The legalization of cannabis has heightened concern and awareness around impairment in the workplace. Legalization has certainly made cannabis more accessible. However, it is still generally understood that it is inappropriate to report to work impaired unless an employee is part of an agreed accommodation arrangement where some level of impairment is permitted, or the […]
2018 saw a number of developments in employment and labour law. Below, we provide a summary of the top 10 Canadian decisions from the last 12 months that we believe Atlantic Canadian employers should be aware of coming into 2019. Re Lower Churchill Transmission Construction Employers’ Assn Inc and IBEW, Local 1620 (Tizzard) Arbitrator finds […]
This is the first holiday season in the post-legalization of cannabis era. If, as an employer, you are planning a holiday gathering, you should be aware that you may be exposing your company to significant financial liability for the actions of an impaired guest. The concept of host liability is not new, but with the […]
‘Tis the season for holiday parties. Cox & Palmer would like to remind employers about the steps they should take to minimize their liability risks arising from the consumption of alcohol by employees and their guests.
Canadian Courts have long wrestled with the protection of human rights in the context of workplace drug and alcohol policies.
In a recent court case from Ontario, Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113 v Toronto Transit Commission, 2017 ONSC 2078, the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113 (the “Union”) applied for an injunction to prevent the Toronto Transit Commission (the “TTC”) from implementing random drug and alcohol testing for its employees.
It is time to revisit the topic of Host Liability and what an employer can do to ensure the holiday party is the social event of the year and not a litigation nightmare.
In the decision of Douthwright v. Duffy, 2015 NBQB 224, the 43 year old Douthwright was injured in a serious roll-over accident. Liability was admitted, but the parties differed on damages.
A recent arbitration decision from Alberta tackles a myriad of issues related to a positive post incident drug test.
The law of drug and alcohol testing in Canada is in a state of evolution. While the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 30 v Irving Pulp & Paper Ltd., 2013 SCC 34, provided important guidance on the strict standard that employers must meet in order to subject employees to random testing, it raised many questions regarding how those principles would be applied to other forms of testing.