Nurse Reinstated after Theft of Narcotics from the Workplace

On January 10, 2019, Arbitrator Larry Steinberg released a decision reinstating a nurse who had violated numerous workplace policies, committed theft and falsified medical records. The grievor worked on a full-time basis as a Registered Professional Nurse at a long-term care facility.  She had been employed with the employer for approximately 14 years. The grievor […]

Severance Pay Threshold under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 Limited to Ontario Payroll

Under section 64 of the Employment Standards Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 41 (“ESA”), employees who are terminated without cause are entitled severance pay. Under the ESA, an employer who has a payroll in excess of 2.5 million must pay additional severance pay to employees with more than five (5) years of service upon termination […]

An Employer’s Duty to Accommodate Drug Use in a Safety-Sensitive Position

A recent arbitration decision concerning an employer’s duty to accommodate a medical cannabis user rendered in Newfoundland has recently been judicially reviewed and upheld. The arbitration decision, Lower Churchill Transmission Construction Employers’ Assn. Inc. and Valard Construction LP v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1620 (Tizzard), 2018 CarswellNfld 198, 136 C.L.A.S. 26, dealt with […]

Ontario Court of Appeal rules that Uber Arbitration Clause is Unconscionable

In the recent decision, Heller v. Uber Technologies Inc., [2019] O.J. No. 1, the Court of Appeal decided on whether an arbitration clause in the services agreement provided to Uber drivers is enforceable under Ontario law. The claim in Heller is a proposed class action against Uber alleging that Uber drivers should be categorized as […]