Stay up to date on the latest developments in labour law through this comprehensive webinar addressing noteworthy cases and legislative updates from the past year. Panelists will examine key updates from across the country, addressing questions such as:

• What is the status of ongoing legal challenges to the federal government’s recent use of s. 107 of the Canada Labour Code to intervene in strike actions? How might courts balance the competing interests and legal rights at stake, and how does the Charter of Rights (the “Charter“) impact this analysis? In light of the response of labour relations parties and the public to the use of s. 107, is future use of the provision likely?
• What aspects of an electronic monitoring policy will render the policy reasonable or unenforceable?
• What is the dividing line between workplace harassment and workplace violence?
• What do recent cases suggest about the point in time when an employer’s duty to investigate a harassment complaint is triggered? Will creating a solicitor-client relationship with a lawyer hired to conduct a workplace investigation render that investigation unfair?
• What trends are emerging in recent discipline and discharge cases? What factors have arbitrators considered in recent cases when determining whether to uphold discipline imposed for inappropriate off-duty use of social media by employees?
• Can employers discipline employees who refuse to undergo a medical examination? How should employers and unions respond when an employee objects to an independent medical examination report?
• Can an employer ban off-duty cannabis use for employees who work in safety-sensitive positions? Under what circumstances can employers require employees to undergo testing for substance use?
• When will the Charter apply to organizations in the broader public sector (for example, a school board or regional health authority)?
• What noteworthy federal and provincial legislative initiatives have recently been introduced? For example:
  • What measures have been introduced at a federal and provincial level in response to the trade conflict between Canada and the US?
  • What federal guidance has been provided regarding Canada’s supply chain transparency legislation? How does the multi-jurisdictional “International Reporting on Modern Slavery, Forced Labour and Child Labour” template and guidance, created in cooperation between Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, fit with obligations under the federal supply chain legislation?
  • Which jurisdiction provides the most paid days’ for sick leave or emergency family leave?
  • What changes have been implemented through the latest installments of the Ontario government’s Working for Workers series of legislation?
  • Which provinces have recently introduced or passed legislation restricting employers’ right to ask for doctor’s notes in support of short-term sick leave?
  • How far does recent Quebec legislation expand government authority to restrict or end lawful strikes and lock-outs and refer labour disputes to interest arbitration? What is the status of the legal challenge commenced in response to this legislation?

Final selection of topics will take place in the weeks leading up to the webinar, ensuring coverage of the latest and most newsworthy topics in a shifting legal landscape.