First Reference Talks

Discussions on Human Resources, Employment Law and Payroll

Archives for November 2009

By | 3 Minutes Read

Genetic discrimination in the workplace

I first wrote about genetic discrimination in the workplace in August of 2004. At that time, I compared it to the movie Gattaca, in which a man tries to hide his “imperfect” genetic makeup so that he can enjoy a way of life and secure a job reserved for people without “flawed” genes. Although Gattaca is science fiction, the movie's plot is not that remote from present-day reality.

By | 4 Minutes Read

Environmental sensitivities: have they affected your workplace?

Imagine this: a customer enters your office or store and very quickly suffers an attack of some sort, causing her to break out in hives and have difficulty breathing. Employees remove her from the store, but she's in such a state that she has to go to the hospital. You later discover that the customer suffers from environmental sensitivities, and unfortunately she had her first major attack at your workplace. Oh, and she claims she can no longer work because of the episode, so she's suing you for damages and lost wages.

About us

Established in 1995, First Reference Inc. (known as La Référence in Quebec) provides Canadian organizations of any size with practical and authoritative resources to help ensure compliance.

Main Menu

Stay Connected