Posts by Yvonne
Time to Reactivate Your Covid-19 Safety Plan
On January 7, 2022, the provincial health officer announced an order requiring employers to re-activate their COVID-19 Safety Plans. This order replaces the previous requirement for employers to have a Communicable Disease Previous Plan in their workplace. Employers should take note that, although both plans share many of the same fundamental principles, a COVID-19 Safety…
Read MoreFrustrated by the Pandemic? That Doesn’t Mean Your Contract Is
Verigen v. Ensemble Travel Ltd., 2021 BCSC 1934, is the latest decision of the BC Supreme Court (“BCSC”) to provide insights into the impact of COVID-19 on employment contracts and the legality of temporary layoffs. Ensemble Travel Group Canada (“ETL”) hired Deidre Verigen (“Verigen”) to be their business development director in Western Canada in February…
Read More‘Home Alone’ No More – Bringing Back the Office Holiday Party
The holiday season is here once again, and for the second year in a row employers are faced with the question of whether or not to host a workplace holiday party. With bars and restaurants opening back up, it seems to be the perfect opportunity to meet that employee you hired last year over Zoom,…
Read MoreBack to the Future of the Workplace
Employment law, along with the rest of the world, has been forced to evolve and adapt over the course of the pandemic – from the new emphasis on work-from-home arrangements to masks and workplace vaccination policies – the last two years have been as tumultuous as driving a DeLorean through time. Now the question on everyone’s…
Read MoreNew Federal Guidelines – Records of Employment
The federal government’s new guidelines for employers issuing Records of Employment (“ROEs”) during the COVID-19 pandemic offer support for mandatory vaccination policies in the workplace. In a previous post, we looked at how mandatory vaccination policies intersect with applicable laws, human rights legislation, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and concluded that carefully drafted…
Read MoreBringing Balance to the (Labour) Force – The Federal Pay Equity Act
Back in February, we continued exploring the galaxy of Federal employment standards with a look at the new Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, which you can read here. Now we’re checking out some employment legislation that comes into force at the end of August and which looks to tackle the gender-based wage gap. What…
Read MoreMandatory Vaccinations and Human Rights Update
Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination Required As of September 13, 2021, proof of a COVID-19 vaccination is required in British Columbia to access various social, recreational, and public services. Many employers are also now considering whether to implement vaccination policies for their workforce, a topic which has become the subject of controversy. However, it has been demonstrated…
Read MoreFiling Deadline for BC Land Owners – Transparency Report due November 30, 2021
Transparency Report Deadline – November 30, 2021 As of November 30, 2021, all pre-existing “Reporting Bodies” that hold an interest in land – including a registered lease with a term of over 10 years, and an option to purchase land – with the BC land title registry must complete and file a “Transparency Report” disclosing…
Read More4 MT+Co. Lawyers Recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada 2022
We are pleased to announce that 4 of our lawyers have each been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada, and have been recognized in multiple practice areas including Aboriginal Law, Natural Resources Law, Environmental Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers & Acquisitions Law. Our Listed Lawyers: Congratulations to…
Read MoreMerle Alexander, QC is recognized in BC500 as a leader in Law – Indigenous Rights
We asked our firm to describe Merle and his life’s work in their own words, and we received heartwarming responses from lawyers, project managers, and management that truly depict the level of respect we have for him. Our colleagues describe Merle and his approach to law as passionate, creative, brilliant, and inspirational. He’s someone we…
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