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Baker McKenzie is partnering with The Globe and Mail for the Solving Workplace Challenges 2018 conference, a dynamic, half-day learning event. Three panels of experts will provide recommendations and practical strategies for some of the most pressing issues facing employers today, including mental health, marijuana in the workplace and building employee resiliency.

Chris Burkett will be speaking on a panel on workplace policies moderated by Sean Stanleigh (Globe and Mail), Daniel Lublin (Whitten Lublin), Jessica Antoine (Purolator) and others.

The conference is on March 20, 2018 at The Globe and Mail’s new headquarters at 351 King St. East in Toronto. For more details and to register, follow this link.

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The government of Ontario announced today that it will introduce new legislation to require certain employers to track and publish their compensation information. The proposed legislation is part of the province’s initiative to advance women’s economic status and create more equitable workplaces (the initiative is titled “Then Now Next: Ontario’s Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment”). Today’s announcement comes on the heels of last week’s budget plan in which the federal government outlined proposed proactive pay equity legislation that would apply to federally regulated employers – see here for our article on the proposed federal legislation. Continue Reading Ontario Introducing New Pay Transparency Legislation

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The Government of Canada released its 2018 budget plan on February 27, 2018, entitled “Equality and Growth”. The budget plan proposes various initiatives aimed at improving women’s equality in the workforce and addressing the gender wage gap. The budget proposes to implement a new parental leave benefit that is likely to have an impact upon both provincially and federally regulated employers. The budget also proposes changes to the federal pay equity regime and online reporting of pay information filed under the Employment Equity Act. Continue Reading Budget 2018: New Parental Leave Benefit & Pay Equity Regime

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Bill 148: Review & Compliance Check

We invite you to join Baker McKenzie’s Employment & Compensation Group in Toronto on February 28, 2018 as we review key changes under Ontario’s Bill 148 and provide practical guidance to assist you in meeting the new legislative requirements. For the event details and to register, please click here.

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A recent decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal adds further confusion to the issue of the enforceability of termination clauses. In Holm v AGAT Laboratories Ltd, 2018 ABCA 23 (“Holm“), the Alberta Court of Appeal (“Court”) held that explicit language must be included in a termination clause to oust an employee’s common law rights. Continue Reading Alberta and Ontario Courts Diverge on Termination Clauses

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The Ontario Court of Appeal just released another decision on the interpretation and enforceability of termination clauses – the latest chapter in a less-than-clear set of guidelines. Generally speaking, a properly drafted termination clause can be used to limit an employee’s entitlements on dismissal. Continue Reading Ontario Court of Appeal Weighs in (Again) on Termination Clauses

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Ontario employers face a number of new challenges in 2018 as a result of the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (“Bill 148”). To help employers navigate the many changes under Bill 148, we have outlined the key changes that employers need to be aware of. We have also indicated planning actions to consider in view of these changes. Continue Reading Bill 148: Key Changes & What to Do About Them

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As stories of workplace harassment and discrimination permeate the news and social media accounts, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) has expanded the scope of provincial human rights legislation to impose liability on co-workers – even when those co-workers have different employers. Continue Reading Supreme Court of Canada Expands Workplace Discrimination Protection to Cover Non-Employees

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Many employers rely on the discretionary nature of their bonus plans to deny bonuses to employees they’ve dismissed. However, in last month’s decision in Singer v Nordstrong Equipment Limited, 2017 ONSC 5906, the Court held that stipulating that a bonus is discretionary in the policy doesn’t necessarily give the employer complete freedom to withhold the bonus. Rather, discretionary bonuses must be awarded through a “fair, identifiable process.” Continue Reading Is a Discretionary Bonus Really Discretionary?

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We are pleased to report that the Ontario Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the principle that a purchaser of the assets of a business is free to offer employment on new terms to employees of the vendor and can rely on the resulting written employment agreement as binding (Krishnamoorthy v. Olympus Canada Inc., 2017 ONCA 873). Continue Reading Court of Appeal Rules Termination Clause Valid on Sale of Business