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More employee benefits on the horizon for Canadians

The year 2017 may be remembered for its significant changes in matters of labor and employment across Canada. Several jurisdictions are amending their labor and employment regimes, including the federal government. With the introduction of Bill C-44, the federal government has adopted significant reforms to the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code. While federally […]

Food bank works toward goals of diversity and inclusion

Editor’s note: Many organizations want to improve diversity and inclusion, but they don’t know where to start.  The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is one such organization, and members of the organization’s in-house committee have provided this report on the first year of their program in the hope that other organizations can learn from their […]

Action needed to enforce workplace respect for others

by Dinita L. James Defiant public displays of racism and bigotry have been reported around Arizona. I haven’t witnessed such brazenness since my youth in rural North Carolina in the 1960s and early 1970s. I’m not saying that hearts and minds were changed, but the racists learned to whisper among themselves to avoid overwhelming public […]

Increase diversity by recruiting, retaining people with disabilities

by Stephanie Holstein Having a diverse workforce includes hiring people with disabilities, which can create a positive and inclusive work environment, be good for the bottom line, and help bring down the high unemployment rates of people with disabilities. There are a number of best practices and helpful resources to make recruiting and retaining people […]

Responding to restroom accommodation requests from transgender employees

by Brian Bouchard Fifty-two years ago, Bob Dylan penned the now-famous lyrics “The times they are a-changin’.” True enough, Mr. Dylan, but for many, changes come slowly, and as the late David Bowie sang: “The days still seem the same.” This can be true in regard to laws, which sometimes struggle to keep pace with […]

Employer can insist that ‘doctor’s note’ come from a doctor

by Jennifer Suich Frank and Samuel D. Kerr Q One of our employees went to a holistic healer who isn’t a certified healthcare practitioner, and he advised her that she needs a week off work. He won’t write her a doctor’s excuse and will only speak to someone via telephone. Our attendance policy states that missing […]

Be careful what you say: Employee’s name-calling lands him in hot water

by Franck G. Wobst An Ohio Court of Appeals recently ruled that a city’s civil service commission acted within its rights when it suspended a city employee for 45 days for jokingly calling an African-American coworker “Black Buck” and “Big Black Buck.” Facts James Hoover worked at the city of Elyria’s water pumping plant as […]

Get ready to switch to another revised I-9

On July 17, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will release a new revision of Form I-9—Revision 07/17/17 N—to be used for employment eligibility verification. The new form is available on the USCIS’s website. Employers will need to use the new version of the form beginning September 18. Most of the changes will be minor, […]