Free legal updates webinar: 2020 Wrap-Up & Your Questions AnsweredWhat a year it has been in the world of employment law! For our final webinar of 2020, join Lisa Stam and Hilary Page for a quick overview of important legal updates/the current lay of the land, along with an ‘open mic’ for your pressing questions.

Register today for our free SpringForward Legal Updates webinar – 2020 Wrap-Up & Your Questions Answered.  Then click here to submit your questions in advance.

Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Time: 10:30 a.m. E.S.T.

SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series: Each month, on the 3rd Wednesday at 10:30 am EST, we do a 30-minute deep dive into key employment law issues impacting workplaces. You can find our previous webinar recordings on our YouTube channel.

Toolkit helps employers during latest Covid-19 lockdownAs COVID-19 continues to create barriers for businesses across the province, many employers face tough decisions regarding their staff. With so much uncertainty regarding when and if things will return to normal, scaling down or shutting down is becoming a reality in many industries. 

At SpringLaw, we help employers navigate these difficult decisions every day, but are also aware that not every business needs traditional legal services. This is why we created our Pivot DIY employer toolkit. Pivot DIY contains guides to help employers decide how to adjust their workforce and template legal documents with instructions on how to customize them. 

Layoffs/Deemed IDEL

Where employers are hopeful that more work will be available in the future, layoffs may be appropriate. A layoff is a temporary stoppage of work. An employer normally needs the contractual right to lay an employee off. Normally, layoffs can only last for specified lengths of time.  Continue Reading Pivoting Your Business During Yet Another Lockdown

Liability protection for businesses for COVID-19 issues
Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash

Last week, on November 17, 2020, the Ontario government passed a law providing liability protection for businesses for COVID-19 issues. The new Supporting Ontario’s Recovery and Municipal Elections Act, 2020 is good news for businesses worried about liability if a customer or client is exposed or contracts COVID-19.

The critical, and pretty much deal-breaking carve out for employers, however, is that employers are NOT protected from claims from employees. Continue Reading New Business Liability Protection Act Carves out Employee Claims

employee tests covid-19 positive
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

As case numbers rise, employers and employees alike may wonder what they should do if an employee or a co-worker tests Covid-19 positive. 

If An Employee is COVID-19 Positive

Obviously, an employee who has tested positive for COVID-19 should not return to work until they are no longer COVID-19 positive. In Ontario, workplaces are currently required to administer the daily screening tool, which ideally catches any infected employee early. 

Employers should assess the infected employee’s past actions and potential contacts. It may not be necessary to close the entire workplace, but it may make sense to close off their work area or the bathroom they used for a time and then to thoroughly disinfect the area. Continue Reading Covid-19 Infections At Work

covid-19 workplace law issues
Credits: www.cherrydeck.com

With the new Ontario Covid-19 response framework in place and Covid-19 still on the rise, employers need guidance on how to navigate workplace law issues.

During our last webinar, we covered this very topic and were flooded with employer questions. This is Part 2 of our Q&A on the second wave of Covid-19 workplace law issues.  Click here for Part 1.  

Question 7: If an employee chooses to work from home because of childcare, kids’ online learning/homeschooling, but their role is impossible to do at home, are we required to provide alternative work OR do they just go on leave?  Continue Reading Covid-19 2nd Wave Workplace Law Issues: Part 2

Covid-19 workplace legal issues as winter approachesAs we now all head indoors for a few months, how will your business and workforce handle COVID-related restrictions? After 8 months of new pandemic rules and systems, pivoting and outdoor meetings, the long Canadian winter will no doubt bring fresh employment law issues. There’s only so much a cozy fireplace and wool socks can solve.

Join this month’s webinar about pandemic-era legal problems involving:

a) employee leaves
b) liabilities if your employee or customer gets sick
c) seasonal layoffs and terminations, and
d) other Q&As

Register today for our free SpringForward Legal Updates webinar – Winter is Coming!  Covering Your Employer A*$ As We Head Indoors.

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Time: 10:30 a.m. E.S.T.

SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series: Each month, on the 3rd Wednesday at 10:30 am EST, we do a 30-minute deep dive into key employment law issues impacting workplaces.  You can find our previous webinar recordings on our YouTube channel.

coronavirus workplace legal considerations
Credits: www.cherrydeck.com

With the second wave of Covid-19 upon us, new government benefits now in place and government business restrictions shifting, it is important for employers to be up to speed on key workplace legal considerations and compliance issues.  During our last webinar, we covered this very topic and were flooded with questions from employers.  Below is part 1 of a summary of the most common Q&As.

Question 1: Are employees entitled to an accommodation to work from home if it is a choice or preference to not put their kids in school, rather than a need based on health issues? Continue Reading Covid-19 2nd Wave Workplace Law Issues: Part 1

dress code rulesWith so much hot news swirling around, some may have missed the story of the Arctic research mission MOSAiC’s dress code. Apparently, women on board the ship were told not to dress in tight-fitting clothing, and specifically no leggings, no crop tops, no short shorts, no hot pants and “nothing too revealing.” The leader of the mission apparently felt that this was a “safety issue,” as “there are a lot of men on board this ship … and some of them are going to be on board this ship for months at a time.” Ah hem. 

It’s been reported that the dress code policy followed allegations of sexual harassment made by several women on the ship.

Continue Reading Dress Code Rules: What’s wrong with saying “no hot pants”?

SpringLaw is hiring

SpringLaw is hiring! We’re looking for another rockstar lawyer to join our virtual employment law boutique that helps bosses and execs build and manage workplaces with more calm and less drama. We believe in using tech and automation to deliver legal services more efficiently, so that we can focus on connecting with our clients IRL and on a human level. The firm was founded over 3 years ago on a paperless and virtual model and built to thrive in our new online environment. We’re busy and need more hands on deck.

Click here for more detes: https://www.springlaw.ca/rockstar-lawyer/

Risks of Not Firing Properly
Photo by Dustin Tramel on Unsplash

Employers often wonder what the consequences might be if they don’t do everything their lawyer tells them to or, if they don’t get a lawyer at all and just “wing it” when hiring, firing, or dealing with workplace issues like harassment complaints or requests for accommodation. 

Of course, it depends. Not every employee is going to be litigious, but a fair number are. It’s generally pretty easy for employees to get legal consultations and a lawyer to take their “wrongful dismissals” on contingency. The barrier to entry can be quite low.  

So, what can an employer expect? In today’s post, we will go through the various types of employer-worst-case-scenario employment law damages.
 Continue Reading Employment Law Damages: The Risk of Not Firing Properly