First Reference Talks https://blog.firstreference.com Discussions on Human Resources, Employment Law, Payroll and Internal Controls Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:54:28 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://blog.firstreference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/fr-talk-logo-150x150.jpg First Reference Talks https://blog.firstreference.com 32 32 41645117 Pandemic lessons: Up-to-date termination and layoff clauses https://blog.firstreference.com/pandemic-lessons-up-to-date-termination-and-layoff-clauses/ https://blog.firstreference.com/pandemic-lessons-up-to-date-termination-and-layoff-clauses/#respond Wed, 16 Sep 2020 13:00:54 +0000 https://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39318 Employers making dismissal decisions would be best served with employment contracts that grant flexibility in these circumstances with a properly drafted layoff clause. Why? Because the current pandemic has proven that we are not always as prepared as we think we are and must always be prepared for the unexpected.

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]]> https://blog.firstreference.com/pandemic-lessons-up-to-date-termination-and-layoff-clauses/feed/ 0 39318 Employer alert: Ontario has extended its freeze of temporary layoff rules https://blog.firstreference.com/employer-alert-ontario-has-extended-its-freeze-of-temporary-layoff-rules/ https://blog.firstreference.com/employer-alert-ontario-has-extended-its-freeze-of-temporary-layoff-rules/#respond Tue, 15 Sep 2020 13:00:47 +0000 https://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39324 Ontario employers take note: in a surprise announcement on September 3, 2020, the provincial government announced that it had extended its freeze of temporary layoff limitations. Regular layoff rules had been set to resume on September 4, 2020. Pursuant to O. Reg. 492/20, this date has now been pushed back to January 2, 2021.

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]]> https://blog.firstreference.com/employer-alert-ontario-has-extended-its-freeze-of-temporary-layoff-rules/feed/ 0 39324 New Brunswick ESA termination clause upheld as valid https://blog.firstreference.com/new-brunswick-esa-termination-clause-upheld-as-valid/ https://blog.firstreference.com/new-brunswick-esa-termination-clause-upheld-as-valid/#respond Mon, 14 Sep 2020 13:00:08 +0000 https://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39322 In Vienneau v Joy Global (Canada) (2020 NBBR 76) Justice Dysart upheld the validity of the termination clause in the employment contract. Find out why.

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]]> https://blog.firstreference.com/new-brunswick-esa-termination-clause-upheld-as-valid/feed/ 0 39322 COVID-19 challenges six months into the pandemic https://blog.firstreference.com/covid-19-challenges-six-months-into-the-pandemic/ https://blog.firstreference.com/covid-19-challenges-six-months-into-the-pandemic/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000 http://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39286 It’s been almost six months since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Ontario. During this time the government has introduced a number of new income support programs and new laws. There was no play book for handling this crisis.

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]]> https://blog.firstreference.com/covid-19-challenges-six-months-into-the-pandemic/feed/ 0 39286 Labour Day is a national virtual public holiday in 2020 https://blog.firstreference.com/labour-day-is-a-national-virtual-public-holiday-in-2020/ https://blog.firstreference.com/labour-day-is-a-national-virtual-public-holiday-in-2020/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2020 14:00:00 +0000 http://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39278 Labour Day is an annual and global holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers around the world. For most countries, Labour Day is linked with International Workers’ Day, which occurs on May 1.

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]]> https://blog.firstreference.com/labour-day-is-a-national-virtual-public-holiday-in-2020/feed/ 0 39278 Reduction of damages for failure to mitigate https://blog.firstreference.com/reduction-of-damages-for-failure-to-mitigate/ https://blog.firstreference.com/reduction-of-damages-for-failure-to-mitigate/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2020 13:00:52 +0000 https://blog.firstreference.com/?p=39295 Where an employee is found to have failed to mitigate their damages, their entitlement to damages may be significantly reduced. So what happens if an employee is too sick to look for new work? Does that count as a failure to mitigate?

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