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For many baby-boomers, the dreams of Florida sunshine and days spent with grandchildren will soon become a reality. Meanwhile, employers can soon expect to be faced with staff shortages and the loss of invaluable sources of information on company and clients. Not exactly a walk on the beach! Fortunately there are actions that companies canRead more

We have recently hired an employee for our production line. After he completed his training we realized that he has a back problem which will prevent him from completing his tasks. Can we let him go? Also, how can we prevent this in the future? If the employee is unable to perform his job tasksRead more

Pay Equity – A few reminders: What is Pay Equity? Pay Equity can be defined as equal pay for different but equivalent work. Who is affected by the Pay Equity Act? Any company with 10 employees or more during their reference period*. What is the deadline to comply? Under the modified Pay Equity Act, most companies mustRead more

I have an employee who never takes all of his vacation days by the end of the year. He has over five years of service and is entitled to three weeks vacation but his vacation bank continues to increase every year. Do we have to keep carrying-forward his vacation or can we decide that heRead more

Being faced with an employee who has, or is suspected of having a substance abuse problem is one of the most delicate situations that an employer can encounter. Suspicions can arise from the employee’s odd or erratic behavior, a change in the employee’s performance or by the employee’s physical demeanor. However, substance abuse can beRead more

Is this law applicable to my company? The Pay Equity Act applies to any company who employed an average of ten employees or more during their reference period (see Table 1 for applicable reference periods). However, any company that currently employs six employees or more must complete the annual Pay Equity Declaration. TABLE 1: REFERENCERead more

Company holiday parties have begun! And if you plan on serving alcohol, then read on for important information on how this could affect your business. Regardless of whether a social event takes place during or after work hours, and whether it is held on or off site, the event is considered work-related and the sameRead more

I prefer not to have written contracts when I hire new employees. Is a verbal agreement enough? Some employers prefer not to have written employment contracts as they feel that having something in writing can create unwanted legal obligations for them. Verbal agreements are legally binding, and once the individual has begun working for youRead more

Employers today are encouraged to promote teamwork, collaboration and open communication in the workplace. While the effective use of social media is a great tool to permit employees to do this effectively, many businesses prefer to completely ban the use of social media in the workplace. The question is: is it possible to allow employeesRead more

We were planning on terminating the employment of an employee who is a consistently poor performer when suddenly the employee went on sick leave. Can we still terminate them? Unfortunately, terminating an employee on sick leave can pose a risk for the employer. You must be able to prove to the Commission des normes duRead more