Author Archive - Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor

Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B., is a trained lawyer called to the Quebec bar in 1988 and is still a member in good standing. She practiced business, employment and labour law until 1999. For over 18 years, Yosie has been the Managing Editor of the following publications, Human Resources Advisor, Human Resources PolicyPro, HRinfodesk and Accessibility Standards PolicyPro from First Reference. Yosie is one of Canada’s best known and most respected HR authors, with an extensive background in employment and labour across the country. Read more

Good Friday, Easter and Passover in 2020

April 9, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, International HR Law, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation, 0

Good Friday and Easter Sunday coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover in 2020. Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts in that they do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars which follow only the cycle of the sun; rather, their dates are determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. It has come to be the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March, but calculations vary in East and West.

COVID-19, Easter, employment law, Good Friday, Public Holiday, religious accommodation, Statutory Holiday, Time off with pay

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

April 9, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Wages and Compensation, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with completing a record of employment, the federal COVID-19 10 percent wage subsidy and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

Canada Emergency Response Benefit CERB, COVID-19, employment law, layoffs, record of employment, termination of employment, wage subsidy

Federal COVID-19 aid package: The 10 percent wage subsidy and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

April 1, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation, 0

April 1, 2020, the federal government released further details of the much anticipated Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program. The program is to help businesses keep and return workers to their payroll through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 percent wage subsidy, Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, COVID-19, employment law, Federal COVID-19 aid package, pandemic, Temporary wage subsidy

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

March 5, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Wages and Compensation, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with meal and vehicle rates, employment law changes in Alberta and rules for working in the cold.

cold stress, employment and labour law, employment law, meal and vehicle rates, travel expenses, Working in the cold

Family Day February 2020: Which jurisdictions have a day off with pay?

February 14, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation, 0

Family Day, Monday, February 17, 2020, is celebrated in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Family Day (may have a different name depending on the jurisdiction) is recognized as a public (statutory) holiday in these provinces and employees get the day off with pay, if eligible.

employment law, general ho, general holidays, holiday pay, hours of work, public holidays, Retail Business Holidays Act, statutory holidays

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

February 6, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Wages and Compensation, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with workplace discrimination, payroll and safety blitzes in Ontario.

discrimination based on race, earnings and hours, employment law, ethnic origin, machine guarding hazards, race and colour, Safety blitz, safety blitzes, Workplace discrimination

Managing and addressing workplace developments caused by the spread of Coronavirus

February 5, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, International HR Law, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Privacy and Security, Standard for Customer Service, Standard for Employment, Standard for Information and Communications, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation, 0

Many employers are starting to ask questions about the legal framework within which they can prepare, manage and address developments and potential issues caused by the spread of the Coronavirus.

Coronavirus, employment law, pandemic planning, risk management, Workplace emergency response

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

January 30, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with remote work options, wrongful dismissal and drug and alcohol testing.

drug and alcohol testing, employment law, remote work arrangements, remote working, safety-sensitive workplace, work from home, wrongful dismissal

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

January 23, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Health and Safety, Human Resources, Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with revised WSIB policies, updated CRA tables, forms and guides, and workplace safety inspections.

employment law, federal basic personal amount, rate-setting model, safety inspections

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

January 16, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with disability discrimination, data privacy and regulating vaping in Canada.

data privacy, Digital Charter, employment law, new online rights, physical disability discrimination, smoking and vaping legislation, Vaping, vaping products

2019-2020 federal government departmental mandates of interest to employers

January 8, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Government Budgets, Throne Speeches and Plans, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Privacy and Security, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Wages and Compensation, 0

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has released the mandate letters for each of the 37 cabinet Ministers of his minority Liberal government.

basic personal amounts, Canada labour Code, Employment Insurance, employment law, Family day, federal minimum wage, Mandate letters, Public Holiday

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

January 8, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Wages and Compensation, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with workplace etiquette, 2020 payroll rates and the federal government’s mandate letters.

basic personal amounts, employment law, Mandate letters, maximum assessable earnings, minimum wage rates, payroll rates, workers' compensation premium rates, workplace etiquette

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

January 2, 2020 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation, 0

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with the Ontario no smoking signs, constructive dismissal and harassment as well as 2020 payroll rates.

2020 payroll rates, constructive dismissal, employment law, no smoking signs, smoking ban

First Reference annual holiday donation, season’s greetings and holiday break

December 24, 2019 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Announcements and Administration, 0

From all of us at First Reference, we wish you a safe and happy holidays! At this time of year, we like to support organizations that are helping others.

announcements, charity, employment law, Holidays

Top 10 most-read First Reference Talks blog posts for 2019

December 24, 2019 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Privacy and Security, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation, 0

This year on the First Reference Talks blog, we’ve been covering some of the hot topics in employment and labour law and employee management. Making the list this year are blog posts on the topic of termination (again), on breaching confidentiality, privacy and the duty to accommodate among others.

breach of confidentiality, Discretionary bonus, Dismissal, employment contracts, employment law, pay reduction, planned layoffs, poor performance, progressive discipline, Severance pay