The December holiday season is almost upon us again. And thank goodness. After this year, workers will surely need the opportunity to relax with family and friends, even if this year’s holiday get-together will be hosted by Zoom.
In British Columbia and Alberta, both Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1) are statutory / general holidays under each ...
On November 24, 2020, British Columbia issued a Public Health Order requiring the use of masks in all public indoor spaces in the province (the “Order”). In this blog post, we answer some frequently asked questions posed by business owners and employers about the Order.
Mandatory Masking in Public Indoor Spaces
Masks are now mandatory in all “indoor public spaces” ...
Terminating the employment of an employee is never easy. There are many things to consider from both a practical and legal perspective. The more prepared you can be the better. While not exhaustive, set out below are some questions every employer should be asking themselves before they terminate the employment of any non-union employee on a “without cause” basis.
- What ...
The new Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, SOR/2020-130 (the “Regulation”) and corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) come into force on January 1, 2021. The amendments introduce significant changes to how federally regulated organizations are required to prevent and address workplace harassment and violence ...
On November 9, 2020, the federal government announced a further temporary extension to permitted layoff periods for federally regulated private-sector employees.
Background
In June of 2020, the federal government extended the time periods for layoffs under the Canada Labour Standards Regulations to allow federally regulated private-sector employers more time to ...
Early last year, we blogged about the British Columbia Court of Appeal’s decision in Envirocon Environmental Services, ULC v. Suen, 2019 BCCA 46, where the Court of Appeal confirmed that there is a strict test for finding a prima facie case of family status discrimination under the British Columbia Human Rights Code. Recently, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal ...
Today, the SCC handed down an important decision for employers in Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited. There are at least three significant implications of this case in which the SCC sought to clarify the remedies available to employees on termination without cause:
- An employer has a common law duty to provide reasonable notice of dismissal. This is an independent ...
On September 17, 2020, the British Columbia government released its economic recovery plan for the province, Stronger BC for Everyone: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan. The plan details various new support measures for B.C. businesses, including a new refundable tax credit for employers.
The B.C. Increased Employment Incentive is a refundable tax credit for employers ...
It has been several months since Covid-19 forced many people to suddenly shift to working from home. One major benefit of this arrangement is the potential for employers to save on considerable overhead expenses – for example rent and internet connectivity in office buildings. It is important to ask, however, whether these costs are being eliminated, or simply shifted to ...
On August 20, 2020, the Government announced that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (“CERB”) will be extended an additional four weeks and then will transition to a simplified Employment Insurance (“EI”) program. The Government also introduced a suite of new temporary benefits to support workers.
Changes to EI
Effective September 27, 2020, the Government ...
About Us
Lawson Lundell's Labour and Employment Law Blog provides updates on the most recent legal developments impacting the Canadian workplace and offers practical tips for employers. We cover a range of topics, including labour relations, employment law, collective bargaining, human rights, employment standards, employment equity, workers' compensation, business immigration, privacy, occupational health and safety and pensions and employee benefits.
Legal Disclaimer: The information made available on this webpage is for information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on as such. Please contact our firm if you need legal advice or have questions about the content of this webpage.