When public perception and the law differ: man fired for heckling TV reporter at soccer game is rehired after arbitration process
Just because members of the public call for the firing of an employee for yelling sexual taunts at a TV […]
Safety – Risk Management
Lawyer’s harassment investigation report was not solicitor-client or litigation privileged: union entitled to a copy, says arbitrator
The mere fact that a lawyer prepared an investigation report does not make it privileged, a labour arbitrator has held, […]
Moving company fined under smoke-free workplace legislation
As one employer learned recently, smoke-free workplace legislation has teeth. According to a Nunavut government press release, a government safety […]
Business owner facing criminal and provincial charges in workplace death
Both the RCMP and provincial health and safety officials have laid charges against an owner of a body shop in […]
Can provincial OHSA legislation apply across borders? Ontario OHSA protects employee for safety concerns raised while temporarily in B.C., OLRB decides
The question often arises as to whether occupational health and safety legislation in an employee’s home province protects him or […]
U.S. construction companies and manager face fines of nearly $2 million for exposing workers to asbestos
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) has cited a construction company and its manager for asbestos-related violations and […]
Employee guilty of “reckless” speeding in mine trolley: dismissal upheld
Unsafe operation of equipment is an easy way to get dismissed or charged with Occupational Health and Safety Act – […]
“Zero tolerance” policy on drugs in workplace upheld by human rights tribunal where employee did not have “marijuana card”
An employee who smoked marijuana on the job without legal and medical authorization was not discriminated against when dismissed under […]
“Ill-conceived, poorly-executed” job search, “Alberta sojourn” breached Ontario employee’s duty to mitigate damages in OHSA-retaliation case
Even though an employee “won” his safety-retaliation case under the Occupational Health and Safety Act after his employer failed to […]
Ontario MOL Releases 2015-16 Safety Inspection Blitz Schedule
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has released its schedule of workplace inspection blitzes for the period from May 2015 to […]
Manager was not a “competent person” to conduct harassment / violence investigation under Canada Labour Code: Court
The Federal Court has held that a manager was not a “competent person” to conduct a workplace harassment investigation under […]
Aggravated damages awarded under OHSA for retaliatory firing
An employer has been ordered to pay aggravated damages – in addition to lost wages – after firing an employee […]