Tag: Employment law

The naked truth about nude celebrities in your workplace

Celebrities lately seem to be having a hard time keeping their clothes on. Whether it’s one of the Kardashian sisters baring her bottom or Keira Knightley baring her bosom, you can hardly look at any social media site these days without being assaulted by celebrities in various degrees of naked-idity, as Radar O’Reilly once called […]

Termination clause as a ticking time bomb: Are courts in Ontario changing approach?

by Marc Rodrigue To the chagrin of many employers in Canada, the courts have made the drafting and enforcement of termination provisions in an employment contract challenging. In recent years, case law in Ontario has been particularly harsh in striking down termination provisions that may be contrary to the statutory provisions of the Ontario Employment […]

Employee wage, time off, and benefit issues that arrive with winter storms

by Leanne Mehrman, Sal Simao, and Joanna Rich Much of the country suffered through punishing storms this past winter, and it has already started again. While fresh snowfall on a crisp winter day can be a beautiful thing, snowy and icy driving conditions are usually a little less charming, especially for employers whose employees aren’t […]

They’re baaack! 5 considerations for rehiring boomerang employees

by Sara Hutchins Jodka The return of LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers riveted the sports world and reinvigorated Cleveland. For employers, however, James’ “going home” has prompted conversations about boomerang employees—i.e., employees who leave an employer only to return later. This article looks at this relatively new concept and outlines what factors employers should […]

A scar is born

On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the other night, the host and Matthew McConaughey competed to see who could throw the most footballs at the other guy’s face. Not his physical face, of course, but glass plates printed with each guy’s face. Toward the end, McConaughey steps in front of Fallon as he is […]

Ontario releases new workers’ compensation policy to aid in claims involving pre-existing conditions

by Cathy Chandler Until recently, Ontario was the only jurisdiction in Canada without a specific policy dealing with the effect of pre-existing conditions on claims for workers’ compensation. That has now changed. On November 1, 2014, a new policy of the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Pre-Existing Conditions, came into force. The goal […]

flu

Time to make sure you’re ready for flu season

Ebola may be grabbing headlines, but it’s the old familiar flu that’s more likely to cause headaches and chills for employers this winter. Flu.gov reports that nearly 111 million workdays are lost as a result of flu each season. That puts the tab at approximately $7 billion per year in sick days and lost productivity.  […]

EEOC: trolling for plaintiffs

by Charles S. Plumb It’s no secret to employers that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken a more provocative and confrontational approach to investigating and litigating claims of employment discrimination. But the EEOC’s treatment of Case New Holland, Inc., takes “pushing the envelope” to a new level. To make matters worse, a federal […]

Learn About Pregnant Employees Workplace Rights During Nov. 11 #hrintelchat

Are you treating your pregnant employees properly? Do you have to offer them an accommodation? There’s been a flurry of action around treatment of pregnant employees under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, some of which has been confusing. The PDA says you have to treat pregnant employees in the same manner you treat other employees who […]

Rare costs award granted in human rights complaint

by Hannah Roskey Although courts routinely order one party to pay the other party a portion of its legal fees, administrative tribunals in Canada very rarely have the power or inclination to do so. That includes human rights tribunals across the country, which very rarely order one party to pay the other’s legal costs even […]