As of January 1, 2022, employers in British Columbia are required to provide a minimum of five paid sick days each year to all employees covered by the BC Employment Standards Act (the “Act”). This announcement has been anticipated by many employers in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed a spotlight on the…
By order of the Provincial Health Officer, as of September 13, 2021, British Columbians are required to demonstrate proof of vaccination to access several events and services. In the wake of this announcement, many employers and employees are left wondering whether their workplace will be able to implement similar requirements for employees to have had…
There are some people out there that can proudly boast “I have never been fired.” Unfortunately for many people this is not the case. Termination of employment is a great cause of stress in many peoples’ lives. The fear of being terminated often weighs in the back of employees’ minds. We spend the majority of…
These last couple of weeks and the events that have unfolded at the CBC and in Canada’s Parliament have brought sexual harassment in the work place to the forefront of conversation, politics and public awareness. Jian Ghomeshi was fired on October 26th after CBC managers were shown video, photos, texts and e-mails, some of which…
Bullying is seldom out of the headlines these days. In one of my last articles, I discussed new cyberbullying legislation. In this article we will take a look at the new provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act. They give workers the ability to make a claim where harassment and bullying have caused a mental disorder. …
I often speak to employees who believe that since they do not have a written employment contract then they do not have a contract at all. If you have a job then you have a contract. If it is not in writing then it is an oral contract. Oral contracts of employment are just as…
One of the most common inquiries I receive in regards to my employment law practice is questions concerning the issue of constructive dismissal. It is a principle often misunderstood by both employers and employees alike. In practical terms, constructive dismissal describes a situation where the employer has not directly fired the employee, but rather, has…
Last year’s announcement by Premier Christy Clark of a new statutory holiday was to the delight of many employees across the province. The inaugural Family Day on February 11, 2013, brings the total to ten statutory holidays in British Columbia, sharing the honours with Saskatchewan for the most number of statutory holidays in the country. […]
For those who champion privacy rights the recent decision in R v. Cole by Canada’s highest court is being treated as no small victory. In a clear win for privacy rights advocates the Supreme Court of Canada in one of its more notable decisions of the year ruled that an employee’s privacy in the workplace, […]
The recent events surrounding General Petraeus and his female biographer-turned-mistress have once again ignited hot debate regarding workplace infidelity and the infelicitous actions that workplace relationships sometimes spawn. Even though adultery is not an offence under criminal law it can still carry legal ramifications. The United States military is one such example where infidelity is […]
