HR a la Carte - HR MADE EASY
 

April 2013

 

In This Issue

HR News of the Day

Federal Government Announces New Employee-Led Work Schedules for Federal Employees April 1, 2013.  In a surprise move, the federal government announced this morning that it will begin allowing its employees to maintain their own work schedules effective April 1, 2013. 

It's That Time of Year Again! Tips on a Smooth Salary Increase Process, plus Free Download

Check out our blog for tips to make this year's salary increase process smoother, as well as a free download of our Compensation Spreadsheet for our newsletter subscribers!

Ontario Proposes New Leaves of Absence

On March 5, 2013, the Government of Ontario introduced Bill 21, which proposes amendments that would provide job protection for employees who take certain family-related leaves of absence. If passed, Bill 21 will create three new leaves of absence:

  • Family caregiver leave whereby an employee could take up to eight weeks' leave per year for each seriously ill family member.
  • Critically ill child care leave would allow an employee to take an unpaid leave of absence of up to 37 weeks.
  • Crime-related child death or disappearance leave would allow an employee to take a leave of absence of up to 52 weeks if his or her minor child has disappeared as the probable result of a crime, and up to 104 weeks if his or her minor child has died as the probable result of a crime.

New Ontario Safety Awareness Training Requirement as of January 1, 2014

The Ministry of Labour proposes to introduce new regulatory requirements that would require employers to ensure that all workers and supervisors complete mandatory occupational health and safety awareness training programs. It is anticipated that the proposed new regulation would be filed on or before July 1, 2013 and would come into force on January 1, 2014.

You will be able to demonstrate compliance by having your workers or supervisors complete awareness training program products and materials that are being developed by the Ministry of Labour, or by having your workers or supervisors complete existing or alternate programs that met the minimum regulatory requirements. For more information, visit the MOL's website.

Injunction for Breach of Non-Solicitation Agreement Upheld

We often receive questions from clients as to whether non-solicitation and non-compete agreements are worth the paper on which they are written. If they are reasonably written, yes they are. In the case of Smilecorp Inc. v. Pesin ,2013 CLLC ΒΆ210-009, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld an injunction against Pesin, a dentist terminated by Smilecorp, for breach of its non-solicitation agreement. The non-solicitation covenant was reasonable and did not prevent Pesin from advertising generally about his new practice nor did it limit his ability to relocate. It simply prevented Pesin from communicating with those patients he treated at Smilecorp.

What We’ve Been Up To

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Employee Handbooks continue to be in much demand with many of our clients. Please see our blog on The Necessary Evil of Employee Policies!

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We welcome our new clients Cyanco Canada Inc., Toronto Western Hospital rTMS Clinic , United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin and Oakdale Child & Family Service!

HR à la carte • 1011 Upper Middle Rd E., suite 1331 Oakville, ON L6H 5Z9 •1-888-919-7422 • 416-696-7997