01May 24
The Perils of Bias in Workplace GenAI
In the rapidly evolving landscape of tech, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is becoming a central player, especially in sectors like customer service, content creation, and…
Free webinar: Going to Court – Employment Law Litigation Tips
June 13, 2022
One of the greatest challenges an employer can face is being sued by a former (or current) employee. In this webinar, SpringLaw’s Jessyca Greenwood and Emily Siu will walk you through the litigation process, what to expect, and some steps you can take to avoid getting into this expensive and lengthy process in the first place.
Date: Wednesday, June 15th, 2022
Time: 10:30-11:00 am EST
Register today: Click here!
Unlimited Paid Time Off Policies – Proceed with Caution!
June 8, 2022
We’ve been hearing about unlimited paid time off (PTO) for some time, but it is not yet a common trend in Canada. However, from time to time in our employment law practice, we encounter employers who offer unlimited or unstructured time off to their employees.
At first glance, unlimited PTO may sound wonderful and generous, and employers may offer it to foster a positive workplace culture and promote work-life balance. However, without addressing potential issues via contracts and policies, offering unlimited and unstructured time off could cause more headaches than benefits for both the employers and the employees.
Happy Pride Month! What Employers Need to Know about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Work
June 1, 2022
To kick off the start of Pride Month in Ontario, we encourage you to make sure your workplace policies are up to date and address the important values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. While most employers know discrimination in the workplace on any protected ground within the Ontario Human Rights Code is a big no-no, equity, diversity, and inclusion may not always be top of mind in the day-to-day running of a business. Promoting these principles within your company creates a safe and welcoming workspace and promotes different perspectives, innovative ideas, and greater collaboration and is important for the retention of the talent you have.
Employment Contracts vs. Workplace Policies
May 25, 2022
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.
La fin des masques en milieu de travail
May 18, 2022
À compter du 14 mai, le port du masque n’est plus obligatoire dans les milieux de travail au Québec, à l’exception des transports et milieux de soins.
Le gouvernement du Québec a publié le 11 mai, 2022, l’arrêté numéro 2022-032 du ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux, qui précise certaines circonstances où les membres du public doivent continuer à porter un masque, notamment dans les transports et milieux de soins de santé.
Le télétravail et le mode de travail hybride se poursuivent selon les modalités prévues par l’employeur, si applicable.
Get That Spring Back in Your Step by Disconnecting
May 12, 2022
In our previous blog, we discussed how employers who staff 25 or more employees must implement a written policy addressing disconnecting from work. But, what does this mean for both the employer and the employee and what are the benefits we hope to see?
It’s no secret the pandemic has entirely changed the way we work. Our homes have become our offices which has caused a huge disruption in our work-life balance. But, the work-from-home mandate is not the only culprit for the changed relationships with our jobs. It started long before that with access to technology everywhere we go. Our work is easily accessible through our phones, tablets, laptops, and maybe even our smartwatch. We have entirely normalized being reachable and accessible at all hours of the day. With pending deadlines and timelines, we’ve seemed to adopt an “always on” approach to work where we somehow feel guilty about shutting down.
