As we previously reported, the B.C. Government amended the Workers Compensation Act (the “WCA Amendments”) to impose new obligations on B.C. employers in returning injured workers to their job. These changes will come into effect on January 1, 2024.
As you may recall from our earlier blog post, the WCA Amendments create two new duties for workers and employers: the duty ...
On October 31, 2022, the B.C. government introduced Bill 41 – 2022: Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act (No. 2), 2022 (the “WCA Amendments”) proposing changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act (the “WCA”). The intent behind the WCA Amendments is to bring in a more “worker-centred” approach to B.C.’s workers’ compensation system. Below we discuss ...
This blog post is a follow-up to our two-part blog post and webinar discussing sweeping changes to Alberta's workers' compensation and occupational health and safety legislation. At that time, it was unknown when the new Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act ("new OHSA") and revised regulations would come into force.
The Alberta Government has announced that the new ...
On July 1, 2021, B.C. moved into Step 3 of its COVID-19 Restart Plan. As part of this phase, B.C. employers are no longer required to maintain a WorkSafeBC approved COVID-19 Safety Plan. Instead, they are required to transition to a Communicable Disease Prevention Plan.
What is a Communicable Disease Prevention Plan?
It is a plan that outlines the steps an employer is taking to ...
This blog post is a follow-up to our previous two-part blog post (Part 1, Part 2) and webinar discussing sweeping changes to Alberta's workers' compensation and occupational health and safety legislation. At the time of the webinar, it was unknown when precisely the new Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act ("new OHSA") would come into force.
Earlier this week, the ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work. Business-related travel, particularly international travel, has decreased significantly. For some employers, travel for work-related purposes, both domestic and international, is a necessity, not an option. In this blog post, we address some of the risks associated with business-related travel during the pandemic ...
On July 14, 2020, the British Columbia government introduced Bill 23 – 2020: Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2020. Bill 23 responds to recent independent reviews of the workers compensation system in British Columbia and was developed following consultation with employers, labour stakeholders, and representatives of Indigenous organizations. If passed, Bill ...
COVID-19 has now been characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Although the number of reported cases in Canada is currently low in comparison to some other countries, public health authorities have cautioned that this situation may change rapidly. As part of this quickly changing situation, employers need to be prepared to address related workplace ...
In a pair of recent decisions originating from British Columbia, the Supreme Court of Canada appears to be putting employers on notice that their responsibilities and liabilities may extend beyond their own front door.
In December 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal v. Schrenk (2017 SCC 62), that we discussed in ...
The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed leave to appeal in Suncor Energy Inc. v. Her Majesty the Queen in the Right of Alberta. The case involved the application of litigation privilege to an internal incident investigation conducted following a workplace fatality.
In April 2014, Suncor Energy Inc. (Suncor) experienced a worker fatality at one of its worksites near Fort ...
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Lawson Lundell's Labour and Employment Law Blog provides updates on the most recent legal developments impacting the Canadian workplace and offers practical tips for employers. We cover a range of topics, including labour relations, employment law, collective bargaining, human rights, employment standards, employment equity, workers' compensation, business immigration, privacy, occupational health and safety and pensions and employee benefits.
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