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Serious insight for serious situations.

Serious insight for serious situations.

Staying the course in workplace Investigations When #MeToo Becomes #MeThree and #MeFour

As we settle into 2018, it is safe to say that the number of people coming forward with harassment and discrimination complaints is on the rise.   Whether this increase is as a result of the #MeToo movement, of increased awareness as to what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, of recently legislated workplace investigation procedures, or

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“What’s taking so long?” – Addressing delay in workplace investigations

One of the pillars to a sound investigation process is timeliness.  Complaints and allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour must be taken seriously, and demonstrating this seriousness means giving immediate attention to the matter.  That being said, those of us who receive these complaints and allegations are usually juggling many other things, and it is often

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When is circumstantial evidence enough? Lessons from Re SUN and Regina Qu’Appelle Regional Health Authority

Re SUN and Regina Qu’Appelle Regional Health Authority (2017 CanLII 87132 (SK LA)) is a cautionary tale for any employer who has ever relied upon circumstantial evidence to make a finding against an employee. In this case, the Grievor, a Registered Nurse with a history of substance abuse, was alleged to have stolen morphine from

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Opening the book into harassment investigations at the Vancouver Public Library

A November 2017 BC Human Rights Tribunal decision shines some light on how investigations into harassment complaints are conducted at the Vancouver Public Library (VPL).  The decision, Hawknes v. Vancouver Public Library (No. 2), 2017 BCHRT 250, is the second of two procedural decisions involving allegations of harassment, discrimination and failure to accommodate in employment.

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RT’s Credibility assessment lexicon

For want-to-be or fledgling workplaces investigators, no subject is more difficult than considering how to assess credibility. In our experience, while most new investigators can easily grasp the concept of “credibility” and recognize when they find or do not find a particular witness to be credible, they often struggle to translate this understanding into writing.

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Cleaning up clear and convincing: Changes to Ontario police legislation

Late last week, the provincial government tabled Bill 175, the Safer Ontario Act, which contained extensive provisions to overhaul policing in Ontario. The Bill makes changes to a number of pieces of legislation, including the Police Services Act, which had been in place for twenty-seven years.  The proposed legislation includes changes to the civilian oversight

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