Ontario has Ordered Non-essential Businesses to Close for Two Weeks Starting March 25 Due to COVID-19
On March 23, 2020, Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario is ordering all non-essential businesses to shut down for at least fourteen (14) days,
COVID-19 and the Workplace: ESA Amendments, Federal Benefits and Layoff Principles
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on how Canadian employers conduct business. Canada’s federal and provincial governments have been continuously announcing measures to lessen the impact of the pandemic on employers and employees.
Be Prepared, Not Alarmed: What Employers Should Know About COVID-19
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (“Coronavirus” or “COVID-19”) outbreak, first reported from Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019, to be a “pandemic”.
The Williams HR team: At your side in a time of crisis
The events of the past few days, marked by a dramatic escalation of the coronavirus pandemic, have put tremendous strain on virtually every organization across Canada.
Human Rights Refresher for Employers: Nuances of Discrimination-Related Risks in Recruitment
Most employers know that it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on protected grounds such as age, race, or sex under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”), and that asking job applicants questions about protected grounds during recruitment can expose them to liability, but many employers are not aware of how seemingly innocuous […]
Foodora Couriers are Dependent Contractors That are Entitled to Unionize: A Landmark Decision for the Canadian Gig Economy
Last week the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB” or the “Board”) rendered a historic decision for the Canadian gig economy by finding that Foodora’s food-delivery couriers in Toronto and Mississauga are dependent contractors that are entitled to unionize under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (“LRA”). The gig economy generally involves temporary and flexible work […]
The Ontario Court of Appeal Has Affirmed Limits on When Saving Provisions Can Remedy Unenforceable Termination Clauses
The Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) recently affirmed that a saving provision,
Supreme Court of Canada: Federally Regulated Employers Only Need to Inspect Workplaces Under Their Control for Employees’ Safety
In a decision rendered just before the new year, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) clarified that federally regulated employers’ obligation to inspect workplaces for safety hazards only extends to parts of workplaces over which they have control. Most employers in Canada are provincially regulated, which means that they are subject to provincial legislation, such […]
Great News: Employees Cannot Sue Employers for Constructive Dismissal Due to WSIB-Compensable Psychological Injuries Arising from Workplace Harassment
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (“WSIAT”) recently released a landmark decision which held that employees cannot bring constructive dismissal claims against their employers where the claim is inextricably linked to a chronic mental stress injury arising from workplace harassment. As many employers know, constructive dismissal is when an employee is entitled to take […]
Be Prepared, Not Alarmed: What Employers Should Know About Coronavirus
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV or “Coronavirus”) outbreak, which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, to be a “public health emergency of international concern.” According to the WHO, a coronavirus is a type of virus that can be transmitted between animals and people, and a […]