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Corporate Counsel Employment Litigation Canada

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Five Employer Wins and Counting: Is the Tide Turning?

In a shift from the prevailing trend of employee-friendly case law regarding the interpretation of employment and compensation agreements, Canadian courts have recently issued a series of rulings in favour of employers. ...more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

Sooner the Better: Employers in Canada Should Really Review Their Termination of Employment Clauses

A recent Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) decision signals a pressing need for Canadian employers to review and consider updating their contractual termination of employment provisions. Otherwise, employers are at risk of...more

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20 Key Developments in Canadian Labour and Employment Law in 2023

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In 2023, Canada saw significant statutory and case law developments in labour and employment law. This Insight provides an overview of notable 2023 developments, with links to more detailed articles and commentary....more

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British Columbia Appeal Court Finds Employer Vicariously Liable for Employee’s Willful Violation of Customers’ Privacy

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In Insurance Corporation of British Columbia v. Ari, 2023 BCCA 331, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA) confirmed that an employer may be found vicariously liable when its employee violates of s. 1 of the province’s...more

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Defining the Relationship: Independent Contractor or Employee?

Organizations commonly face the question of whether a relationship with a worker should be characterized as a contractor or employment relationship. Each characterization offers different benefits and creates different...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Court Determines Plaintiff Employee (Not Independent Contractor) Wrongfully Terminated by Common Employers

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In a wrongful dismissal action against four corporate defendants that were part of a family business, the plaintiff claimed the defendants were common employers, that he was their employee prior to his dismissal, and was...more

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Alberta, Canada: Court Uses Oppression Remedy to Hold Corporate Directors Personally Liable for Wrongful Dismissal Damages

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In Wisser v CEM International Management Consultants Ltd, 2022 ABQB 414 (CEM International), the court used the oppression remedy to hold directors of a corporation personally liable for damages for wrongful dismissal after...more

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Ontario, Canada Appeal Court Decides Non-competition Clause in Employment Agreement Governed by Common Law is Unenforceable

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In M & P Drug Mart Inc. v. Norton, 2022 ONCA 398, the Court of Appeal for Ontario (OCA) dismissed an employer’s appeal of an application judge’s decision that a non-competition clause in an employment agreement governed by...more

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British Columbia, Canada Court of Appeal Upholds Determination That Three Taxi Drivers Are Employees

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In Beach Place Ventures Ltd. v. Employment Standards Tribunal, 2022 BCCA 147, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA) upheld a determination by the Employment Standards Tribunal (Tribunal) that three taxi drivers...more

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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

Bennett Jones LLP

Ontario Superior Court on the Enforceability of Termination Provisions in Employment Agreements

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A Question of Mixed Fact and Law - In a decision for which leave to appeal was denied by the Divisional Court, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently confirmed that a Rule 21 motion, seeking a determination of a...more

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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

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Alberta, Canada: Arbitrator Decides COVID-19 Pandemic is Cataclysmic Event that Did Not Trigger Entitlement to Severance Under...

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In United Utility Workers’ Association of Canada v Dataco Utility Services Ltd., 2022 CanLII 13414 (AB GAA), Arbitrator John Moreau, Q.C., dismissed 11 grievances filed on behalf of 11 service technicians (Grievors) of Dataco...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

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24 Key Developments in Canadian Labour and Employment Law in 2021

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In 2021, 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 2021 developments, with links to more detailed...more

Bennett Jones LLP

Supreme Court Confirms Labour Arbitrators Have Exclusive Jurisdiction Over Human Rights Complaints in Unionized Workplaces

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The Supreme Court of Canada recently confirmed that, subject to express legislative intent to the contrary, where labour legislation provides for the final settlement of disputes arising from a collective agreement, the...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Court of Appeal Clarifies Relationship Between Common Employer Doctrine and Concept of Corporate Separateness

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In O’Reilly v. ClearMRI Solutions Ltd., 2021 ONCA 385 (ClearMRI Solutions), the Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) decided that the motion judge erred in concluding that a majority shareholder of an employee’s contractual employer...more

Fisher Phillips

Employers with Limited Canadian Presence May Be Required to Fulfill Significant Severance Obligations Thanks to Recent Court...

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A Divisional Court in Ontario, Canada recently issued a ruling that could have significant potential extra-jurisdictional consequences for U.S. employers with even a single employee based in Canada. The court’s June 15...more

Bennett Jones LLP

Ontario Employers Need to Review their Employment Agreements—the Waksdale Decision is Here to Stay

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On January 15, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada denied an application for leave to appeal from the Ontario Court of Appeal's June 2020 decision in Waksdale v Swegon North America Inc., 2020 ONCA 391. As a result, many...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Court Confirms Employers that Revoke Accepted Employment Offers May be Liable for Damages

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In Kim v. BT Express Freight Systems (2020), 317 A.C.W.S. (3d) 255, Ontario’s Superior Court confirmed that an employer may be liable for damages if it withdraws an accepted offer of employment or terminates employment...more

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Ontario, Canada: Human Rights Tribunal Awards Significant Damages to Employee Who Acquiesced to Sexual Relationship with...

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In NK v. Botuik, 2020 HRTO 345, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) made a $170,000 damage award to a vulnerable employee who, after being sexually harassed by her direct supervisor, engaged in unwelcome sexual...more

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Supreme Court of Canada Overturns Court of Appeal in Landmark Bonus Case

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On October 9, 2020, in Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., 2020 SCC 26, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC)—the highest court in the country—released a highly anticipated decision in an employee’s appeal of the Nova Scotia...more

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Ontario, Canada: Court Considers Employee’s Entitlement to Commissions “Booked and Billed” after Termination but During...

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A recent Ontario Superior Court decision, Kerner v. Information Builders (Canada) Inc., 2020 ONSC 2975, clarified whether an employee was entitled to commissions that were “booked and billed” after his job termination, but...more

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Supreme Court of Canada Upholds Constitutionality of Challenged Provisions of Federal Genetic Non-discrimination Act

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On May 4, 2017, the federal government enacted the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GNDA). On July 10, 2020, in Reference re Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (Reference),2 the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) rendered a split...more

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Supreme Court of Canada to Decide the Extent of Employers’ Duty of Trust, Honesty and Good Faith in the Performance of Incentive...

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It is rare for an employment law case to come before the highest court in Canada. One of 2019’s most significant developments was the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to consider an employee’s appeal of the Nova Scotia...more

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