Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Daniel Pugen McCarthy Tetrault It’s been a cold, wintry start to 2008 (at least in Canada). The cobwebs from New Year’s Eve have passed and New Years’ resolutions already have been broken. As February began, the groundhog indicated six more weeks of winter and Ontario employees were counting down the days until Family Day […]
By Kate McNeill McCarthy Tetrault Across Canada, employment standards laws provide for job-protected maternity leave for pregnant employees and parental leave for parents generally. In addition, the federal government provides financial benefits during these leaves through its Employment Insurance Act (EIA). The Supreme Court of Canada recently declined to review an appeal of a decision […]
The people have spoken. And, as you might have guessed, the worst HR moment in The Office occurred when Michael handed out the Kama Sutra to all employees during a staff meeting. What a human resources nightmare. On a related note, I’m encouraged to hear that the writers guild and the studios have reached a tentative agreement. […]
Normally, employees take their work-related problems to HR departments. They may, for personal problems, bend the ear of a concerned manager or supervisor. More and more, however, employers have begun to use what they believe to be an even better approach to the needs of their employees: corporate chaplains. In an effort to create the […]
by Stephen J. Stine Whether your workforce is 20 or 10,020, any organization will benefit from drafting accurate job descriptions. Drafting effective and accurate job descriptions in an employment agreement will save you and your employees unnecessary confusion. It also will help ensure that all duties of the job are assigned efficiently. Audio Conference: Essential […]
Employment law attorney Mark I. Schickman reviews the book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t by Robert Sutton. Review examines book’s assertion that there should be a rule against workplace bullying. Robert Sutton is a professor at the Stanford School of Engineering and the founder and codirector of […]
by Kate McNeill of McCarthy Tetrault and Brian P. Smeenk formerly with McCarthy Tetrault Canada’s federal parliament has passed a law to protect workers when their employers become insolvent A key component of Bill C-12, passed December 14, 2007, is the creation of the Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP). The WEPP provides statutory wage protection […]
The debut of a new I-9 form brings the opportunity to review some of the basics on handling the document, which has been around since the 1980s. The new form now conforms with regulations issued in 1997 (yes, you’re reading that correctly) and alters the list of documents employees may use to establish their eligibility […]
Continuing in the spirit of the awards season, my next category is “Most Ineffective HR Moment.” And the nominees are: When human resources manager Toby told Dwight that his grievances were sent to Dundler Mifflin’s corporate office in New York while they were actually thrown into a box underneath Toby’s desk. When Toby elects to […]
by Brian Smeenk, formerly with McCarthy Tetrault A new statutory holiday, Family Day, has been declared in the province of Ontario. It will be celebrated on February 18. In subsequent years, it will fall on the third Monday of each February. Employers should begin considering how their organization will respond. In particular, employers should begin […]