The Canada Emergency Response Benefit – Who Can and Who Cannot Apply

The Government of Canada has started accepting applications for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) this week, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. While this benefit is going to provide crucial support to many who have lost income due to the pandemic, there are lingering questions about who has been excluded from the benefit, and whether the Government will provide further support to those who have... Read More

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Long-Term Disability Entitlement

If you have recently started a new job, you may be surprised to learn that your employer’s insurance plan might not cover long-term disability entitlement for people with pre-existing medical conditions. You may be even more surprised to learn that human rights legislation allows for an employer to exclude some people with pre-existing conditions from disability insurance plans. Overview Canada has both federal and provincial human rights legislation prohibiting discrimination... Read More

Ottawa Citizen Interviews Andrew Raven on International Women’s Day

As part of its coverage on International Women’s Day, the Ottawa Citizen interviewed Andrew Raven to discuss the 20th anniversary of the Federal Public Service Pay Equity settlement. Andrew had represented the Public Service Alliance of Canada in this historic pay equity complaint, which sought to address systemic gender-based wage discrimination across the federal public service. The final settlement, valued at $3.6 billion, affected over 200,000 federal government employees and... Read More

Anna Lichty Appointed to the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa

RavenLaw is pleased to announce that Anna Lichty has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa. The Kiwanis Club of Ottawa is a not-for-profit organization and registered charity with members who effect positive change within the Ottawa community by volunteering their time and raising funds for programs that promote youth literacy and leadership, help individuals with special needs and assist those struggling in the... Read More

Successive Periods of Total Disability

Attempting to return to work after receiving long-term disability insurance benefits can seem daunting. Many questions arise, but one we often hear is “what happens if I fail or get sick again?”  The short answer is that it depends on the amount of time that has passed since you returned work. You may start receiving long-term disability benefits again without having to wait.  Or in other words, without having to... Read More

Arbitrator Finds Failure to Exhaust Search for Accommodation

In a recent decision, a labour arbitrator found that an employer had failed to exhaust the search for accommodation options for an employee with a permanent disability before attempting to terminate her employment.  In Sodexo Canada Ltd v Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 145, Arbitrator Randi Abramsky recognized that the search for accommodation for the grievor’s disability had been a long and difficult one. Nonetheless, she determined that the... Read More

David Yazbeck Interviewed on Whistleblower Law for UK Publication

David Yazbeck was one of several experts from across the globe who was recently invited to speak on effective whistleblower protection with Financier Worldwide Magazine, based in Birmingham, UK. David provided his insight into establishing effective whistleblower protection, whether through legislation or through internal company policies. The article was published in February 2019 and can be found on the Financier Worldwide Magazine website. Read More

Arbitrator Overturns Termination for “Excessive” Absenteeism

In a recent victory for CUPE Local 109, Jessica Greenwood provided representation to an employee whose rights under the collective agreement and the Human Rights Code were violated due to an unfair termination of her employment. In the July 29, 2019 decision, Arbitrator Eli A. Gedalof affirmed that an employer cannot rely on a pattern of innocent absenteeism to establish frustration of contract when the absences are due to exceptional... Read More

David Yazbeck Re-Elected as Institutional Board Member for the Workers’ History Museum

In March 2019, David Yazbeck was re-elected as an Institutional Board Member for the Workers’ History Museum. David’s re-election continues RavenLaw’s long-standing support for the Workers’ History Museum. In addition to David’s role as a Board Member, RavenLaw has been an institutional member of the Board of Directors for a number of years. The Workers’ History Museum was founded in 2011 with the goal of developing and preserving workers’ history,... Read More

Raphaëlle Laframboise-Carignan Presented to Mood Disorders Ottawa

On September 17, 2019, Raphaëlle Laframboise-Carignan gave a presentation to the members of the Mood Disorders Ottawa (MDO) support group, a peer-run organization aimed at enhancing the lives of people with mood disorders. She presented on the topics of Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Canada Pension Plan Disability benefits, and accommodation in the workplace. Raphaëlle would like to thank the MDO group for inviting her to participate in their session. Read More