The Future Of Work: Insights From Our 2019 Global Employer Forum
Latest from Canadian Labour and Employment Law
24 Months Reaffirmed as the “High End” of Reasonable Notice; Bonus Plan Changes Must Be Accepted by Employee
The Ontario Court of Appeal has reiterated that, barring exceptional circumstances, reasonable notice for dismissal without cause will not exceed 24 months. The Court partially overturned the lower court’s decision in Dawe v The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada, which also ruled on the enforceability of unilateral changes to the employer’s bonus plan.…
Generation Z – What Employers Can Expect With the Next Generation of Workers
We’re pleased to share a recent Bloomberg article by our colleagues, Benjamin Ho and Caroline Pham. Benjamin and Caroline examine what the next generation of workers, Generation Z, want from and can offer employers. To get ahead of the curve in preparing for the change that this new generation will bring, read their informative article here.…
New Protocol for Unions in Mexico to Legitimize Collective Agreements
Sharing our Recent Accolades
We’re delighted to announce that Law360, a leading legal media platform, today named Baker McKenzie at the top of their 2019 Global 20 list, a ranking of the top 20 law firms with the greatest global reach and expertise. During the last year, we have outperformed our competition in the size, breadth and complexity of significant global and cross-border matters, and we’re proud to receive this recognition of our work.…
Harassment or Blue Collar Culture? A New Standard for Shop Floor Conduct
Recent arbitration decisions confirm that conduct amounting to harassment or bullying will not be tolerated in unionized workplaces and that an appropriate investigation needs to be carried out in response to a complaint. The approach is consistent with decisions concerning harassment in non-union workplaces, increased legislative protections for workers and a changed social climate brought on by the #MeToo movement.…
Independent Contractors Entitled to Reasonable Notice on Dismissal?
In 2016, the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that dependent contractors are entitled to reasonable notice of termination. In a recent decision, Cormier v 1772887 Ontario Limited cob as St. Joseph Communications, (“Cormier“) the Ontario Superior Court of Justice extended this principle – commenting that service as an independent contractor should be considered in calculating the reasonable notice period in certain circumstances.…
Highest Court Rules Quebec Franchisee Was Employee, Not Independent Contractor, Under Provincial Statute
In a recent decision, Modern Cleaning Concept Inc. v. Comité paritaire de l’entretien d’édifices publics de la région de Québec, the majority of the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) held that a cleaner who had a franchise agreement with a cleaning company was actually an employee, not an independent contractor. This “employee” determination, however, was in the context of a very particular legislative regime, which applied to the specific franchise relationship. Since the cleaner…
A New Age for Mexico’s Labour Law: New Protections for Labour Unions and a New Labour Justice System
Hot Off the Press: Bill 66 Ushers in More Changes for Ontario Employers
On April 3, 2019, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2019 (Bill 66) received Royal Assent. Bill 66 amends several pieces of legislation in Ontario. The government has stated that the changes are intended to “lower business costs to make Ontario more competitive” and to “harmonize regulatory requirements with other jurisdictions, end duplication and reduce barriers to investment.”…