workplace policies
April 27, 2017 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Standard for Employment, Wages and Compensation
I learned a new way of looking at policies recently. The standard ways that you do things at your workplace, how you treat and manage your employees, your day-to-day practices—these are your HR policies and procedures, regardless of whether you’ve written them down or not.
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February 10, 2017 Cristina Lavecchia Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
In British Columbia, Family Day is a statutory (public) holiday that is celebrated the second Monday in February each year. On Monday, February 13, 2017, British Columbians will be celebrating their fifth Family Day.
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November 9, 2016 Lisa Stam, Spring Law Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR and Technology, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Why reinvent the wheel? Drafting employment contracts, policies, termination letters and releases based on a past precedent is often a good place to start. It is usually both time and cost efficient, and for someone unfamiliar with the document, it’s a great learning opportunity. When using a precedent or online resource, here are the top 3 tips to ensure the document is legally enforceable in your workplace.
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September 2, 2016 Stuart Rudner, Rudner Law Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Training and Development, Union Relations
Employers often adopt zero tolerance policies and assume that doing so will give them the right to immediately fire someone for a breach. These are often used for transgressions that are considered particularly egregious, such as harassment. Although we consistently advise employers to address misconduct such as harassment and make it clear that such behaviour is unacceptable, the reality is that courts will not be bound by zero tolerance policies and will conduct their own assessment of whether summary dismissal is warranted. Saying that “we have a zero tolerance policy” will not be the end of the story.
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July 29, 2016 Christopher Lytle MA CDS Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Recruiting and Hiring, Standard for Customer Service, Standard for Employment, Standard for Information and Communications, Training and Development
When creating policies that make statements about accessibility, attempts should be made to view disability as a social system instead of a schedule of impairments in order to align an organization’s forward movement with principles of Human Rights. Also, the time is long past due for an evaluation of how intersecting identities can create unique accessibility and accommodation needs.
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February 4, 2016 Cristina Lavecchia Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Family Day is a statutory (public) holiday that is celebrated, in British Columbia (BC), the second Monday in February each year. In 2016, Monday, February 8 has been deemed Family Day in BC.
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August 18, 2015 Marcia Scheffler Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Union Relations
Does your organization have an employee handbook? Are you thinking about creating one? Do employees and managers have questions or conflicting beliefs about your current handbook? The following overview discusses what an employee handbook is not, highlights the key purpose of an effective handbook and outlines some tips for effective employee handbooks.
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June 9, 2015 Devry Smith Frank LLP Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Union Relations
In a recent decision in an Ontario labour arbitration, at issue was a fight that broke out amongst a few employees. The employer terminated all of those employees that were involved in the fight citing that they had violated the company policy by participating in such aggressive behaviour.
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March 31, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Training and Development, Wages and Compensation
Mike Majewski’s profane outburst at his co-worker John Maracle was not sufficient cause for termination on its own or as a cumulative event, Ontario’s Small Claims Court recently decided—for the second time.
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November 3, 2014 Michele Glassford Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Union Relations
Rarely has a phrase been so well-intentioned yet so fraught with pitfalls as “zero tolerance”.
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May 20, 2014 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
On April 29, 2014, Bill 21, the Employment Standards Amendments Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2014, received royal assent and will come into force six months after assent, on October 29, 2014.
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August 7, 2013 Michele Glassford Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Union Relations
At a conference a few years back, there was a session about steps an employer can legally take to oppose a union organizing campaign. I recall my initial reaction to the topic was once a union organizing campaign begins, “it’s too late”. I believe that most union organizing is borne of long-time employee dissatisfaction and insecurity regarding working conditions and management. While there may be some workplaces where union organization results from a political ideology, in most cases, few employees would sign up for the paying of union dues if they did not see the union as an answer to substandard or uncertain workplace policies.
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June 3, 2013 Stringer LLP Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Privacy and Security, Standard for Employment, Training and Development
The Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – Prevention, promotion and guidance to staged implementation was released by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Bureau de Normalization du Québec and the Canadian Standards Association on January 16, 2013. The Standard provides employers with a framework to develop and sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace, through the identification and elimination of hazards in the workplace, the assessment and control of the risks in the workplace, the implementation of structures and practices to facilitate psychological health, and the fostering of a workplace culture that promotes psychological well-being.
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March 19, 2013 Simon Heath, BA, MIR, LLB, Heath Law Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Union Relations
The Ontario Labour Relations Board has recently found a Company to be in breach of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to comply with its duties under the workplace violence and harassment provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (section 32) (formerly Bill 168).
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November 2, 2012 Michele Glassford Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources
With the holiday season fast approaching, employers are consistently reminded of the additional risks and liabilities which may result from an employer-sponsored holiday event. Nevertheless, holiday parties and events are often considered to be an essential “benefit” expected by employees.
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