A new school year has started and with it comes the typical September changes. But employers shouldn’t forget about preparing for another change that comes every fall in Ontario – the October 1st increase in the minimum wage. This blog highlights important reminders for employers in order to prepare for the October 1st change in minimum wage.
In Canada, Employment Insurance (“EI”) provides temporary income support to unemployed individuals as they search for new employment. The critical role of EI in supporting Canadian workers through transition periods is well known, but there are different rules that govern EI entitlements when an individual endures a new life event after an initial EI claim and must reapply (i.e., submitting a “secondary claim”).
In light of a recent case before the Social Security Tribunal of Canada (the “SST”), this blog provides employers with a practical overview of the rules governing EI benefit entitlements, clarifies the legal distinction between overlapping claims for “regular” and “special” EI benefits, and offers practical insights to employers assessing the EI-related impacts of a termination.
The dragons have landed—again! The 2025 live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon soaring into theatres is not just a nostalgic thrill ride. For Ontario employers, it’s a surprisingly timely metaphor for managing today’s workplace—especially with new laws taking effect this summer.
Canada Day is coming in hot. But before you dive headfirst into a plate of poutine, there’s one thing savvy employers in Ontario can’t overlook: compliance with the ESA. Patrizia turned the legal stuff into a fun, whimsical blog—complete with moose-friendly math, holiday payroll tips, and a sprinkle of compliance confetti.
In this blog, Alissa outlines guidance for employers on how to manage an employee struggling with their mental health, and the delicate balance that’s needed to accommodate employees, while still running a productive workplace.
In this blog post, Brooke highlights important considerations for employers of “workfluencers” or employees sharing their typical workday and information about their jobs. While these videos can be engaging, they also present legal, ethical, and operational challenges.
40 years ago, The Breakfast Club hit theatres and its soundtrack hit the airwaves. In this blog, Cynthia Ingram shares how the movie’s iconic end-credit song, Don’t You (Forget About Me), is an important reminder to employers who have employees away from work on a leave of absence.
We’ve never been under any illusions – employers in Canada don’t have an easy time of things when they land themselves before our courts. Nowhere is that clearer than in the Ontario courts. Cue the judgment of the court in Baker v. Van Dolder’s Home Team Inc.
This holiday season, we’re making a list and checking it twice to make sure Ontario employers don’t get stuck on some of the common challenges of hiring seasonal employees in their run-up to high season.
As workplaces evolve, many organizations in Ontario are embracing a “curiosity culture” that promotes exploration, innovation, and open communication. While fostering a curious environment can lead to greater creativity and employee engagement, it also introduces a host of legal challenges that employers must navigate.
Many employers are still trying to digitize their workplaces and play catch up with the latest technology. While software, social media, and various tech tools evolve, long-standing legal principles must evolve in response.
One such principle is an employee’s duty of loyalty. The presumption that employees understand, and will abide by, this duty without direction from, and deterrent measures by, the employer is an outdated view that needs to evolve with the workplace.
This summer, the British Columbia Supreme Court released a decision[i] that provides helpful guidance for companies, including those located in Ontario, on the contractor/employee distinction.
Cyber crimes are on the rise, and a new crime is on our radar: payroll diversion. In Piccolo Heath's August 2024 blog, Brooke Auld discusses what payroll diversion is, how it's done, how diverted wages are recovered, and who's on the hook to pay. Brooke also outlines the important steps employers should take to limit their exposure to payroll diversion.
Misconceptions about employment law are rampant and often lead to skewed perceptions and unfounded beliefs. This blog explores and debunks some of the most popular misconceptions in employment law.
While Google and ChatGPT provide a wealth of information at our fingertips, some nuances of employment law require expertise, due diligence, and professional guidance. Relying solely on these tools can lead to misunderstandings and potential legal pitfalls.
Ever wonder about whether to include reasons for the termination in a termination letter? Patrizia Piccolo has been asked that question often and sets out her insights on this topic in Piccolo Heath’s April 2024 blog.
Most employees try to maintain a separation of church and state between their home lives and their work lives. Highlighting the importance of that separation is a recent announcement of insider trading charges (also reported by various news outlets). This situation demonstrates how failing to maintain that separation can lead to guilt by association, resulting in an employee’s termination.
If you’re an employer in a common law province in Canada, you might be familiar with the concept of “common law reasonable notice” and the factors that courts consider when awarding such notice. This blog canvasses trends regarding common law notice periods, with particular attention to employees with short service.
The countdown is on to the end of the year, but not before we have the chance to bring you a final gift. In her final blog of 2023, Cynthia Ingram gives a twist on a classic holiday poem as an ode to Ontario employment law. All of us at Piccolo Heath LLP wish everyone a Happy Holiday, however and wherever you celebrate, and a Happy New Year.
It’s Halloween! The pumpkins are carved, and the candy is ready. Tonight, children across North America will put on their costumes and go door-to-door trick or treating. It’s a night that kids look forward to as they plan their costumes and get their bags ready to be filled with an assortment of candy and treats. But Halloween isn’t just for kids. There are plenty of people who enjoy Halloween as an adult, even without the trick or treating. In fact, some have grown to enjoy Halloween even more as they get older with parties and get-togethers with friends. There are even some (me included) who love the idea of organizing a group costume.
