Beware Liability When Workers Talk on Phone While Driving
by Karen Sargeant former of McCarthy Tetrault We have all heard the statistics (and it’s no surprise!) — driving while talking on a cell phone increases the likelihood of a car accident even if you use...
View ArticleWorkers’ Compensation Claim for Mental Stress Allowed
By Derek Knoechel and Lorene Novakowski Canadian provinces have workers’ compensation legislation that provides a no-fault system of compensation for injuries suffered on the job. The system covers...
View ArticleWorkers’ Comp Throws Its ‘Employer’ Nets Wide
A British Columbia Court of Appeal decision has worrisome implications for companies that control elements of the operations of subcontractors or franchisees. Although it was about a franchise...
View ArticleCanadian Decisions Blur Distinction between Employees and Independent...
By Ralph Nero and Keri Bennett Employers in Canada have typically understood employees and independent contractors to fall into distinct legal categories. However, recent court and labor board...
View ArticleWorkers’ Compensation Mental Stress Claims May Be Expanded
By Bill Duvall Employers in Canada have taken comfort from the fact that most provincial workers’ compensation agencies provide benefits for workplace mental stress only in very limited circumstances....
View ArticleFacebook postings fair game for employers
By Frederic Parisien Can Canadian employers use information from their employees’ Facebook pages in managing the employment relationship? Not an age-old question, but one debated in recent years. In...
View ArticleWorkers’ comp for injuries from systemic workplace harassment
By Kyla Stott-Jess A recent Alberta court decision indicates that health problems arising from systemic harassment in the workplace can be covered by workers’ compensation (WCB) insurance. This...
View ArticleOntario releases new workers’ compensation policy to aid in claims involving...
by Cathy Chandler Until recently, Ontario was the only jurisdiction in Canada without a specific policy dealing with the effect of pre-existing conditions on claims for workers’ compensation. That has...
View ArticleWorkers’ comp changes for post-traumatic stress disorder claims
by Brandon Wiebe A second Canadian province, Manitoba, recently amended its Workers Compensation Act to create a rebuttable presumption that claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are...
View ArticleOvercoming the hurdles in managing workers’ compensation claims
by David Marchione, OHS Consultant/Paralegal Many employers struggle to efficiently manage workers’ compensation claims. Most provincial experience rating programs established by workers’ compensation...
View ArticleNew workers’ compensation insurance rates will affect Ontario employers
by David Marchione Across Canada, workers’ compensation programs are designed to protect employees who suffer work-related injuries. These act as insurance programs administered by various agencies...
View ArticleAlberta workers’ compensation: a refocus
by Theodore Fong This year has seen many developments in the labor and employment fields in Canada. One recent development concerns the Alberta Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), one of several public...
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