After the Chilean mine disaster – How HR got it wrong
The first anniversary of the Chilean mine disaster is an opportune time to take a closer look at the key aspects of managing human resources, and how we can avoid some of the mistakes that were made during the Chile mine incident.
John Proctor
4 minutes read
August 16, 2011
Think proactively about workplace policies and practices even if it’s not the law (yet)
In these articles that I write for First Reference Talks readers and in the training programs I design for my clients I usually focus on two important topics: Legal obligations of employers (especially new laws) Best practices in employee management (usually based on legal obligations) This article is about all that but also provides the […]
Andrew Lawson
‘Sexting’ becoming a problem in the workplace
What prompts a supervisor or worker to send a co-worker inappropriate text messages? In British Columbia, sexually charged messages in the workplace have led to trouble for employers. What do employers need to know so they can avoid being on the hook for sexual harassment?
Christina Catenacci, BA, LLB, LLM, PhD
Payroll deductions relating to long term disability premiums
Recently, one of our subscribers was wondering how to deal with payroll deductions relating to long-term disability (LTD) premiums. They wanted to know if the amount they deduct from the employee’s paycheque must include the Ontario sales tax on the LTD premium?
Alan McEwen
Slaw: IQT’s closure: A fine example of poor corporate values!
On July 15, 2011, several workers showed up to work as usual at IQT Solutions, only to be told that their employer had unexpectedly shut down its Canadian operations: three call centres, one in Ontario and two in Quebec. About 1,200 IQT employees were suddenly unemployed with no final paycheque, vacation pay or notice of termination.
Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor
Reduced hours of work and job sharing – an idea suited for North America?
In a recent Globe and Mail video, author Juliet Schor discusses how reducing work hours might be the answer to some of the problems facing Canada’s workforce. Schor mentions that having employees work shorter hours decreases unemployment rates, lowers greenhouse emissions, and improves quality of life.
Christina Catenacci, BA, LLB, LLM, PhD
Can employers protect business contacts acquired by employees’ use of social media?
Consider this: you have encouraged your employee to use online social media during work time to build professional contacts to grow your business. The employee goes ahead and invests time during the workday visiting sites like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. This strategy proves to be positive; the contacts have been part of the business growth you have experienced. Then, your employee wants to leave the company and move on to another job. Can you, as the employer, ask for the contact information the employee accumulated during his or her employment?
Christina Catenacci, BA, LLB, LLM, PhD
Slaw: Welcoming Reservists back home – and back to work
Now and in the coming months, members of the Canadian Forces will be returning from military service in Afghanistan in significant numbers. Many of them, Reservists, will be returning to civilian work. We all owe these soldiers a debt of gratitude for their service. Employers specifically owe them a number of legal obligations, under Employment/Labour Standards legislation in various jurisdictions.
Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor
Motions for judgment in wrongful dismissal − the Court of Appeal’s latest statement
One of the difficulties faced by plaintiffs’ counsel in wrongful dismissal litigation is the length of time it can require to get a case to trial and obtain monetary compensation for the dismissed employee. Obviously, a plaintiff without a job is sensitive to the costs and delay which may result. This issue can often be addresses by way of a Motion for Summary Judgment.
Earl Altman
