Photo of Jennifer Bernardo

Jennifer Bernardo has a broad trial and appellate advocacy practice, with a focus on labour, employment, and administrative law. She has acted as lead counsel in grievance arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and trials, and has served as junior counsel on judicial reviews, corporate/commercial trials and appeals, class actions, and complex labour and employment hearings and appeals. In addition to her litigation practice, Jennifer advises clients on contentious and non-contentious workplace issues, such as employment standards requirements, workplace accommodation, discrimination and harassment, collective bargaining and labour relations, and reductions in force, as well as issues relating to international labour and human rights standards, corporate compliance and risk management, and internal investigations.

In this 75-minute “quick hits” style session, our team provided practical advice to Canadian in-house counsel and human resources leaders and addressed what to keep top-of-mind for 2024.

Among other topics, we discussed:

  • Implications of Pay Transparency Legislation in British Columbia and
  • Special thanks to our Baker McKenzie speakers Jim HollowayTheo Ling and Usman Sheikhand Industry Leaders Mark Crestohl, Senior Counsel, Accenture, Diana Drappel, Assistant General Counsel, Royal Bank of Canada, Levin Karg, Manager, Ontario Securities Commission, and Raees Nakhuda, Senior Counsel, Thomson Reuters.

    Baker McKenzie is pleased to invite you to a breakfast symposium

    Special thanks to co-presenters, Krissy Katzenstein and Kaitlin Thompson.

    With a surge in layoffs taking place over the past year, many of those originally hired to diversify the workplace have been impacted, and studies show that inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E) professionals have been affected by layoffs at a higher rate than others. The

    Special thanks to Sarah Adler, Immigration Legal Counsel.

    Our webinar was designed to bring Canadian in-house counsel and human resources leaders up to speed on the top labour, employment and human rights law developments of 2022 and to prepare them for what’s on the horizon in 2023.  

    Using our “quick hits” format, we

    The new year brings new challenges for employers. Join us as we take stock of changes over the last year and strategize for what’s on the horizon. 

    In our 75-minute “quick hits” format, we’ll help Canadian in-house counsel and human resources leaders track what to keep top-of-mind for 2023. We’ll also provide practical takeaways to help

    In light of recent social justice movements, businesses are increasingly aware of issues pertaining to diversity and inclusion, making it essential for employers to take proactive steps to address inequality in the workplace. Our presenters explore how to set up special programs under human rights legislation, and discuss best practices for advancing substantive equality in

    As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available across Canada, employers have questions about how this changes the return to the workplace. In this Quick Chat video, our Labour and Employment lawyers discuss the vaccine policies and procedures being adopted by companies operating in Canada, as well as the legal and practical considerations to address.

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    Following almost a year of uncertainty, the Ontario Superior Court finally clarified that temporary layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic can amount to constructive dismissal under the common-law. Ontario employers should take note of this important decision if they have or are considering temporary staffing cuts, including temporary reductions in hours.
    Continue Reading COVID Layoffs Can Lead to Employer Liability, Ontario Court Says

    On June 26, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in the highly publicized case of Heller v Uber Technologies Inc. The case arises from a Toronto-based UberEATS driver’s effort to bring a $400-million class action against Uber, on behalf of Uber and UberEATS drivers in Ontario. Mr. Heller alleged that Uber violated the Employment Standards Act, 2000 by treating Uber and UberEATS drivers as independent contractors and failing to provide them with employment-related entitlements like minimum wage, vacation, and overtime pay.

    The issue before the Court was the validity of an arbitration clause in a standard form service agreement. The agreement was governed by the law of the Netherlands and required drivers to litigate their disputes with Uber in the Netherlands. Uber required all of its prospective drivers to enter into this agreement by having them accept the terms through their app. The Court ruled in favor of the drivers, finding that the arbitration clause was unconscionable because its terms effectively made it effectively impossible for the drivers to arbitrate their claims.

    As a result of the decision, the class action can proceed to a certification motion.

    Key Takeaways

    Employers with arbitration clauses in their employment contracts or independent contractor agreements must revisit their agreements to determine whether they continue to be valid in Canada. Based on the Court’s decision, employers should not have arbitration clauses that require employees to pay substantial upfront fees to initiate the process. Employers should also consider whether they should pay the administration fees required for private arbitration, subject to the company’s right to a refund of those fees if it is successful in arbitration. If employers choose to keep arbitration clauses, they should ensure that in-person hearings remain local.Continue Reading Supreme Court of Canada Invalidates Uber Arbitration Clause in $400-Million Class Action

    As COVID-related restrictions begin to be lifted, employers are properly focused on ensuring that their workplaces and workforces are prepared for reopening. However, there is some suggestion that full or partial reclosings, followed by subsequent reopenings, may need to occur until a vaccine is developed, mass immunity exists, or sufficient treatment methods are implemented. As