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Doctor’s Notes: When Should An Employer Ask For One?
Is it OK to ask employees for a doctor’s note if they are off work due to illness? Do you have to wait a certain number of days before you can ask for a doctor’s note?
The Supreme Court Broadens the Limits of Workplace Discrimination: Schrenk v. British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
The Supreme Court of Canada has addressed (and greatly widened) the scope of “employment” for purposes of human rights legislation in a decision issued on December 15, 2017. The case originated in British Columbia and involved a civil engineer (the “Complainant”) who was employed on a road improvement project. Like many construction worksites across Canada,… Continue reading The Supreme Court Broadens the Limits of Workplace Discrimination: Schrenk v. British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
Key Issues of the Employment Standards Act
What follows is a brief review of your obligations under the Employment Standards Act on the key issues of overtime, uniforms, tips, dine-and-dash, cash shortages, vacations, split shifts, call-in, statutory holidays and breaks.
Trial by Fire
Recent Fires highlight importance of EFAP, preparedness. In recent years forest fires have devastated the country, especially in British Columbia. These emergencies highlight the importance of preparedness and effective administration of employee and family assistance programs (EFAP) to affected employees. Bob Veder and Noi Quao wrote this article originally in 2017 in response to the… Continue reading Trial by Fire
Employees’ Religious Needs: Accommodate Them or Face Costly Consequences
In many cases, the BC Human Rights Tribunal has awarded individual employees thousands of dollars in lost pay and damages when an employer did not accommodate their religious (not spiritual) needs. Know your legal obligations.
Video Surveillance at Work
The use of video cameras in the workplace is on the rise. There may be many reasons an employer is interested in installing cameras in the workplace, such as monitoring employee misconduct, protecting company property, and ensuring employee safety. Whatever the reason for installing cameras, employers must ensure that they comply with privacy laws.
What’s Involved in HR Legal Issues?
Savvy employers make it their business to ensure their management team is current and knowledgeable about all employment-related laws that affect their business, thus preventing costly and time-consuming complaints and investigations.
Social Media Policies in the Workplace: Tips
The various Canadian decisions and recent events demonstrate the need for both employees and employers to understand how social networking fits into traditional employment and labour concepts. Social media policies need to be integrated into companies’ existing policies on protection of privacy and confidential information, workplace safety, conduct in the workplace and discipline.
Social Media Policies in the Workplace: Case Studies
The use of social media in the workplace has exploded in recent years and employers are struggling to keep up. With easier accessibility to the internet, the popularity of smart phones and the introduction of new social media outlets, it is not surprising.
Social Media in the World of Employment Law
With websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, , Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch etc., our daily montage of comments, observations, celebrations, drunken debauchery, frustrations, relationship woes and what we ate for breakfast are now more public than ever before. But how does this online instant publication translate into the world of workplace law?