But what about your staff? Do they have the information they need to be successful at their jobs?

New Florida Law Allows Random Drug Testing of State Employees

by G. Thomas Harper Governor Rick Scott has signed into law controversial House Bill (HB) 1205, which will change the way state employers deal with drug testing their employees. What follows is a quick update on how HB 1205 will affect employers when it goes into effect at the beginning of July. In addition to […]

Stock-drop Ruling Reminds Pension Plan Sponsors Why Participants Can’t Sue

So-called stock drop cases, in which defined contribution plan participants sue employer plan sponsors for breach of fiduciary duty when the market value of company stock or other equity options in 401(k) investment menus declines severely, have become common. But for defined benefit sponsors, this threat is less onerous. A ruling the U.S. District Court […]

Workplace Diversity—Not If But When

Companies that are characterized by a diverse, respectful, and dignified workplace invariably enjoy the benefits of improved employee morale, higher productivity, larger market share, and a strong bottom line. And that’s good news, because your organization IS going to be characterized by diversity–demographics alone guarantee it. But as we saw in yesterday’s Advisor, addressing diversity […]