Moderator
Karine Pelletier
Adjudicator
Manitoba Human Rights Commission
Vice-Chairperson
Manitoba Labour Board
Speakers
Joel Fairbrother
Employer Counsel
Bow River Law LLP
Mae J. Nam
Union Counsel
Ryder Wright Holmes Bryden Nam LLP
January 11, 2024
In this webinar, experts will examine recent noteworthy developments in workplace human rights law. Panelists will address questions including:
- What is the test for establishing discrimination on the basis of family status? Has recent caselaw resolved provincial differences regarding this test?
- How have arbitrators and adjudicators approached the issue of religious accommodation in recent cases? What evidence has been required to establish the need for such accommodations?
- What lessons can parties draw from recent cases addressing discrimination related to physical or mental health, specifically in the context of employers requesting independent medical examinations or inquiring about employee health?
- When will hiring policies or practices be found to be discriminatory? Is it permissible to inquire about an employee’s health or citizenship?
- What noteworthy trends are evident in recent damage awards relating to race-based discrimination and/or poisoned work environments?
- What policy changes should workplaces make in light of recent legislative updates addressing disability benefits, sick leave, and privacy and surveillance? What are the implications for workplaces of Canada’s ratification of the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 and recent federal legislation dealing with forced labour?
- Which provinces have proposed or passed pay transparency legislation? What steps should employers and unions take to prepare for or comply with these laws?
Final selection of cases and topics will take place in the weeks leading up to the conference, ensuring coverage of the latest and most newsworthy developments.