By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Background checks are sometimes part of the hiring process, which is why it is incumbent on employers and employees to make the effort to understand exactly what they entail and how they should be used, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “What should be noted is that some people […]
Important to know how background checks work, when they can be used Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Suddenly quitting that job you loathe in a pique of anger may feel satisfying at the time but it could come with unexpected consequences, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “If you are suddenly going to tell your boss to take your job and shove it, you should be
Think twice before taking a marching band to work to quit a job you hate Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Recent amendments to the Canada Labour Code (CLC) offer guidance to employers and needed benefits and protections for workers, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Low, principal of Ellen Low & Co., says the federal government announced several changes to the CLC in the past year, many to take effect throughout 2024. Under the new
Canada Labour Code changes provide ‘much-needed updates’ Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • A man who gave a moose a ride in the cab of his company pickup truck in contravention of corporate policy should probably have expected to get fired, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. However, there are legal nuances every employer should consider before deciding to terminate any employment relationship,
Giving a moose a ride in company vehicle costs a worker his job Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • A ban on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence may be well-intentioned but requires careful and deliberate consideration, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “It really is a nuanced issue. As someone who does a fair amount of work for victims
Weighing the pros and cons of banning non-disclosure agreements Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Managers and supervisors are typically not entitled to overtime pay under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) “if the work they do is managerial or supervisory,” but there is more to the analysis than people realize, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “Just because somebody says you are a manager doesn’t necessarily mean that
Understanding managers’ and supervisors’ right to overtime Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • A workplace promotion is typically seen as a sign of success, often providing more pay, increased authority and the acknowledgment of a job well done. But what happens if you are promoted up the chain and find the job is not for you? What if you don’t even want
What happens when you get a work promotion you don’t want? Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • As technological advances continue to reshape the workplace, employers and employees need to be careful to protect their rights and ensure they are accountable while meeting their obligations, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. With innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) progressing exponentially in recent years, she says workers and
Technology advances bring new workplace challenges Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The launch of ChatGPT last November presents new possibilities to the legal profession, but also raises serious concerns for lawyers who fail to exercise due diligence when incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into their practices, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. ChatGPT is a tool that allows users to have humanlike conversations with
AI can be a helpful tool for the legal profession if used responsibly Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The importance of the proper use of personal pronouns in the workplace cannot be understated and employers who ignore workers’ human rights do so at their own peril, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Gender identity and expression were added as grounds of discrimination under Ontario’s Human Rights Code (HRC) in 2012,
Failing to use preferred pronouns in the workplace is discriminatory Read More »
