$5 Million Class Action Against Car Dealer Regarding Employees vs Independent Contractors Approved in Ontario
BY: MICHAEL J. WEILER Chris and I are often asked by clients to advise on independent contractor agreements they wish to use for their senior salespeople or sales managers. Our advice is usually that such arrangements are fraught with danger as courts and tribunals...
Proposed Changes To Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program
BY: CHRIS DRINOVZ On July 17, 2020, the federal tabled Draft legislation for more changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) program. In essence, the changes would make the program more accessible to businesses, introduce a two-part new subsidy system, and...
BC Introduces Streamlined COVID-19 Temporary Layoff Variance Application
Under the BC Employment Standards Act, the time period for a temporary layoff related to COVID-19 may be extended to a maximum of 24 weeks, ending on or before August 30, 2020. Employers who plan to recall employees on a date that falls after August 30, 2020 can now...
BC Government Proposes Costly Amendments to Workers Compensation System
BY: CHRIS DRINOVZ On July 14, 2020, the BC government tabled Bill 23, Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2020. The proposed amendments are informed by Jeff Parr’s Consultation Report, which examined the recommendations from three earlier reviews completed in the...
Uber Contract Struck Down as Unconscionable
BY: MICHAEL J. WEILERMore and more employers are requiring employees to sign employment agreements that in many cases significantly reduce employees’ rights or impose significant restrictions on their ability to compete after they leave their employer. As readers of...
Layoffs and Severance Pay
On June 25, 2020, the BC government decided to further extend the temporary layoffs provision in the Employment Standards Act to a maximum of 24 weeks, expiring on August 30, 2020: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020LBR0018-001174. Extending the temporary layoff...
RETURN TO WORK AFTER COVID 19 – 5 CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK
In March 2020 most businesses in BC ground to a halt with many laying off most, if not all, of their employees or dramatically reducing hours of work or wages. In many cases employers were able to carry on some portion of their businesses by having employees work from...
Navigating Your Business in the Road to Recovery
Download as PDF Chris Drinovz, head of the Employment & Labour Group at KSW Lawyers, had the pleasure of co-hosing an informative webinar for the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce on May 26, 2020. We think there is important information that should be shared...
Further Questions about CEWS, CERB, COVID-19 and the Workplace answered
On May 5, 2020, we had the pleasure of hosting a webinar for the New Car Dealers Association of BC and its members, with CEO Blair Qualey. We heard from car dealerships from across the province and answered their questions about CEWS, CERB and more. We thought the...
Let’s Talk: Questions about COVID-19, the Workplace & Your Business Webinar
Kane Shannon Weiler LLP is here to support you during these uncertain and challenging times. Our Employment & Labour Group and our Tax Group hosted a Let’s Talk webinar answering all of your questions surrounding COVID-19 and your workplace. We want to help you,...