Federal Court of Appeal Clarifies Interpretation of Whistleblower Law

In a recent judgment from the Federal Court of Appeal, the Court has provided some needed clarification regarding the interpretation of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Sylvie Therrien was a whistleblower who went public with information regarding the use of quotas in order to reduce employment insurance costs. Eventually, Ms. Therrien was suspended, had her reliability status revoked, and was terminated. Ms. Therrien filed grievances against those three actions... Read More

Morgan Rowe Presented on Human Rights at U of O

On November 4, 2016, Morgan Rowe spoke to the University of Ottawa – Faculty of Common Law’s “Human Rights” class, as part of the class on emerging topics in human rights. This is the fifth year that Morgan has been invited to speak as part of this class. Her presentation focused on topics related to sexual orientation, asexuality, and the regulation of personal relationships. Read More

Wassim Garzouzi Presented on Stopping Sexual Harassment

On June 16, 2016, Wassim Garzouzi spoke as part of Lancaster House’s audio conference on Stopping Sexual Harassers Cold: Optimal practices for complaint procedures, investigations, and survivor support. The program addressed how to identify sexual harassment, best practices for investigating complaints, and internal procedures and outside resources that can help fractured workplaces. The audio conference also covered the factors that arbitrators and human rights tribunals consider when assessing damage awards... Read More

Dismissed employee receives punitive damages award

In a recent decision, the Superior Court of Ontario awarded a dismissed employee punitive damages because of the employer’s conduct in terminating the employee. This judgment sends a clear message to employers that mistreatment of employees upon termination will not be accepted, and can result in additional liability. Tom Morison’s employment was terminated after approximately 8 years. Mr. Morison brought a claim for wrongful dismissal. In addition to his claim... Read More

James Cameron Presented on LTD Benefits to Ottawa Parkinson Canada

On July 21, 2016, James Cameron spoke to Ottawa Parkinson Canada to provide an information session on applying for LTD benefits and the legal and appeal processes available for challenging decision denying benefits. Read More

Where do I file my human rights complaint?

[This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, which cannot be given without consideration of your individual circumstances.] If you have been treated differently by your employer because of your sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, or one of the other protected grounds of discrimination, you may want to consider filing a human rights complaint. One of the first questions you may have, in addition to... Read More

David Yazbeck Moderated Panel on Autism in the Workplace

On August 18, 2016, David Yazbeck moderated an audio conference for Lancaster House dealing with issues related to autism in the workplace, including how to counter stereotypes regarding autism spectrum disorders and how to accommodate individuals with autism spectrum disorders in their employment. More information about the audio conference is available here. Read More

RavenLaw Supports the Workers’ Bowl

On November 5, 2016, RavenLaw proudly supported the Workers’ Bowl, sending a team to the annual fundraiser for the Workers’ Action Centre, a Toronto-based organization that advocates for fair working conditions for vulnerable workers. The Workers’ Action Centre has a Workers’ Rights Info Line that workers can call for support, offers workshops on workers’ rights and is part of the campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15. The bowling... Read More

James Cameron to Present on Terminations Without Cause

On September 28, 2016, James Cameron will present at an Optimum Talent Lunch and Learn session titled “Has Terminating an Employee Without Cause Become More Difficult?”. The program will address the recent Supreme Court decision in Wilson v Atomic Energy as well as the proposed amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standard Act regarding the need for “cause” and the possibility of reinstatement for wrongfully terminated employees.  More information about the program... Read More

Federal Court of Appeal Affirms Tribunal Decision on Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in the Hiring Process

In a decision delivered from the bench on November 8, 2016, the Federal Court of Appeal affirmed a decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that Transport Canada discriminated against Chris Hughes in a job competition because he was a person with a mental health disability. After attending an oral interview, the hiring panel asked for oral references. Mr. Hughes told the chair of the hiring panel that it was... Read More