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

Potential violation of ESA enough to void termination provision

In Garreton v Complete Innovations Inc., 2016 ONSC 1178, a decision released earlier this year, the Ontario Divisional Court found that a termination provision in an employment contract was void because it would have violated the Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) if the employee had worked for the employer for more than five years. The Court held that the employer could not rely on the provision, even though in fact the... Read More

James Cameron Presented on Mental Health in the Workplace

On April 7, 2016, James Cameron presented on “When Mental Health Interferes with Work, What You Need to Know”, an Infobytes session presented by the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (“APEX”). Together with registered psychologist, Dr. Ron Seatter, James spoke on the legal and medical issues that arise when mental health issues interfere with work. The session included information on rights, entitlement, time limits, coverage... Read More

Morgan Rowe Presents at OBA Conference on Human Rights

On May 30, 2016, Morgan Rowe presented at the Ontario Bar Association’s Annual Update on Human Rights. Morgan was part of the panel on workplace human rights issues and spoke about the obligation of employers to inquire into whether an employee requires accommodation for a disability before taking action like discipline or termination. Read More

Morgan Rowe Interviewed on Disability Beat Radio Program

On March 28, 2016, Morgan Rowe spoke about disability rights and her book, Exploring Disability Identity and Disability Rights Through Narratives, on Disability Beat. Disability Beat is a radio program about and for people with disabilities, emphasizing social justice, community supports, inclusion and accessibility. The program is available to listen to here. Read More

David Yazbeck Moderates Panel on Workplace Surveillance

On May 31, 2016, David Yazbeck moderated an audio conference for Lancaster House dealing with issues of workplace surveillance, including balancing employee privacy rights with employer rights, conducting computer surveillance at work, and monitoring off-duty social media use. More information about the audio conference is available here.   Read More

Morgan Rowe Presented on Accommodating Disabilities at U of O Law School

On April 6, 2016, Morgan Rowe spoke in the University of Ottawa Law School’s class on Disability Rights Law. She addressed issues related to disability accommodation in employment, education and transportation and also discussed how accommodation processes themselves can create barriers for people with disabilities.   Read More

David Yazbeck Joins Board of Directors for CARFAC

David Yazbeck has joined the Board of Directors for CARFAC, Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des Artistes Canadiens. CARFAC is a certified association representing visual artists across Canada. Read More

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

David Yazbeck was recently 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, heritage and... Read More

Office Closure for Canada Day

Our office will be closed on Friday, July 1st for Canada Day. Read More