Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Clayton Jones Does a poor economy mean a shorter reasonable notice period? Canadian employers often ask this question—particularly in cyclical industries. When assessing reasonable notice, courts will consider the employee’s position and responsibilities, length of service, age, and the availability of similar employment. Not only has it been unusual for courts to consider negative […]
Perfume, air fresheners, even soap and shampoo are supposed to make the world more pleasant. But that’s not always the case, and those scented products can even present legal risks in the workplace. With many employees claiming an allergy or some other sensitivity to scented products, the human resources department may be tasked with solving […]
Mike Judge has done it again. A few months ago, I wrote about one of my favorite workplace flicks, Office Space, and the dangers of pushing off uncomfortable employment issues (specifically Milt Waddams, a mumbly arsonist-to-be). Now I’m hooked on Mike Judge’s latest project, HBO’s Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley chronicles the ups and downs of […]
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 […]
A Texas oil field construction and services company will pay $30,000 to settle an EEOC retaliation lawsuit after the company fired its only female roustabout, Elma Garza, after she reported being sexually harassed on the job. Garza was hired by the company in January 2012 as a dump truck driver, and spent most of her […]
by Marc Ouellet Do employers in Canada have absolute discretion when it comes to probationary employees’ performance evaluations and whether or not to maintain employment after the probationary period? In Union des employées et employées de service, section locale 800 v. Limocar Estrie Inc. (available only in French), where the business in question was unionized, […]
Employers write policies to make their workplaces run smoothly. When employees know the rules, expectations, practices, and procedures, they should be well-equipped to work productively and harmoniously. But as important as policies are, they can be problematic too. A survey released in August from Business and Legal Resources (BLR) shows what issues employers tackle with […]
by Brendan Gooley and John Herrington As many employers know, the list of potential plaintiffs who may sue an employer for alleged employment discrimination extends beyond current and former employees and includes rejected job applicants. We want to take the time to remind you of that unfortunate fact and offer five easy steps to minimize […]
Imagine a guy, a married guy, more specifically an unhappily married guy, and even more specifically an unhappily married guy lacking a moral compass. The guy creates a discrete (ha!) profile on AshleyMadison.com, a dating website for married people whose tagline is “Life is Short. Have an Affair.” No need to prowl hotel bars at […]
by Marc Rodrigue In February, the province of Ontario appointed the Honorable John C. Murray, a former judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and management-side labor lawyer, and C. Michael Mitchell, a former union-side labor lawyer, as special advisers tasked with reviewing both the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and the Ontario […]