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Arbitration Employment Policies Canada

Arbitration is a widely-used method for settling disputes between parties. During arbitration, parties submit their dispute to an impartial third person or party, usually chosen by the parties. Typically, parties... more +
Arbitration is a widely-used method for settling disputes between parties. During arbitration, parties submit their dispute to an impartial third person or party, usually chosen by the parties. Typically, parties to arbitration agree in advance to be bound by the arbitrator's decision. Arbitration is an alternative to litigation, but it shares many of the familiar features of litigation. Namely, parties to arbitration hold hearings before neutral decision-makers, present evidence and argue the merits of their position. Parties often choose arbitration due to its perceived advantages over litigation. Those perceived advantages include greater efficiency and flexibility, and lower costs. less -
Stikeman Elliott LLP

Pensions and Leaves of Absences – No Extension of Canada Labour Code Protections to Other Retirement or Savings Plans

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In the decision of WestJet Encore v ALPA, dated March 31, 2025, Arbitrator Kaplan held that a Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) provision which requires that pension (as well as health and disability) benefits continue to be...more

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Québec’s Bold Proposal: Empowering Authorities to Safeguard Public Welfare During Work Stoppages

On February 19, 2025, Québec Minister of Labour Jean Boulet introduced Bill 89, which would amend the Québec Labour Code and related provisions to safeguard the well-being of the population by maintaining necessary services...more

Stikeman Elliott LLP

End of the Line: Alberta Arbitrator Finds Off-Duty Sexual Assault of Co-Worker By Transit Operator Was Cause for Termination

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An Alberta labour arbitrator found an employer was justified in firing a unionized employee for just cause for his off-duty sexual assault of a co-worker. In Corporation of the City of Calgary v Amalgamated Transit...more

Bennett Jones LLP

Alberta Court Confirms Exclusive Jurisdiction of Labour Arbitrator Over Mandatory Vaccination Policy

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The Court of King's Bench of Alberta recently applied the long-standing principle that labour arbitrators have exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes arising under a collective agreement, even in the context of an...more

Littler

25 Key Developments in Canadian Labour and Employment Law in 2022

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In 2022, Canada saw significant statutory and case law developments in labour and employment law, some of which related to COVID-19. This Insight provides an overview of key 2022 developments, with links to more detailed...more

Littler

British Columbia Court Finds Employer May Place Employee on Unpaid Leave for Failing to Comply with its Mandatory COVID-19...

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Although arbitrators in Canada have considered whether an employer in a unionized workplace can place an employee on unpaid leave for failing to comply with its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, the British Columbia...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Arbitrator Decides Employer Discriminated on Basis of Creed in Denying Request for Vaccine Policy Exemption

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In Public Health Sudbury & Districts v. Ontario Nurses’ Association, 2022 CanLii 48440 (ON LA), Arbitrator Robert J. Herman decided that the grievor was discriminated against on the basis of creed under the Ontario Human...more

Littler

Canada: Another Arbitrator Dismisses Grievance Disputing Mandatory Vaccination Policy

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On April 27, 2022, in Canada Post Corporation v. Canadian Union of Postal Workers (Canada Post), Arbitrator Thomas Joliffe, Q.C. dismissed a union grievance disputing that the unilateral imposition of a mandatory vaccination...more

Littler

Canada: Key Trends in Arbitration Awards Pertaining to Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policies

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Since late fall 2021, we have seen a steady flow of arbitration awards emerge in Ontario and British Columbia that consider issues relating to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in the unionized workplace. In this...more

Littler

British Columbia, Canada: Arbitrator Upholds Electricity Provider’s Vaccination Policy But Severs Discipline Aspect as...

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In BC Hydro and Power Authority and IBEW, Local 258, Re, 2022 CarswellBC 837, Arbitrator Gabriel Somjen decided that the mandatory vaccination policy of BC Hydro, British Columbia’s primary electricity supplier, was...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Another Arbitration Decision Upholds Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

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In Unifor Local 973 v Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited, 2022 CanLII 20322, Arbitrator Mark Wright made another contribution to the “weight of authority” in Ontario labour arbitration awards pertaining to mandatory COVID-19...more

Littler

Canada: Arbitrator Finds Termination Consequences of Long-Term Care Home’s Mandatory Vaccination Policy Violated Collective...

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In Chartwell Housing REIT v. Healthcare, Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 2220, 2022CanLII 6832 (ON LA) (Chartwell), Arbitrator Gail Misra considered a provision in a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy that...more

Stikeman Elliott LLP

Enforceability of Vaccination Policies Boosted by Recent Arbitration Decision

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Since we last wrote on the topic of COVID-19 vaccination policies, another vaccination policy was upheld at arbitration, this time, requiring employees to receive a third “booster” shot against COVID-19. ...more

Littler

Canadian Arbitrator Upholds Mandatory Vaccination Policy for Employees Who Work Indoors

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In Power Workers’ Union v Elexicon Energy Inc., 2022 CanLII 7228 (ON LA) (Elexicon Energy), a union challenged the reasonableness of an electricity distribution company’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy (Policy). ...more

International Lawyers Network

Vaccine Requirements – Canada: Montréal

Canada’s Constitution makes it such that the presumptive and preeminent jurisdiction in matters of employment, labour relations writ large, privacy and health and safety at work is provincial, not federal. This is in marked...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Arbitrator Denies Union’s Cease and Desist Application Regarding Employer’s Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

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In Canada Post Corporation and Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Arbitrator Kevin Burkett denied CUPW’s cease and desist application filed under the collective agreement (CA), which arose when the employer imposed a...more

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Mandatory Vaccines: Another Policy Upheld in Ontario

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In Bunge Hamilton Canada, Hamilton, Ontario v. United Food and Commercial Workers Canada, Local 175, the arbitrator found that a mandatory vaccination policy requiring unvaccinated unionized employees to be placed on unpaid...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Another Arbitrator Upholds a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

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In Bunge Hamilton Canada, Hamilton, Ontario v. United Food and Commercial Workers Canada, Local 175 (Bunge), Arbitrator Robert J. Herman dismissed a union grievance challenging the employer’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Court Confirms Unions Must Challenge Mandatory Vaccination Policies Before Labour Arbitrators Rather than Courts

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On November 19, 2021, in Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113 v. Toronto Transit Commission and National Organized Workers Union v. Sinai Health System, 2021 ONSC 7658 (TTC/Sinai Decision), the Ontario Superior Court...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Arbitration Award Considers Issues Pertaining to “Vaccinate or Test” Policies

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On November 12, 2021, in Ontario Power Generation and The Power Worker Union (OPG), Arbitrator John C. Murray considered issues relating to a Vaccinate or Test Policy (Policy) that provided, among other things, that if...more

Miller Canfield

CANADA: Are Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policies Enforceable? Maybe, Maybe Not.

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Since the release of government-approved vaccines to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have been wrestling with how to implement vaccination policies in the workplace. For those employers who have implemented a...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Arbitrator Upholds Employer’s Compulsory Rapid COVID-19 Testing Policy

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In EllisDon Construction Ltd. v. Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 183, 2021 CanLII 50159, an Arbitrator in Ontario decided that when the intrusiveness of an employer’s compulsory Rapid COVID-19 Antigen...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Arbitrator Upholds For-Cause Dismissal of Employee with COVID-19 Who Put Colleagues and Others at Risk

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In Garda Security Screening Inc. v. IAM, District 140 (Shoker Grievance) [2020] O.L.A.A. No. 162 (Garda Grievance), a labour arbitrator dismissed a grievance pertaining to the for-cause dismissal of a unionized employee who...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada: Employee’s Excessive Absences to Pursue Education Need Not be Tolerated by Employer

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In Teamsters Local Union 847 v Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, 2019 CanLII 95328 (ON LA), a part-time restaurant employee in Ontario, Canada with two years’ seniority was discharged from her employment because her...more

Littler

Canada: Alberta Court of Appeal Reminds Adjudicators to take a Modern Approach to Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace

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Two years after the #MeToo Movement made the prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace known worldwide, the Alberta Court of Appeal in Calgary (City) v. Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 37,...more

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