Toronto Employment Lawyer Phanath Im Archives

The Metron saga nears its end: Project manager is convicted and faces sentencing

July 22, 2015

Background The tragic saga of Metron Construction Incorporated, which spurred a comprehensive review of the Ontario OHS system, began on Christmas Eve of 2009. Metron was hired to restore concrete balconies on 2 high-rise buildings in Toronto’s west end, known as the Kipling Project. On Christmas Eve 2009, a crew of 6 men was on a

Protecting the bystander: Strategies in workplace harassment prevention and investigations

April 24, 2015

After years of research and related policies and training, workplace harassment prevention remains a challenge for many employers. The reality of this persisting problem in many workplaces demands further education and new and creative responses, especially when considering the role and impact upon bystanders. Bystanders are individuals who observe harassment in the workplace firsthand. Depending

“Thanks for minding your own business”: The role of bystander intervention training in fighting workplace violence and harassment

March 25, 2015

The Ontario government video ad, #WhoWillYouHelp, which urges bystanders to intervene when witnessing sexual violence and harassment, has gone viral. The powerful ad depicts four disturbing vignettes of sexual harassment or violence where the viewer is essentially the bystander. One vignette shows a woman working at her office computer while a man gives her an

Winter safety blitz: Getting a grip on slips and trips in the winter of 2015

February 27, 2015

For those of us in Ontario, Quebec, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada, 2015 has so far been a never-ending story of winter. Work, however, must nevertheless carry on despite snow, ice, slush, and record breaking cold temperatures. However, with these plunging temperatures and slippery conditions comes an increased potential for twisted ankles, broken bones and

Corporate directors jailed after worker fatality

January 30, 2015

An Ontario court has recently ordered two corporate directors to each serve 25 days in jail after they pleaded guilty to safety violations that led to the death of a worker. New Mex Canada Inc., an importer and retailer of furniture and accessories, and directors Baldev Purba and Rajinder Saini, were charged under the Occupational

Nothing in life is free: Certain unpaid positions now protected under the OHSA

November 28, 2014

Until just recently, employers were able to enjoy free student labour without attracting obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). In that regard, if an unpaid co-op student or intern was injured in the workplace, the Ministry of Labour could not charge the employer for failing to protect that student from the injury

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