Tag archives: family status

A reminder to BC employers: Family care obligations to accommodate family care needs amid pandemic

By Andrew Schafer on August 5, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Covid-19 has made working from home the new normal for many employees. This new reality has created challenges for employees who, due to the closure of schools, daycares and other social services, have had to serve as full-time caregivers in addition to carrying out their everyday work tasks. Under these circumstances, it is important for … Continue reading

A (Not So) New Test for Family Status Discrimination in British Columbia

By Taryn Mackie and Chanelle Wong on February 21, 2018 Posted in Canada, Discrimination and harassment

It is often a challenge for employers to determine whether they have a duty to accommodate an employee’s “family status” under human rights legislation. Adjudicators across Canada have taken different approaches to assess whether the duty to accommodate family status has been triggered. The recent B.C. Human Rights Tribunal decision in Adair v. Forensic Psychiatric … Continue reading

New Ontario Statutory Leaves of Absence

By Michael Torrance on November 25, 2014 Posted in Canada, General

The Ontario Employment Standards Amendments Act (Leaves to Help Families) came into force on October 29, 2014, creating three new unpaid family-related leaves for employees: (1) Family Caregiver Leave; (2) Critically Ill Child Care Leave; and (3) Crime-Related Child Death or Disappearance Leave. This post will highlight the salient features of these new provisions affecting … Continue reading

Case Brief: On family status discrimination and childcare obligations

By Michael Torrance on November 11, 2014 Posted in Canada, Discrimination and harassment

In May, the Federal Court of Appeal issued decisions in Canadian National Railway Company v Seeley, 2014 FCA 111 and Canada (Attorney General) v Johnstone, 2014 FCA 110, upholding findings of discrimination on the basis of family status made initially by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and upheld by the Trial Division of the Federal … Continue reading

Federal Court of Appeal clarifies Canadian law on discrimination based on family status

By guestauthor on May 8, 2014 Posted in Canada, Discrimination and harassment

This blog post was written by William Hlibchuk, a partner in the Montréal office. On May 2, 2014, the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) rendered two decisions relating to discrimination based on family status. In so doing, the court clarified the scope of the prohibited ground of family status contained in the Canadian Human Rights Act, … Continue reading