When Is the 'Last Straw'?
The article stresses that progressive discipline is essential for documenting employee misconduct and enabling lawful terminations. It explains that waiting for a "last straw" without prior warnings leaves employers unable to fire for cause, forcing costly term‑in‑lieu payouts. The piece outlines practical do's and don’ts, emphasizing formal policies, early intervention, and a collaborative approach. Ultimately, proactive discipline reduces legal exposure and supports a healthier workplace culture.
From Phoenix to Dayforce: Auditor General Warns of Risks
The Canadian federal government is replacing the troubled Phoenix payroll system with the Dayforce platform, a project now projected to cost more than $3 billion USD. An Auditor General report warns that slow simplification of pay rules has led to costly...
Ottawa Extends EI Tariff Relief for Affected Workers
The Canadian government has extended three temporary Employment Insurance measures aimed at workers hit by U.S. tariff disruptions until October 10, 2026, adding six months of enhanced income support. The extensions include waiving the one‑week EI waiting period, suspending the treatment of...
Heading up HR at One of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Cities
Gregory Juliano, CHRO of Calgary, says the city is Canada’s fastest‑growing municipality, adding more than 100,000 residents and now employing over 20,000 staff. To manage this growth while keeping taxes low, HR and IT are embedding technology, including an enterprise...
New Fed Rules Crack Down on Temp Worker Exploitation
Canada’s federal Labour Code will be amended in early 2026 to ban wage differentials between temporary agency workers and permanent employees performing substantially the same duties, outlaw agency placement fees and “no‑hire” clauses, and extend equal‑pay protections to part‑time staff....
How to Run 'Ask Me Anything' Town Halls without Losing Control
Atlassian dismissed a U.S. engineer who called the CEO a “rich jerk” during an internal AMA, turning a casual video call into a U.S. labor board hearing. The incident underscores how open‑forum formats can quickly spiral into legal disputes, especially...
Is It Time to Abolish Tipping? Two-Thirds of Canadians Say Yes
A H&R Block Canada survey finds 67 percent of Canadians think tipping should be abolished, with 93 percent irritated by tip prompts on card‑payment machines. Nearly half of respondents avoid businesses that display tip options, and 41 percent have stopped visiting such venues. The...
Onboarding
The article outlines a four‑stage onboarding framework. Stage 1 (Pre‑boarding) handles logistics and confidence‑building between offer acceptance and Day 1. Stage 2 (Orientation) provides a big‑picture view of the organization’s values, structure, and essential information. Stage 3 (Role training & ramp‑up) delivers job‑specific skill...
Termination, Bonuses and Shares: Tightening Plan Language to Reduce Legal Risk
An Alberta Court of King’s Bench ruling in McElgunn v. Vermilion Energy highlighted that ambiguous termination language in bonus and long‑term incentive plans can be read against employers, allowing a dismissed executive to retain her share award. Partner Adrian Elmslie...
BC Tribunal Dismisses Complaint Linking COVID Conspiracy Video to Racial Bias
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a complaint by the former executive director of the Northern BC Graduate Students’ Society, finding no reasonable prospect of proving race, ancestry, or mental disability motivated any adverse treatment. The director had resigned...
Rising Fuel Costs and RTO: Should Employers Help Pay for the Commute?
Rising fuel prices and a push to return‑to‑office have revived debate over employer‑funded commuting support. HR scholar Parbudyal Singh advises that subsidies should only be offered when a clear business case demonstrates a net productivity gain. He stresses flat‑rate, non‑performance‑linked...
Province Pushes for Retail Establishments to Open on Family Day and Victoria Day
Ontario is proposing legislation that would let retail stores open on Family Day and Victoria Day as early as 2026, while preserving existing public‑holiday protections. The move would eliminate the current patchwork of municipal bans on those two non‑religious holidays....
Board Blocks Union's Bid to Dismiss Complaint by Fired Worker
An Ontario long‑term care personal support worker was fired after a union unit chair reported her alleged threat to “burn this place down.” The Ontario Labour Relations Board refused to dismiss her complaint, finding she has an arguable case that...
Arbitrator Orders Reinstatement of 24-Year Employee Fired After Telling Workers to ‘Sign Off’
An Ontario arbitrator ordered Cargill Limited to reinstate Dung Phan, a 24‑year employee, replacing his termination with a six‑month unpaid suspension, back pay and full seniority. The arbitrator found Phan’s urging co‑workers to “sign off” was serious misconduct but deemed...
Whole Foods Retaliation Case: Court Orders Worker to Pay $7,500 Security for Costs Before Appeal Proceeds
The British Columbia Court of Appeal ordered former Whole Foods employee Faranak Moradi to post $7,500 security for costs before her appeal can proceed. The appeal stems from a 2019 termination that Moradi claims was retaliatory for reporting health‑safety concerns,...
Talking Honestly About DEI when Priorities Change
The new federal Sustainable Development Strategy places systemic discrimination, gender‑based violence and Indigenous prosperity at the forefront, prompting Canadian employers to reassess their DEI priorities. Claude Balthazard argues that employees are skeptical of surface‑level messaging and expect clear, honest explanations...
Women Still Under-Represented in Canadian Boardrooms: Report
Women remain under‑represented in senior corporate leadership in Canada, occupying just 23.2 percent of board seats and 26.6 percent of officer roles in 2023, a modest rise from the previous year. More than half of all boards (50.3 percent) still have no female...
Burnout, Disengagement Rises Even Through Good Employee Health, Happiness at Work: Report
According to Sodexo’s Global Workplace Health Index, 48 percent of employees worldwide report burnout and only 21 percent feel engaged, costing an estimated $438 billion in lost productivity in 2024. Despite these challenges, 58 percent of Canadian workers rate their health as good or...
Fired Guard's Deleted Photo Sparks Human Rights Discrimination Complaint
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario dismissed Jesspreet Grewal’s claim that his termination and the removal of his photograph from a security company’s public‑facing pages constituted race‑based discrimination. The tribunal found Grewal’s allegations were “bald” and lacked a factual nexus...
Court Orders Full Three-Year Salary After Termination Clause Gets Overridden
A British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld a trial order requiring FCAPX to pay the remainder of a three‑year fixed‑term salary to former engineer Joseph Bouchard after the company terminated him without cause. The court found that a superseding clause...
Complaint to Consequence: Avoiding Retaliation Allegations in Harassment Cases
A recent Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board ruling in the City of Moose Jaw case illustrates how post‑complaint actions can be perceived as retaliation. The tribunal scrutinized sudden changes to accommodation agreements, pay cuts, and privacy breaches, finding employer motives critical....
RSU Termination Clauses Under Scrutiny Again
Ontario Superior Court in Liggett v. Veeva invalidated RSU and stock option termination clauses that tied loss of equity to the employee’s last active workday. The decision held that such language breaches the Employment Standards Act, that discretionary termination definitions...
Ottawa Commits $94.5 Million to Boost Labour Market Intelligence in Key Sectors
The Canadian government is committing up to $94.5 million over five years through the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to build robust labour‑market intelligence for 14 high‑impact sectors. These sectors account for 66.2% of Canada’s GDP and employ roughly 9.9 million workers. The...
Employee Claims Firing over Toilet Paper Was Retaliation for Speaking up at Work
Ontario Superior Court Justice J. Glick ordered Richardson International and former employee Peter Robinson to each bear their own pre‑trial costs, leaving the core dispute unresolved. Robinson alleges he was dismissed not for alleged theft of a case of toilet...
Overeducated, Underutilized: Why Credential-Based Hiring Is Failing Canadian Employers
Canadian employers have long used university degrees as a quick filter for candidates, but this practice is increasingly misaligned with the available talent pool. Lightcast’s “Fault Lines” report reveals that 66 % of job postings worldwide require a degree while only...
From Back Office to Strategic Insights: How AI Is Transforming Payroll
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond basic automation in payroll to handle timesheet verification, anomaly detection, and compliance monitoring across jurisdictions. Vendors and experts say AI augments payroll professionals, freeing them to provide strategic insights on compensation costs and labor forecasting....
B.C. Snooping Scandal Puts Workplace Privacy – and Employer Liability – Under Microscope
A British Columbia privacy commissioner report revealed 36 healthcare workers accessed patient records in 71 separate incidents, highlighting a broader issue of employee snooping. Privacy lawyer Lyndsay Wasser says such unauthorized access is common across sectors, not limited to high‑profile...
Apply Now: $102.7‑million Grant to Help Employers Retain Workers While They Train
The Canadian government has launched a $102.7 million Worker Retention Grant for employers already participating in the Work‑Sharing program. The grant subsidises up to 70 percent of an employee’s full‑time wage while they upskill during reduced‑hour periods. It targets sectors that account...