December 14, 2017 Communications with clients, opposing counsel, and adjudicators often raise difficult questions about ethics and professionalism. Where is the line between zealous advocacy and incivility? What are best practices for communicating [...]

November 30, 2017 Recent news reports have highlighted the frequency of violence against health care workers and teachers by patients and students under their care, but almost every worker faces the possibility that [...]

November 2, 2017 Reports of employees taking a sick day to watch a baseball game or engage in some other leisure activity are legion. In fact, the improper use of sick leave is [...]

October 24, 2017 Workplace conduct, whether it be employee behaviour or employer actions, often comes under scrutiny in civil law forums through wrongful dismissal actions, grievance arbitrations, and human rights proceedings. Much less [...]

October 19, 2017 Health Canada estimates that in 2016, there were over 2,458 opioid-related deaths in the country, amounting to approximately 7 deaths per day. In response to this opioid overdose epidemic, the [...]

October 3, 2017 When disputes arise at a unionized workplace, the first place to look for guidance is the collective agreement – the contract that governs the rights and responsibilities of employers and [...]

September 28, 2017 On June 15, 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada released its much anticipated decision in Stewart v. Elk Valley Coal Corporation (“Elk Valley”). Grappling with the question of whether an [...]

September 21, 2017 Up to 9% of Canadians will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives, and it is well-recognized that exposure to traumatic events on the job plays a significant [...]

August 22, 2017 When employees engage in out-of-character acts of aggression or misconduct, workplace parties are often caught off-guard and are unsure how to respond. Determining when isolated incidents of aggression or misconduct [...]

August 17, 2017 Newspapers and legal decisions abound with allegations of employees committing “time theft” by using technology for personal pursuits during work hours and co-workers harassing each other online. Using workplace technology [...]

July 27, 2017 Wrongful dismissal jurisprudence in Canada helps to define the nature of contemporary employment relationships. Consequently, it is crucial for lawyers, employers and employees to stay up-to-date on key developments in [...]

June 20, 2017 Canadian arbitrators have the jurisdiction to review discipline imposed on unionized employees and to substitute lesser penalties where it is just and reasonable to do so. In exercising this jurisdiction, [...]

August 22, 2017 While personality disorders have not received the same attention in arbitration and human rights decisions as other mental conditions such as depression or anxiety, they can profoundly affect an individual’s [...]

July 1, 2017 Using scenarios drawn from real-life situations, experienced labour and employment lawyers will provide guidance on a range of ethical issues that arise in negotiation and settlement, including:   Does the [...]

May 9, 2017 The obligation to accommodate employees with disabilities to the point of undue hardship may require an employer to modify job duties, bundle tasks or transfer an employee who is no [...]

May 4, 2017 In recent rounds of negotiations in the Canadian retail sector, scheduling and minimum guaranteed hours of work for part-time employees were key issues. Meanwhile, excessive overtime has been implicated in [...]

April 25, 2017 Given that adults spend most of their lives at work, managers, union representatives and co-workers are in a particularly good position to observe changes in behaviour or hear comments that [...]

April 11, 2017 Attendance management programs have become increasingly common in workplaces across Canada, yet they remain contentious and are often the subject of litigation. In this session, experienced labour lawyers will identify [...]

March 30, 2017 Employers and unions face a myriad of challenges when an employee engages in workplace misconduct that may be attributable to a substance use disorder. Given the obligation under human rights [...]

March 9, 2017 While legal definitions of harassment commonly state that reasonable action relating to the management and direction of employees does not amount to harassment, knowing when behaviour crosses the line, and [...]

March 2, 2017 In this session, experienced lawyers and physicians will share insights on effective ways of getting the medical information you are entitled to and need in your capacity as an employer [...]

February 16, 2017 Employers, unions, and employees all have an interest in ensuring that long-term disability (LTD) benefits are properly administered within a workplace. However, the LTD claims process can be complex and [...]

February 7, 2017 According to a 2010 Statistics Canada survey, 27% of Canadian workers described their day-to-day lives as highly stressful. In a 2015 survey of Canadian workplaces conducted by Morneau Shepell, 30% [...]

January 26, 2017 Seasoned counsel will review the year's most important cases and explain how they will affect you in the coming year. Our experts will also flag significant litigation on the horizon. Final selection [...]