Slapping a woman on the buttocks in the workplace may be grounds for dismissal, but the threshold for terminating severance as a result of sexual harassment requires ‘wilful misconduct,’ the Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled. In essence, if the…
REGINA – Saskatchewan is proposing to amend its employment act to recognize sexual harassment in the workplace. The government has introduced legislation to make it clear that any unwelcome action of a sexual nature constitutes harassment. The amendment also covers…
OTTAWA – The Senate of Canada will pay nearly half a million dollars in compensation to nine employees of a now-resigned senator who say they suffered harassment, including sexual harassment, on the job. The decision today to award $498,000 in…
The way business leaders communicate can shape employees’ attitudes toward sexual harassment, new research has found. “Our research points to a single step that leaders can take to help reduce sexual harassment: communicate to employees that preventing it is a…
MONTREAL – Quebec’s top court will allow Just For Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon to appeal a decision that authorized a class-action lawsuit brought against him by several women for alleged harassment and sexual assault. Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Mark…
Besides the obvious liquor liability risk in the restaurant and bar sector, risk managers should also pay attention to cyber and sexual harassment risks, says a broker with Holmes Murphy who specializes in the area. Over the past few years,…
TORONTO – A judge has ruled that the Ontario Superior Court does not have the jurisdiction to hear a proposed class-action lawsuit that accused the Waterloo regional police force of gender-based bullying, violence and sexual misconduct. In a ruling released…
OTTAWA – Sexual harassment is far more prevalent in Canadian workplaces than company executives would like to believe, a new report says. Indeed, the report from the Human Resources Professionals Association says recent revelations of harassment in the political, media,…
Why are insurers writing D&O coverage for allegations involving sexual misconduct, which is not really an “accident,” but rather an intentional act that is typically excluded from coverage? The question came up last Thursday at a PLUS Canada event in…
NEW YORK – It happens in so many workplaces – two colleagues begin a romantic relationship. But a heightened awareness about sexual harassment means small business owners can get more anxious when employees start dating. Many owners have consulted with…
Risk managers who retain insurance policies for only seven or 10 years need to rethink this practice, an independent risk consultant warns. Having a copy of a 15- or 20-year-old liability insurance policy is “like owning a bank note in…
MONTREAL – The hot button issues of sexual harassment in the workplace and cannabis legalization joined a leading Canadian law firm’s annual top 10 list of legal risks for businesses in 2018. Borden Ladner Gervais LLP included sexual harassment in…