In this interactive webinar, legal experts will examine the leading Ontario cases and legislation defining the scope of family status discrimination, the duties of accommodation, and what constitutes undue hardship. We will explore how recent decisions are being applied in workplaces across the province, and what they mean for both employers and employees. Whether you’re implementing accommodation policies, advising clients, or managing requests for flexible work, this session will help you stay ahead of emerging trends and compliance risks.

Panelists will address the following questions:

• In what circumstances have adjudicators found that employees must be accommodated through work-from-home arrangements to accommodate child- or elder-care responsibilities?
• What information can employers require to support work-from-home arrangements in order to accommodate family responsibilities? Can employees be required to use their own resources before asking management for accommodation?
• When will a requirement that an employee return to in-person work amount to a bona fide occupational requirement? When will an employer be able to establish that it would amount to undue hardship to allow an employee to work on a remote, hybrid or flexible basis?
• What practical considerations should be considered when assessing whether employees should be permitted to work from home? What flexible working options are available other than remote or hybrid work?
• What trends are emerging in damage awards for discrimination, failure to accommodate, and reprisals relating to family status claims?