Building Stronger Workplaces.

Building Stronger Workplaces.

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Explore our collection of practical articles and curated resources designed to support professionals in building stronger workplaces.

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The new breed of “accidental entrepreneurs”

I was fascinated to read Leah Eichler’s article in the Globe and Mail this past weekend discussing the rise of a new breed of “accidental entrepreneurs”.  Unlike traditional entrepreneurs, who are motivated by a passion to solve a problem or turn a hobby into a paying job, the “accidental entrepreneur” has been spawned by the

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No discrimination = Human rights damages? It can if there was no investigation.

Deen Morgan believed that he was targeted at work because of his skin colour.  His employer did not agree but it dismissed Mr. Morgan’s concerns and instead found a reason to terminate his employment.  When he took his complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “HRTO”), they ruled in a decision released last

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A temporary layoff can’t be a constructive dismissal?

In a decision released last week, Justice Moore of the Ontario Superior Court appears to have altered the law of constructive dismissal as it pertains to temporary layoffs.  Before now, if an employee client came to us having been temporarily laid off, we would nonetheless have considered the possibility that the employee might have been

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Reading the Rutgers investigation report

When delivering our workplace investigation training, we often discuss the need to assume a wide readership for the investigation reports that we prepare, and to write accordingly. Few of us, however, should expect a readership that the investigators tasked with looking into allegations against the Rutgers men’s basketball coach knew that they would face. Video

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A delicious way to resign

Chris Holmes worked days for the Border Force at Stansted Airport and baked cakes in his spare time. After three years of moonlighting, Mr. Holmes decided it was time to pursue his cake business full-time. This left the matter of announcing his decision to his employer. How better for a baker to resign than on

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Terminating an employee facing misconduct allegations may defy duty of fairness

When an employer is made aware of allegations of employee misconduct, employment lawyers generally advise that they are expected to respond fairly and conduct some form of investigation before reaching any conclusion on fault for the misconduct and any resulting discipline. Given the potential duration and cost of an investigation process, an employer may be

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Work-life issues: Implications for employment law

I was very interested to read last week the summary of The 2012 National Study on Balancing Work and Caregiving in Canada (the “Study”), published by Carleton University professor, Linda Duxbury, and University of Western Ontario professor, Christopher Higgins. This is the 3rd such study, conducted once a decade since 1991, and there are some

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Are political beliefs a creed?

In speaking to employers, and particularly to human resources professionals, I often hear how challenging they find it to accommodate their employees’ needs as they relate to creed, both because of the sensitive nature of discussions around religion and the uniqueness of each employee’s genuinely held beliefs. A recent decision by the Ontario Superior Court

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