VW lawyer Paul Willetts authored an article in the May 2016 edition of HR Update entitled, "Human Rights Law Today: Guidance for Individuals and Employers." The article discusses steps that employers can take to limit liability in the workplace and provides some practical reminders to employees about their entitlements at work around accommodation and protection from harassment.
The Office Holiday Party: A {Cautionary} Winter's Tale
As December arrives, our minds turn to the holidays: turkey, eggnog, and a long-lived tradition — the office christmas party.
The office christmas party is a time for colleagues to relax a little and celebrate the coming season, and an opportunity for management to show their staff appreciation for another year of hard work.
{UPDATE} Off-Duty Conduct and Discipline: The FHRITP Case
In May 2015 we wrote on a major news story about off-duty conduct coming out of Toronto:
This week a media firestorm was sparked over comments made by a Hydro One employee (Shawn Simoes) to Shauna Hunt, a CityNews Television Reporter, outside a Toronto F.C. game. Shortly after the televised exchange, Hydro One made the decision to terminate Simoes' employment.
As we noted at the time, while Mr. Simoes' public conduct was abhorrent, it was not clear that Hydro One had just cause to fire its employee for actions not directly tied to the workplace.