Building Stronger Workplaces.

Building Stronger Workplaces.

Respect at Work Training – why now?

We’ve been hearing much talk about the “Great Resignation” – specifically, between April and September 2021, more than 24 million American employees left their jobs, an all-time record. While the same hasn’t yet been seen in Canada, experts speculate that this may just be delayed…

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Lessons for employers about expense claims from the Mike Duffy trial

We’re now several days into the Mike Duffy trial and the stage is set for a public examination of the expenses that Mr. Duffy claimed while he was a member of the Senate.  Ultimately, it will be up to Justice Vaillancourt to decide if Mr. Duffy is guilty of a criminal offence, but this case

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This Partridge is probably “gettin’ happy” now

Lee Partridge worked originally as a dental hygienist for the Botony Dental Corporation and later as its office manager before she was fired following her return from a maternity leave in 2011.  She sued Botony for wrongful dismissal and for breach of both the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Ontario Human Rights Code.  In

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On the first day of Christmas…

If, like me, you estimate that you’ve heard this holiday tune about a million times, then you have probably wondered on more than one occasion, what kind of gifts are these?  A partridge?  I don’t care that it comes with a pear tree. Hens? Geese? I mean, other than the five golden rings (to which

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When does an employer’s accommodation actions become harassment?

When an employee requires accommodation following an injury or onset of a disability, an employer is often unsure where to draw the line in their communications and interactions with the employee. Accommodation is a collaborative process and it is important that the employer receives information and cooperation from the employee. At the same time, employees

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The “boomerang employee” – Think before re-hiring the “comeback kid”

This past weekend, I was fascinated to read Leah Eichler’s story in the Globe and Mail about “Boomerang Employees.”  Having never heard the term, I was interested to learn that it refers to an employee who leaves an organization only to later return to that same organization for a second term of employment, presumably after

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I’ve won the lottery!

Ok, not literally.  But if you have kids who have gone to overnight camp, you know what I mean – it’s like being at adult camp.  And this year, my kids decided that they wanted to go for the whole summer!  When I share this with people and see the corresponding looks on their faces,

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Landmark LGBT legal moments – World pride edition

As Toronto continues to host the world for this year’s World Pride celebrations, I thought it was a good time to look back at some of the landmark legal moments involving, and impacting, members of the LGBT community. 1. Criminal Code Amendments (1969) On May 14, 1969, Omnibus Bill C-150 passed third reading in the

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