Rubin Thomlinson | Insights, News & Articles

Reflections and news direct from Rubin Thomlinson.
Subscribe to receive updates of interest to you.

Select Topic
Search

How deep should an investigator dig?

August 5, 2022 | By Bruce Best

In a recent blog post, I discussed a case where the Ontario Superior Court found an investigation to be inadequate and unfair because it was based on rumour, gossip, and hearsay, and ultimately resulted in the employer making an unjustified and costly decision to terminate an employee’s position.

When decision-makers disagree, and what we’ve learned from this

July 22, 2022

In the summer of 2020, there was an incident involving a City of Toronto Municipal Standards Officer, Michael Rushton, and two Black women, Eva Amo-Mensah and Deborah Ampong (the “complainants”).

Pronouns in the workplace

July 12, 2022 | By Alison Griggs

As awareness and understanding of gender diversity grows, more transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons are feeling supported and empowered to express their gender identities in the workplace.

Upon reflection — Why Pride month is still a protest

July 7, 2022 | By Flora Vineberg

It is readily acknowledged that the origins of “Pride” started on June 28, 1969, when police officers raided New York City’s Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, beating and harassing bar patrons and arresting 13 employees who were considered in violation of various gendered state legislation.

Put on your lens! The importance of having a critical race theory (CRT) lens when conducting a race-based workplace investigation

June 21, 2022 | By Tola Olupona

Like many of you, over the last couple of years, I have been hearing the buzz around the ban of the now controversial critical race theory (CRT) from some of our neighbours south of the border.

The why and how of incorporating visual aids into investigation reports

June 14, 2022

A lot of work goes into producing an investigation report that is well-written and well-reasoned. But the finished product is more than just a set of words—it is also a visual experience for the reader. While visual elements such as white space and word font certainly enhance readability, in this blog post I focus on the communicative power of visual aids (images, tables, charts, etc.) and provide some best practices for including them in investigation reports.

L’affaire Render ou l’histoire d’un cas de tolérance zéro en matière de harcèlement sexuel | The Render’s case or a story of zero tolerance in sexual harassment

June 7, 2022 | By Alexandra Djagba Oli

Si l’année 2022 nous a déjà fourni amples sujets de discussions tels que la gifle de Will Smith aux Oscars, ou encore le procès en diffamation de Johnny Depp, la récente décision de la Cour d’appel de l’Ontario dans l’affaire Render v. ThyssenKrupp Elevator (Canada) Limited, 2022 ONCA 310 (CanLII), rejoint, à mon avis, aisément ce palmarès.

We need a tort of sexual harassment

May 26, 2022 | By Flora Vineberg

In 2019, the Ontario Court of Appeal (ONCA) released its decision in Merrifield v. Canada (Attorney General), reversing a trial court decision and definitively ruling there to be no independent tort of harassment. The plaintiff, an employee of a police force, had made a claim of harassment and bullying which he asserted negatively impacted his career and caused him emotional distress.

Serious insight for serious situations.