pregnancy and the workplace

Protection for pregnant women strengthened by Ontario and British Columbia courts

August 17, 2010 Earl Altman Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Human Rights

In a decision released on July 19, 2010, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario held that an employee who was fired because she was pregnant had been discriminated against on a prohibited ground…

British Columbia, constructive dismissal, discrimination, discrimination based on sex, Dismissal, human rights code, human rights tribunal, maternity leave, ontario, pregnancy and the workplace, pregnancy leave, prohibited ground of discrimination, repudiation of the employment relationship, small claims court, termination

Could human rights law increase some kinds of discrimination?

December 23, 2009 Adam Gorley Human Resources, Human Rights

Here’s a question that probably few lawmakers are interested in asking themselves: does human rights legislation make the people it is designed to protect less desirable to employers?

accommodation, discrimination, flexible work arrangements, hiring, maternity leave, pregnancy, pregnancy and the workplace

Tribunal awards $35,000 to fired pregnant employee

November 11, 2009 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Human Rights

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal recently awarded a woman $35,000 after her employer fired her when she revealed on her first day of work that she was four months pregnant. (The award covered $20,000 in lost wages and benefits, and $15,000 for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect.) In addition to the damage award, given the overwhelming number of women working for the employer, the tribunal ordered the company to implement and distribute a written policy on the accommodation of pregnancy to ensure future compliance.

employment standards, feelings and self-respect, firing pregnant employee, HR issues, HR policy, Human Resources, human rights, injury to dignity, interview and human rights, maternity leave, ontario employment standards act, Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, parental leave, policy, policy manual, pregnancy, pregnancy and the workplace, terminating a pregnant employee, terminating an employee on maternity/parental leave, termination