We are very proud to share that, for the second year in a row, SpringLaw lawyers and firm partners Lisa Stam and Jessyca Greenwood have received a Best Lawyers Award in the areas of Labour and Employment Law and Criminal Defence respectively. We know how hard they both work to provide their clients with exceptional
Welcome, Matt Chapman & Evaleen Hellinga
We are excited to announce our 2 new lawyers, Matt Chapman and Evaleen Hellinga! They have each quickly become an invaluable part of our growing team.
Matt brings to the firm great experience litigating employee claims, advising on complex executive comp matters and helping employers through workplace law crises and legal proceedings from hire
Employment Contracts vs. Workplace Policies
As employment lawyers, we know that our employer clients can sometimes feel overwhelmed with the volume of documentation they have to prepare and review to sustain a healthy workplace and minimize potential employment-related liabilities. Employment contracts and workplace policies are two of the most common employment-related documents that employers of all sizes often have to deal with in the course of an employment relationship. Many employers, especially newer and smaller ones, often wonder what the differences are between the two, what types of content go into each, and whether they hold the same weight. In this blog, we attempt to provide some insight into this topic.
What Goes in What?
The legal rights and entitlements of an employee, such as the employee’s entitlements to notice on termination or vacation entitlements, should be included in an employment contract. An employer will want to avoid including language about employees’ legal entitlements within the workplace policy; having the policy be found to be unenforceable later on could create problems for the employer. Though an employer may have a general right to make some types of amendments to their policies, altering significant components of a policy may demonstrate the employer’s intention not to be bound by the original agreement.
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Come join SpringLaw’s feisty, smart, all-woman, tech-forward team!
We are looking for 2 innovative, tech-savvy lawyers with 3+ years of employment law experience, each with a slightly different focus:
- A litigation-focused lawyer who loves getting on their virtual, digital and sometimes IRL feet, with an interest in criminal law as it intersects with workplace law.
- A solicitor-focused lawyer who loves contracts, drafting, and advising employers in their day-to-day workplace law issues.
- We want new ideas and experience to keep optimizing our unique client service experience, and embracing automation, technology and efficiencies so we can focus on personal and high-value interactions with our clients.
- We’re looking for aligned souls to join us for the long run.
Continue Reading Come join SpringLaw’s feisty, smart, all-woman, tech-forward team!
SpringLaw is hiring!
We’re busy and need 2 more lawyers on deck. Apply by Friday, April 15, 2022.
SpringLaw is looking for 2 innovative, tech-savvy lawyers with 3+ years of employment law experience, each with a slightly different focus:
- Litigation-focused lawyer who loves getting on her virtual, digital and sometimes IRL feet, with an interest in criminal law as it intersects with workplace law
- Solicitor-focused lawyer who loves contracts, drafting, and advising employers in their day-to-day workplace law issues.
A Deeper Dive into Exemptions from Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policies
In our recent blog, we discussed the consequences that employees may face for not receiving government-approved COVID-19 vaccinations. We also touched on the legitimate medical or religious reasons that some employees may have for refusing or being unable to be vaccinated. In this blog, we’ll take a deeper dive into what sorts of exemptions employers should be prepared to expect (if they have not already come across them) and the steps they can take to determine whether employees have a valid request for an exemption from vaccination, along with the required accommodations.
Types of COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Exemptions Employers May Encounter
Employers should keep an eye out for valid medical and religious/creed-based exemptions employees may have from vaccination.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has provided some examples (of which it emphasizes there are few) of acceptable medical exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccination:
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A Guide for Employers During COVID-19 – March 26, 2021 update
A Guide for Employers during COVID-19
This Guide sets out the key employment law issues to consider, as well as the government’s financial relief options to explore to get through this deep economic crisis. (Last Updated March 26, 2021)
Further free resources can be found here.
Should you need legal advice on how to manage
Romance in the Workplace
SpringLaw’s Lisa Stam joined ADP’s Jeff Livingstone, host of the Insights@Work podcast for a conversation about romance in the workplace.
As Jeff explains, “When professional and personal lives co-mingle, it’s only natural that romantic work relationships happen. While merging romance and work might sound like an ideal situation, navigating office politics and HR policies present
Top 6 Things to Know Regarding ROEs
Employers may brush off the importance of a Record of Employment (ROE) or even have their accountant handle all the details, but it is an important document in the realm of employment law. This document becomes significant when it comes to topics such as terminations, lay-offs, resignations, disability, illness, quarantine, a leave of absence and maternity or parental leaves. So here are the top 6 things that every employer should know when it comes to a Record of Employment.
Firstly, what is an ROE?
An ROE is a form that employers complete for employees who are receiving insurable earnings who have stopped working and are experiencing an interruption of earnings. This document is a requirement of the Employment Insurance Program. An ROE must be completed even if the employee is not applying for Employment Insurance Benefits.
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A Guide for Employers During COVID-19 – February 4 update
A Guide for Employers during COVID-19
This Guide sets out the key employment law issues to consider, as well as the government’s financial relief options to explore to get through this deep economic crisis. (Last Updated February 4, 2021)
Further free resources can be found here.
Should you need legal advice on how to manage