Can an employer ask an employee or job candidate about his or her religious beliefs? Most employers know, or should know, that they should never ask questions on an application or during an interview in regards to any of the protected grounds of the various human rights codes. To do so could lead to discrimination (or the perception of discrimination) on the basis of a protected ground. As with everything in law and policy, however, the above advice does not reflect the whole story. And the answer, as usual, is yes and no.
A canadian perspective on veteran status and employment
Looking at American policy for dealing with veterans and employment can raise questions about how we treat Canadian veterans with disabilities in the context of modern policy. There are still large gaps between what the intended goal of the New Veterans Charter is, and what is occurring to young veterans who are given lump sum payouts. Although this dynamic exists, the goal of this article is to take a different approach and, at the very least, start some discussion about the junction of veterans with disabilities.
Using fixed-term contracts in a potentially misguided effort
It seems as though many employers have decided to use fixed term contracts in a potentially misguided effort to reduce their labour costs and limit their severance obligations. Unfortunately, this decision seems to be based upon a misunderstanding of the law, and can result in unexpected liability and costs. Furthermore, it does not always result in the cost savings that the employer anticipated, and in any event, there are often better ways to achieve those savings.