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Serious insight for serious situations.

Serious insight for serious situations.

The outsiders: Recent decision addresses a municipality’s duty to protect employees from external harassment

By now, most employers are well aware of the duty to protect employees from workplace harassment. However, what happens when the harasser is outside the workplace? Is the duty to protect still triggered? Most employment lawyers in Ontario would advise that an employer can (and should) take to protect its employees from workplace-related harassment, regardless

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No STD coverage? No problem* (*as long as you have an appropriate employee absence plan)

External short-term disability (“STD”) plans managed by an insurance provider can be a huge time saver for employers and their HR partners. The other advantages include: Maintaining confidentiality regarding employees’ personal health information; and Deflecting the responsibility for denying an STD claim. That said, the premiums and other financial costs associated with STD plans lead

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Home renos and employment agreements: How employers can avoid the money pit

I have spent many lazy Saturday mornings watching home renovation shows on TV.  I envy the vision and drive of those who undertake these projects and marvel at the final reveal. Through the magic of television, these renovations are always successful (but for the one hilarious yet rectifiable snafu that creates conflict halfway through the

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‘Tis the season for seasonal employment

As the snow begins to pile up, it’s clear that it’s that time of year again: winter. With it, winter brings a different time of year for a number of our employer clients: they’re hiring “seasonal” employees. In Canada, many businesses rely on temporary employees to boost their ranks during busy periods, particularly in the

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New parents, new responsibilities: Help for employers with post-parental leave concerns

A recent Globe and Mail article highlights the fears that new parents face as they contemplate returning to work after a parental leave. It also highlights the issues employers must address when those employees return to work. Since our employer clients often raise questions about post-leave matters, we would like to offer some helpful tips

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The truth about defamation in workplace terminations

There are a number of “piggyback” claims that we see as part of wrongful dismissal claims against our employer clients – intentional infliction of mental distress; discrimination contrary to human rights legislation etc. Amongst these “piggyback” claims is defamation. An employee may claim that the employer (through one or more of its employees) has made

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Treat yo’self! (But not on the employer’s dime)

If you are a Parks and Recreation fan like me, you remember the “Treat Yo’Self Day” episodes featuring Tom and Donna, two of the employees of Pawnee, Indiana’s Parks and Recreation Department.  For those of you who haven’t watched the show, Tom and Donna would take an annual day off of work to shop, indulge

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