The pandemic continued to play a role in the employment world in 2021 as Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low, principal of Ellen Low & Co, tackled a number of evolving issues. In January, Low told LegalMattersCanada.ca that ending an employment relationship before it begins can come at a cost, which is why it is wise […]
COVID-19 played a prominent role in the employment world in 2021 Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Employers who fail to realize the importance of transgender identity not only do their employees a disservice but could find themselves answering to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Low, principal of Ellen Low & Co., says gender expression has been a protected ground of
Preferred use of pronouns protected by human rights legislation Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Legislation proposed by the Ontario government offers some “employee-friendly” provisions but more details are necessary to determine if it can deliver on its promises or if it is simply window dressing, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. The government says if passed, the Working for Workers Act, 2021, which includes the
Right to disconnect, non-compete clause highlighted in planned legislation Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • An Ontario Superior Court decision last month that upheld termination provisions in an employee’s contract that were claimed to be in violation of minimum labour standards demonstrates the need to review such agreements to keep up with the times, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. In a “somewhat unusual” case, the court found against Farah
Equal bargaining power at heart of termination clause judgment Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Workplace COVID-19 vaccination policies appear to be the way of the future so it is important for employers to understand their rights and responsibilities, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Many businesses across the country have announced mandatory vaccinations for their staff. Last month, Toronto Public Health recommended city employers draft vaccination
Facing the challenge of mandatory workplace vaccination policies Read More »
Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Though the intention may be promising, it is still too early to accurately predict how long it will take to see the impact of new federal workplace equity legislation on women in the workplace, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Last month, Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi announced that Canada’s Pay Equity
Federal workplace equity laws ‘a step in the right direction’ Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Recent contradictory court judgments did little to alleviate the confusion surrounding temporary layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving some employers and employees “in limbo,” says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. In Fogelman v. IFG, released on June 2, the Ontario Superior Court ruled in favour of a man who was placed on
Court decisions cause more confusion when it comes to layoffs Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Virtual mediation forced on the legal profession at the outset of the coronavirus lockdown is not only an effective alternative to in-person meetings but will continue to be a good option long after the pandemic ends, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “At the beginning, we were having to really
Videoconferencing proving to be an effective option in mediation Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Determining an employee’s family status and accommodation rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) can be challenging, especially in the middle of a pandemic, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. “There is always a balancing act in terms of family status,” says Low, principal of Ellen Low Employment Law. “For employers facing a family status
‘Always a balancing act’ when it comes to family status rights Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Egregious acts of discrimination can be costly as one employer learned with a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal award of almost $1 million, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low, adding damage settlements tend to be trending upward. The British Columbia government was recently ordered to pay a former corrections officer $974,167, including $176,000 for
Employer learns the high price of workplace discrimination Read More »
