(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 […]
Tag Archives | employment standards
Four Questions Employees Should Ask Their Employment Lawyer
By Kimberly Darling. If you find yourself needing to consult an employment lawyer, there are a number of important questions you should be asking in that first meeting. 1. What are my rights as an employee? This really should be your first question. Non-unionized employees may have a written employment contract that sets out the […]
Feeling left out? You’re not alone! Exclusions under the BC Employment Standards Act (Part 2)
The BC Employment Standards Act and the BC Employment Standards Regulation contain a multitude of exclusions that leave many employees without the benefits and protections provided for by the Act relating to things like wages, hours of work, leave, vacation pay and overtime. Samantha Stepney explains.
Feeling left out? You’re not alone! Exclusions under the BC Employment Standards Act (Part 1)
The BC Employment Standards Act and the BC Employment Standards Regulation contain a multitude of exclusions that leave many employees without the benefits and protections provided for by the Act relating to things like wages, hours of work, leave, vacation pay and overtime. Samantha Stepney explains.
Money (That’s What I Want): Can an Employer Recover Mistaken Overpayments from its Employees?
Lawyer Trevor Thomas, Contributor. (Originally published August 2015. Updated January 2018) What happens when an employer makes a payroll mistake? Can it recover accidental overpayments from its employees? The overpayment issue gained media attention in Canada when grocery chain Loblaws demanded that a group of workers in Surrey, BC pay back thousands of dollars after […]
Decline of Traditional Retail
By Geoff Mason. The holiday season brings many things to mind. Wrapping presents while sipping a glass of rum and eggnog. Playing hockey with friends on a frozen pond. And, of course, being packed into a frenetic supermall like a sardine. For those who never found the traditional Christmas shopping experience very appealing, respite may […]
The ESB: A Force to Be Reckoned With
By Fiona Anderson. Employers take note: The BC Employment Standards Branch (the ESB) can land a hefty punch against employers who are found not to be complying with the Employment Standards Act (the ESA). Many smaller employers are not one-hundred per cent sure of their obligations under the ESA, often assuming that if they are […]
Seasonal Worker Series (Part 5): Ending the Seasonal Employment Relationship
As we head into the last few weeks of summer, we look at the rights and obligations of employers and employees when it comes to ending seasonal employment.
Paradise Lost – Firing an Employee on Vacation
By Samantha Stepney. Are you considering firing an employee who is on vacation in order to avoid a scene at the office? We recommend that you reconsider this strategy for both legal and other reasons. Aggravated Damages All employers owe their employees a duty of good faith and fair dealing in the manner of termination. […]
Seasonal Worker Series (Part 4): Stat Holidays and Vacation
By Geoff Mason. Earlier this month, we continued my 5-part blog series on summer employment with a post describing the special employment rules that apply to certain summer-centric industries. In today’s post (Part 4), I review the rules that apply to statutory holiday pay and vacation entitlements. Of the 10 statutory holidays in British Columbia, […]
