Tag archives: Employment & Labour

Une nouvelle décision en matière de banque d’absences payées et sa conformité par rapport à la Loi sur les normes du travail

Carl TrudeauBy Carl Trudeau on Posted in Canada, Québec

Depuis le 1er janvier 2019, la Loi sur les normes du travail (LNT) prévoit que les deux (2) premières journées d’absence prises annuellement par un salarié sont rémunérées dans la mesure où il s’agit d’absences pour cause d’obligation familiale, de maladie, de don d’organes ou de tissus, d’accident, de violence conjugale, de violence à caractère sexuel ou bien d’acte criminel dont le salarié a été victime. Il est à noter que cette norme du travail est uniquement applicable aux salariés qui comptent au moins trois (3) mois de service continu.[1]

Ce changement à la LNT soulève … Continue Reading

Allégations d’harcèlement psychologique dans l’exercice d’activités syndicales : l’employeur doit-il intervenir ou bien s’abstenir?

Francis ChampagneBy Francis Champagne on Posted in Québec

Bien connue est l’obligation de l’employeur en vertu de la Loi sur les normes du travail (LNT) de prévenir le harcèlement psychologique, d’enquêter lorsqu’un tel comportement est porté à son attention et d’intervenir pour faire cesser la conduite harcelante. Mais que se passe-t-il lorsqu’une plainte est déposée à l’employeur pour harcèlement psychologique entre des représentants syndicaux dans l’exercice de leurs activités syndicales? L’obligation de l’employeur de ne pas s’ingérer dans les activités syndicales est alors confrontée à celle de faire cesser les comportements harcelants, créant une zone grise. L’employeur doit-il intervenir ou bien s’abstenir?

Une récente décision du … Continue Reading

France: The complex consequences of the occurrence of gross misconduct during the notice period

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France

The general rule under French law is that when employment contracts are terminated, employees are entitled to a prior notice period, the length of which depends on the status of the employee (executive or non-executive), their length of service, and in some cases their age.

The applicable rules are generally set by the sector-wide collective bargaining agreement (a large majority of employers in France are subject to such collective bargaining agreements).

Employees may either be asked to work during their notice period, or be released from working during it. In the latter case, they are entitled to receive their full … Continue Reading

Check-in for a Check-up – An Employer’s Duty to Make Inquiries

Taryn MackieBy Taryn Mackie on Posted in Canada

Excessive absenteeism is one of the most difficult issues facing human resource professionals today.  It is also one of the more complex areas of labour and employment law.  One of the reasons why excessive absenteeism is so complicated is because it often raises human rights implications.

The perfect example is found in Coast Mountain Bus Company and CAW, Local 111 A-227/04 (Joan Gordon) — an old case with facts still faced by today’s employer nearly two decades later.  The employer hired the employee as a bus driver in 1996 and terminated the employee in 2003 for excessive non-culpable absenteeism.  The … Continue Reading

How much time – if any – must employers provide to employees to vote in the upcoming federal election?

Stéphane EricksonRobert MontiBy Stéphane Erickson and Robert Monti on Posted in Canada

In light of the upcoming federal election – currently scheduled for October 21, 2019 – this is a timely reminder for employers on their statutory obligations to provide employees with time off from work so that employees may exercise their constitutionally-protected right to vote on polling day. Voter eligibility under the Canada Elections Act, or in French, la Loi électorale du Canada (the “Act”), is restricted to Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years of age.[1]

On polling day, electors are allowed three consecutive hours for the purpose of casting their vote during the following hours:

  • Newfoundland:
… Continue Reading

Death during sexual intercourse qualified as a work-related accident

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in Europe, France

During a business trip to a construction site, an employee was found dead of a heart attack in a room after having had sexual intercourse with a “complete stranger” he met during the day. The employer completed the usual formalities by informing the social security authorities of the death and the circumstances. The social security authorities decided to treat the death as being work-related, which was contested by the employer.

The company’s arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal were as follows:

– the employee’s death occurred when he had knowingly interrupted his mission for a personal reason, independent of … Continue Reading

What are an employer’s chances of overcoming an employee’s claim for overtime in France ?

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France

The basic working time arrangement in France is 35 hours per week, and although there are a number of alternative working time arrangements potentially available, this is still the one that applies to the majority of French employees. However, this is not a maximum working week – employees working beyond that amount are entitled to overtime.

Employers must be able to prove the actual number of hours worked by their employees and must therefore ensure such hours are properly recorded. In the absence of proper records, the employer may have difficulties in overcoming a claim for overtime payments made by … Continue Reading

Facilitating HR Management: Electronic medical certificates

Cornelia MarquardtBy Cornelia Marquardt on Posted in Contracts, Data privacy and GDPR, Discrimination and harassment, Europe, Germany

As part of the “Third Bureaucracy Relief Act” the German government intends to introduce an electronic submission procedure for medical certificates regarding the incapacity of employees. More than 80 million of such certificates are issued every year by doctors in Germany. Replacing extensive documentation and record-keeping duties will allow medium-sized companies in particular to reduce existing manual processing workloads.

According to current German law an employee must submit a medical certificate of incapacity to the employer at the latest by the fourth day of absence due to illness. In the future, employers will be able to retrieve electronic certificates directly … Continue Reading

Launch of the Federal Employment Guide for Employers: September 1 Amendments to Part III of the Canada Labour Code

Natasha HyppoliteStéphane EricksonBy Natasha Hyppolite, Stéphane Erickson and Heather Cameron on Posted in Canada, General

A suite of changes to Part III of the Canada Labour Code (the Code) are coming into force on September 1, 2019, that will confer new rights to employees. For many federally regulated employers, these amendments, brought under Bills C-86 and C-63, will have a significant impact on their workplaces and businesses.

To assist employers prepare for and navigate these new legislative changes and additions, the employment and labour group at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP has created the “Federal Employment and Labour Guide”. The guide includes information and takeaways for employers on the following:

  • Overtime: Employees now have
… Continue Reading

Lancement du Guide d’information en matière de droit de l’emploi et du travail fédéral: Modifications à la partie III du Code canadien du travail qui entreront en vigueur le 1er septembre 2019

Natasha HyppoliteStéphane EricksonBy Natasha Hyppolite, Stéphane Erickson and Heather Cameron on Posted in Canada

Une série de nouvelles modifications apportées à la partie III du Code canadien du travail (Code), qui entreront en vigueur le 1er septembre 2019, conféreront de nouveaux droits aux employés. Ces modifications, adoptées en vertu des projets de loi C-86 et C-63, auront des répercussions importantes sur le milieu de travail et l’entreprise de nombreux employeurs régis par les lois fédérales.

Afin d’aider les employeurs à se préparer à ces modifications et ajouts à la loi et à se familiariser avec ceux-ci, le groupe Droit de l’emploi et du travail de Norton Rose Fulbright Canada … Continue Reading

Are all employees who enter the U.S. on business “Business Visitors”?

Andrea VaitznerBy Andrea Vaitzner on Posted in Canada, Québec

It is not uncommon for Canadian employers to send their employees to the U.S. for business reasons. When they do so, employers should be mindful of the difference between business and work travel. Depending on the purpose for travel, an individual may enter the U.S. as a Business Visitor, or they may need to apply for a work authorization.

The following information aims to assist employers whose employees frequently travel to the U.S. for either work or business-related reasons.

What is a Business Visitor?

An individual entering the U.S. may enter as a “B-1” business visitor for … Continue Reading

Free Menstrual Products in Federally Regulated Workplaces Proposed

Denyse BouletBy Denyse Boulet on Posted in Canada, General

In May 2019, in the Canada Gazette, the Labour Program of the Department of Employment and Social Development (the “Labour Program”) announced a proposal to require all federally regulated employers to provide free menstrual products in the workplace for employees “due to the shame and stigma that often surrounds menstruation.” In addition, the Labour Program is looking to prevent the use of unhealthy alternatives to menstrual products, for example toilet paper, paper towels or expired products. If passed, this measure would apply to private-sector employers in the federal jurisdiction (e.g. banks, railways, airlines, marine ports, telecommunications, broadcasters … Continue Reading

Alcohol at work: can the employer apply a zero tolerance policy?

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in Europe, France, General

A decision of the Supreme Administrative Court (“Conseil d’Etat”) of 8th July 2019 has overruled the decision of a work inspector (“inspecteur du travail”) who had rejected a zero tolerance policy regarding the consumption of alcohol during working hours for certain classes of employees in a company.

The case concerned a company specializing in the manufacture of automotive equipment which decided to revise its internal employee regulations to include a clause totally prohibiting the consumption of alcohol for certain categories of employee such as machine operators, lift platform users, electricians and mechanics.

By law the internal … Continue Reading

Plafonnement des dommages intérêts en cas de licenciement injustifié : la rébellion se poursuit

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in France

La Cour de cassation vient de déclarer conforme aux engagements internationaux de la France, le « barème Macron » qui plafonne les indemnités attribuées par un juge en cas de licenciement sans cause réelle et sérieuse.

Avant l’entrée en vigueur du « barème Macron », en cas de licenciement sans cause réelle et sérieuse , il appartenait au juge de fixer l’indemnisation visant à réparer le préjudice du salarié. Or, si la loi prévoyait un minimum d’indemnisation de 6 mois de salaire lorsqu’un salarié avait au moins deux ans d’ancienneté et travaillait dans une entreprise d’au moins 11 salariés, … Continue Reading

The strict conditions that must be complied with to pay variable remuneration in France

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in France

Whilst an employer is perfectly free to offer variable remuneration to an employee, the validity of such remuneration is subject to compliance with a number of conditions developed by the courts, as follows:

– the variation of the remuneration must be based on objectives or targets the accomplishment of which are independent from the employer’s will,

– such variation may not transfer the company’s operating risk onto the employee,

– it cannot result in reducing the total remuneration of the employee below the legal minimum wage.

If any of the conditions is not met, the clause is deemed to be … Continue Reading

Loi Pacte : Que faut-il en attendre dans les relations employeurs / salariés ?

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France, General

La loi « Pacte » (Loi relative à la croissance et la transformation des entreprises) a été adoptée en lecture définitive par l’Assemblée Nationale le 11 avril dernier, après de longs mois de débats devant l’Assemblée Nationale et le Sénat.

Elle a fait l’objet d’un recours devant le Conseil Constitutionnel, saisi le 16 avril dernier. Les commentaires ci-dessous sont donc sous réserve de la décision de cette instance.

Le but affiché de cette loi est de donner aux entreprises, notamment les TPE, ETI et PME, les moyens d’innover, de se transformer, de grandir et de créer des emplois. Cependant, cette … Continue Reading

French employment law : Key developments expected for 2019

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Discrimination and harassment, Europe, France

The French authorities have been very prolific in the area of effecting reforms to employment law, and 2019 will not be an exception to this general rule (although perhaps less so than was the case in 2017 and 2018).

First, in 2019, a certain number of reforms promulgated in 2017 and 2018 will either come into force become fully effective:

  • As of January 2019, all companies have become subject to the requirement to withhold income tax from salaries paid to their employees. This change had been under discussion for a fairly long time and was initially planned to enter into
… Continue Reading

Update on case involving whether employee can be compelled to give evidence in a coronial inquiry

Nicki MilionisBy Nicki Milionis on Posted in Australia

The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia (Full Court) handed down its decision on 15 February 2019 in Helicopter Resources Pty Ltd v Commonwealth of Australia [2019] FCAFC 25.  The case involves an appeal to the Full Court by Helicopter Resources Pty Ltd (Helicopter) arising from a decision of the Federal Court which we previously reported on in November 2018.

Briefly, the matter relates to a Coronial inquest commenced in September 2017 in relation to the death of Captain David Wood on 11 January 2016 (the Inquest).  On 20 December 2017, … Continue Reading

The beginning of a revolution (by the French lower courts) ?

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France

French President Emmanuel Macron implemented a significant reform of the French employment code in late 2017, with the intention of providing employers greater flexibility and predictability in managing labour relations.

One of the most controversial measures was the creation of a grid applicable to the amount of indemnities due to employees for unfair dismissal, setting minima and maxima as a function of the length of service of the employee and the headcount of the employing entity.

Prior to the adoption of the grid, courts were free to determine the amount of damages payable to unfairly dismissed employees based on the … Continue Reading

What happens a firm’s internal regulations following a TUPE transfer ?

Marie-Thérèse EugénioBy Marie-Thérèse Eugénio on Posted in Europe, France

Under French employment law, the application of TUPE regulations triggers specific consequences not only with regard to an employee’s employment contract, which is transferred automatically by operation of law, but also on the employees’ collective status.

In this respect, a recent decision of the French Supreme Court has specified what happens to a company’s internal regulations (règlement intérieur) in the event of a TUPE transfer.

It should be recalled that the promulgation of internal regulations is compulsory in companies employing at least 20 employees and the purpose of such document is to cover specific topics, essentially health and safety rules, … Continue Reading

Ontario Delays Pay Transparency Act Coming Into Force

Maxwell RadwayBy Maxwell Radway on Posted in Canada

The Ontario government has delayed the coming into force of the Pay Transparency Act (the Act) from January 1, 2019 to “a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor”. The change comes as part of Bill 57, Restoring Trust, Transparency and Accountability Act, 2018, which received royal assent on December 6, 2018.

The outgoing Ontario Liberal government had introduced the Act as Bill 3, which received royal assent on May 7, 2018 and was expected to come into force on January 1, 2019.

Among other things, the Act would require employers to publish expected salary … Continue Reading

Bill C-86 Receives Royal Assent: New Leaves, Greater Notices, Proactive Pay Equity & More

Stéphane EricksonBy Stéphane Erickson on Posted in Canada

Bill C-86, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 2018 and other measures (the “Bill”), received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018. As noted in our previous publications on the Bill’s amendments to the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) and the introduction of the new (proactive) Pay Equity Act, significant cost and resource-intensive changes to the federal sphere of employment, labour and human rights law are now at every federally-regulated employer’s doorstep.

The Bill provides that many of the amendments to the Canada Labour Code will not come … Continue Reading

Le projet de loi C‑86 reçoit la sanction royale : nouveaux congés, préavis plus longs, régime proactif d’équité salariale et plus encore

Stéphane EricksonBy Stéphane Erickson on Posted in Canada

Le projet de loi C‑86, la Loi no 2 portant exécution de certaines dispositions du budget déposé au Parlement le 27 février 2018 et mettant en œuvre d’autres mesures (« projet de loi »), a reçu la sanction royale le 13 décembre 2018. Comme il a été mentionné dans nos publications précédentes sur les modifications apportées au Code canadien du travail (« Code ») par le projet de loi et l’introduction de la nouvelle (et proactive) Loi sur l’équité salariale, chaque employeur sous réglementation fédérale devra mettre en œuvre des changements entraînant d’importants coûts et nécessitant beaucoup … Continue Reading

Singapore: “Watershed” Amendments to Employment Legislation

Mathias GohBy Mathias Goh on Posted in Asia Pacific, Singapore

Singapore’s employment laws are set to undergo watershed changes come April 2019. In summary, a greater number of employees – in particular, professionals, managers and executives (“PMEs”) – will soon be able to avail themselves of the statutory protections contained in Singapore’s Employment Act, the key employment legislation in Singapore.

The single most significant legislative change is the removal of the monthly salary cap of SGD 4,500 in respect of PMEs. Presently, only PMEs below this salary cap have the benefit of the provisions in the Employment Act relating to minimum periods of notice, paid public holiday and … Continue Reading

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