Author Archive - Adam Gorley
Adam Gorley is a copywriter, editor and researcher at First Reference. He contributes regularly to First Reference Talks, Inside Internal Controls and other First Reference publications. He writes about general HR issues, accessibility, privacy, technology in the workplace, accommodation, violence and harassment, internal controls and more. Read more
October 15, 2018 Adam Gorley Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Training and Development
More than half of employers are concerned about how the legalization of recreational marijuana will affect their workplaces and the risks they may face, according to new research by the Conference Board of Canada.
What about you?
cannabis, Cannabis Act, Cannabis legalization, drug and alcohol policy, employment law, marijuana, marijuana legalization, recreational marijuana workplace risks
April 20, 2018 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Announcements and Administration, Conferences, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Standard for Employment, Standard for the Built Environment, Training and Development, Union Relations
With most of the amendments of Bill 148 now in effect—along with significant updates to OHS and WCB provisions, the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana, and more on the way—there are many substantial changes employers in Ontario have to deal with now and throughout 2018.
19th Ontario Employment Law Conference, 2018 Ontario Employment Law Conference, AODA, Bill 148, cannabis in the workplace, Cannabis legalization, Conference, Duty of care, employment and labour law, employment law, employment standards, HR conference, HR policies, HRlaw conference, Learn the latest, medical marijuana, OH&S, recreational cannabis, recreational marijuana, Stringer LLP, terminations, workplace harassment, WSIAT, wsib
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.
Due diligence, employee handbook, employment law, HR policies and procedures, HR policy manual, informal policies, legal compliance, legally required policies, workplace policies
March 13, 2017 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Conferences, 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, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring, Standard for Employment, Standard for Information and Communications, Standard for the Built Environment, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Join Stringer LLP and First Reference at the Centre for Health & Safety Innovation in Mississauga on June 20, 2017 at the Ontario Employment Law Conference to Learn the Latest® on the following topics from top Ontario employment law experts: Jeremy Schwartz will discuss the increasingly important topic of structuring your work relationships with independent […]
18th Ontario Employment Law Conference, 2017 Ontario Employment Law Conference, AODA employment standards compliance, Changing Workplaces Review, employment and labour law, employment law, entre for Health & Safety Innovation, ESA only termination clauses, First reference, HR conference, HRlaw conference, independent and dependent contractors and employees, Learn the latest, Learn the Latesy, Managing cyber bullying, medical marijuana in the workplace, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder claims, resignations, Stringer LLP, workplace harassment investigations
January 26, 2016 Adam Gorley Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, International Payroll, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation
This year there are big changes to income tax thresholds in Alberta and federally (in force January 1, 2016), new source deduction remittance rules, increased minimum wages, a reduced TFSA limit, updated record of employment requirements and other important changes for 2016…
2016 payroll rates, Canadian Payroll, Deductions at source, Employer's guide to Canadian payroll, employment insurance premiums, income tax, Income Tax Act, income tax thresholds, minimum wage, Payment of wages, Payroll, payroll guide, Provincial and federal taxes, record of employment, remittance of source deductions, ROE, Source deductions, TFSA limit
December 10, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation
Recent court decisions changed how the law applies to employment contracts, most importantly terminations, but also off-duty conduct, consideration and restrictive covenants. Important lessons from the changes are that employers need to review their employment contracts, you can update them or change their terms while complying with the law, and failing to do so can damage your organization’s finances and reputation.
consideration, employment agreements, employment contracts, employment law, Human Resources Advisor, off-duty conduct, Ontario Annual Employment Law Conference, restrictive covenants, Termination clause, terminations
November 12, 2015 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Penalties and Fines, Standard for Employment, Standard for Information and Communications
In less than eight weeks, small and large organizations in Ontario will face a new set of legal obligations under the AODA’s Employment Standard and Information and Communications Standard.
2016 AODA requirements, accessibility, accessibility compliance, accessibility deadlines, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, accessibility training, accessible feedback processes, accessible formats and communication supports, accessible HR practices, accommodation plans, AODA, AODA Employment Standard, AODA Information and Communications Standard, AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards, emergency workplace procedures, employment law
October 23, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Penalties and Fines, Training and Development
With heightened scrutiny over workplaces and increased penalties for workplace incidents causing injuries—or worse, death—employers must ensure they understand their obligations under occupational health and safety legislation. One of the fundamental obligations is to prepare workplace safety and health policies and procedures and to train employees and supervisors on them. But where to start?
criminal code, criminal negligence, employee health and safety, employment law, health and safety compliance, health and safety considerations, health and safety law, Health and safety policies, health and safety policy, health and safety practices, joint health and safety committee, occupational health and safety, occupational health and safety policy manual, OH&S, ohs policies and procedures, OHS policy, ohs policy manual, OHS Training, OHSA, workplace health and safety, Workplace Safety and Health Act, wsha
September 23, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll
A teacher with a severe allergy to dust and scents was sufficiently accommodated by her employer, despite ongoing challenges with exposure, according to a recent decision of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.
accommodating scent allergy, accommodation, allergies, British Columbia, cooperation in accommodation process, dust allergies, employment law, exposure control plan, exposure to any scents, hypersensitivity to scent, psychological harassment, scent allergies, scent sensitivity, scent-free environment, scent-free or fragrance-free policy, severe allergy, undue hardship
June 29, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, Training and Development
Take a look at the First Reference Infographic Guide to Types of Performance Review, plus top performance review best practices!
Employee performance, employment law, infographic, infographics, performance appraisals, performance evaluations, performance reviews
June 11, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll
A legal aid lawyer in Newfoundland and Labrador knew his rights when he was suspended indefinitely pending an investigation into alleged negligence, incompetence and dishonesty…
constructively dismissed, Disciplinary measures, discipline, employment law, incompetence, just cause, management of Legal Aid, suspended indefinitely pending an investigation, suspension, terminated for cause, termination, terminations, wrongful termination
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.
cumulative just cause, Disciplinary measures, employee has engaged in misconduct, employee’s use of profanity, employer's policy manual, employment law, employment relationship, last-straw incident, performance evaluations, profanity, progressive discipline, terminations, workplace policies, wrongful dismissal
March 9, 2015 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Announcements and Administration, Conferences, Human Resources, Payroll
Early Bird Registration Now Open: 16th Annual Employment Law Conference. Come and learn the latest!
accessibility compliance, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, AODA, Bill 18, directors' liability, discipline, duty to accommodate, employment law, Employment law conference, employment law update, employment standards, employment standards act, hidden disabilities, HR conferences, HR Law, labour relations, Leaves of absence, mental health disabilities, OH&S, older workers, Ontario Employment Law Conference, self-audits, Stringer LLP, terminations, transgender, transsexual
February 26, 2015 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
Canadian women still experience inequality in economic well-being, education, employment, health, housing, justice, safety, and political and social inclusion, according to a new benchmark report on gender equality…
canadian human rights commission, discrimination, Employer provided benefits, Employment equity, gender discrimination, gender equality, inequality, job satisfaction, Report on Equality Rights of Women, wage gap, work-related stress
January 29, 2015 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Standard for Employment, Training and Development
You’d probably be fair in thinking that a deaf, gay Aboriginal man can have a hard time getting a break, but Darryl Wesley seems like the type of person who doesn’t let obstacles get in his way. Nonetheless, when he was terminated from a landscaping job in North Bay, Ontario…
accommodating a disability, accommodation, bankrupt employer, Darryl Wesley, deaf person, Disability, discrimination, discrimination based on disability, Grounds Guys, harassment, hard of hearing, no response to allegations, North Bay, ontario, Ontario human rights commission, person who is deaf, sexual and homophobic comments, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, sign-language interpreter, termination
Ageism is a big problem in the legal community. Bay Street firms and others are not interested in applicants' skills, knowledge, etc. unless they are... – Nov 16, 11:05 AM
Excellent article !! Right on point. So many times we encounter opinionated employer representatives or coworkers who address complaints from positions of bias. Bias that... – Oct 30, 12:07 AM
Deaf worker terminated due to ‘inconvenience’
January 29, 2015 Adam Gorley Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Standard for Employment, Training and Development
You’d probably be fair in thinking that a deaf, gay Aboriginal man can have a hard time getting a break, but Darryl Wesley seems like the type of person who doesn’t let obstacles get in his way. Nonetheless, when he was terminated from a landscaping job in North Bay, Ontario…
accommodating a disability, accommodation, bankrupt employer, Darryl Wesley, deaf person, Disability, discrimination, discrimination based on disability, Grounds Guys, harassment, hard of hearing, no response to allegations, North Bay, ontario, Ontario human rights commission, person who is deaf, sexual and homophobic comments, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, sign-language interpreter, termination