“Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.” -William Shakespeare As Bill Shakespeare suggests, deferring and delaying are not without consequences, and when it comes to litigation, these consequences almost always mean more cost, more stress and a compromised client experience. But do lawsuits really need to be long, expensive and stressful? Not necessarily. David Brown outlines some […]
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The Story of Uber and the Arbitration Clause
By Paula Krawus. It’s no secret that that Uber is an innovator. Their simple business model – connecting drivers with riders through an online platform – has spread to every corner of the globe in just a decade. But the company’s success hasn’t come without some major problems. The latest of these is a class […]
Employer Reference Letters: What Are You Afraid Of?
(Originally published January 2015, updated with video March 2019.) When it comes to writing reference letters, the current employer mindset seems to be “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all” – also known as Thumper’s Rule. Some employment lawyers have echoed this advice. It seems that an almost paralyzing fear of […]
Suen v. Envirocon: The Last Word on Family Status in BC?
By Erin Brandt. In November 2017, we applauded a forward-thinking BC Human Rights Tribunal decision (Suen v. Envirocon) that offered hope for a change in the law relating to family status discrimination. In that case, Mr. Suen argued that his dismissal for refusing to accept a temporary work transfer to Manitoba, which would have taken […]
What Are My Rights as a Pregnant Employee? 6 Things You Need to Know
(Originally published 2014. Updated February 2019.) Although often a time of excitement and anticipation, pregnancy can also bring with it an overwhelming amount of uncertainty. While we sympathize with any questions you may have about sleep training, nutrition, or discipline, we will leave these topics to the experts. What we can give you is some […]
The Year Ahead: Value-Focused
New Year’s Resolutions. Worn-out cliché? Maybe, but that doesn’t stop me from making them.
It’s Not Me, it’s You: Probation FAQs
By Kimberly Darling and Wendy Woloshyn. We have considered probation a number of times previously on our blog, usually from the point of view of the employer. In this post, we’re going back to basics, with what we’re calling “Probation FAQs” for employers and employees. What is probation? Basically, probation is a period of time, […]
Holiday Parties: Be Festive and Beware
By Richard Johnson. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…There’ll be parties for hosting…” Yes, the season of celebration (sometimes to excess!) is upon us once again. The office holiday party is a December mainstay for many businesses, and such events can indeed be a “wonderful” opportunity to enjoy time with your staff in […]
Recap: Vancouver Employer Forum – October 2018
At last month’s Vancouver Employer Forum, we took on the challenge of tackling two timely workplace issues: #metoo and gender.
Getting the Disability Benefits You’re Entitled To
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the only reason we went to work each day was because we loved our job? The reality is that most of us are employed, at least in part, out of necessity.
