Leave of Absence

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New recovery benefits replace Canada Emergency Response Benefit
Photo by kate.sade on Unsplash

So long, CERB! The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has officially ended.

Those who were receiving the CERB can now apply for the new recovery benefits. These benefits are retroactive to September 27, 2020, and available until September 25, 2021.

The Canada Recovery Caregiving and Sickness Benefits

As of this Monday, October 5, 2020, the following benefits are now open for applications through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Here is some information on these new benefits:
Continue Reading Life After CERB: New Government Benefits

new Infectious Disease Emergency Leave regulationAs many of our readers and clients know, we have been cautioning that the legality of certain layoffs and job changes necessitated by COVID-19 is uncertain. Generally, layoffs are only legal if the employment contract gives the employer the right to layoff, and many other job changes, such as reductions in hours or pay, raise the risk of constructive dismissal. We anticipated that at some point the Ontario government may weigh in and change the law – on Friday they did.  
Continue Reading Big Changes for COVID-19 Layoffs in Ontario: New O. Reg 228/20 Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Curtails Constructive Dismissal Claims

Can I Afford Legal AdviceHow Can I Afford Legal Advice?

Many employers are facing rock hard choices right now: layoff on shaky legal ground or go bankrupt? Let some employees go, but how to afford termination pay? Offer more than ESA minimums to get a release or risk a claim down the road?

Since early March 2020, we’ve found …

Photo Credit - Kazuend
Photo Credit – Kazuend

This is the third post in my series about the proposed Bill 148 legislative changes. In this post I discuss changes related to scheduling, leaves and vacations.   

Under the proposed changes employees will have the right to increased workplace flexibility and increased leave entitlements. Let’s take a …

Photo Credit - Anne de Haas
Photo Credit – Anne de Haas

Discrimination on the grounds of “family status” continues to be a hot topic for Canadian employers. Are employers required to accommodate an employee’s eldercare obligations? Are these sorts of obligations different than an employee’s childcare obligations?  Where is the line between personal preference to help…

Does racism necessarily lead to a poisoned workplace?

At the end of last month, the Ontario Court of Appeal concluded in General Motors of Canada Limited v Yohann Johnson that while the former employee, Johnson, “genuinely believed that he had been the victim of racism in his workplace” and that his “perception of events unfortunately…

Well, I’m back in the office this week after a busy but wonderful maternity leave.  I was quite excited to get back at it.  As all parents who have taken a parental leave know, coming into the office is often a welcomed break from the chaos of little ones at home.

Practicing law certainly has…

I haven’t blogged since mid-September.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  

I’m home in month 3 of a maternity leave with my second baby and simply haven’t been able to get to a computer for a solid period of time.  As anyone who has been on a parental leave with a newborn knows, it is a…

Three weeks ago, I had a baby.  He’s my second child, was a very reasonable 6 lbs 12 ozs and happily zipped out with no fanfare or complications.  I am now at home with plenty of down time while I feed and wish I was sleeping, and while keeping watch over my 2 year old to make…