Employment Law Canada

Overview

Course duration: 1 day.

This course is run in partnership with JSB.

This Employment Law Canada training, led by lawyers from Baker & McKenzie, provides an comprehensive overview of Canadian employment law. You will hear about latest legal developments and receive up to date information and guidance on managing employee relations in Canada. 

• Are you aware of the differences in provincial and federal law operating in Canada?
• Do you know whether you can ask a prospective candidate in Canada where they reside?
• Did you know that drug and alcohol addiction is classified as a disability in Canada?

Employers operating in Canada must understand the local legal framework to ensure they maintain good employee relations and avoid falling foul of employment law. If your organisation is currently opening offices in Canada or has acquired business operations in this jurisdiction make sure you are up to date on local law and practice.

Is it right for me?

Designed for Business directors, personnel and HR managers, employee relations professionals, in-house counsel, lawyers, line managers and anyone with responsibility for staff in Canada

What will I learn?

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Appreciate the legislative framework and latest legal developments in Canada
• Get need to know advice on how to establish operations in Canada
• Be able to advise colleagues on Canadian employment law and practice

What will it cover?

Overview of the employment law framework in Canada

(a) Federal/Provincial jurisdiction

• Employer registrations

(b) Union

• Canadian Labour Law Framework
• Collective agreements
• Grievances

Non-Union

• Employment contract
• Litigation

Hiring employees in Canada

• Background screening
• Criminal/credit checks
• Drug and alcohol testing

Contracts of employment/concepts and key terms

• Establishing a contract
• Statutory minimum terms (overview – typical ESA obligations).
• Leaves of absence
• Hours of work/overtime
• Vacation pay

• Standard benefits
• Insured benefits
• State benefits (OHIP, etc.)
• Employer sponsored retirement benefits and savings plans (CAP’s, SERPs, etc.)
• Social security (EI/CPP/ITA).

Day to day employee management

• Absence management
• Duty to accommodate
• Employer right to medical information
• Making changes to an employee’s terms and conditions of employment
• Employee communications with regard to benefits/benefit changes
• Plan sponsor obligations – ongoing maintenance of benefits plans
• Pay equity/equal pay for equal work
• Privacy
• WSIA/OHSA

Termination of employment

• Just cause examples
• Without cause

• statutory minimums
• common law claims

Practical advice: non-union employees

• Employment interviews
• Drafting offer letters
• List of contents for typical offer letter
• Restrictive covenants
• Termination
• Drafting termination documents, i.e. letters/releases

Collective agreements/union employees

• Certification of a trade union
• Hiring
• Progressive discipline
• Grievances
• Termination
• Labour disturbances
• Sale of a business
• Recent developments

New developments