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In this legal mid year review, our employment law experts will distill what has happened and help prepare you for what to expect for the rest of 2023.

HR professionals face numerous changes to employment laws and regulations every year, and this one-day event will help you understand those regulations, new and current reporting requirements, and the impact recent court legislations will have in your workplace.


SYMPOSIUM KEYNOTE SESSIONS

Topic: Prohibited Action Complaints and More: OHS and Workers' Compensation Trends Review

Speaker: Paul McLean - Partner of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP

Description: Recent changes to the British Columbia Workers' Compensation Act expose employers to both increased financial liability and regulatory scrutiny.

This session will review recent developments in OHS and workers’ compensation legislation, including the emergence of Prohibited Action Complaints as a remedy of choice for terminated employees as well as recent statutory and regulatory changes which impose new obligations on employers.

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Topic: What does the Pay Transparency Act mean for you?

Speaker: Deborah Cushing - Senior Counsel, Lawson Lundell LLP

Description: The (British Columbia) Pay Transparency Act was enacted on May 11, 2023. Under this act, employers are not permitted to seek pay history information about a job applicant. Employers also are prohibited from retaliating against employees who inquire about their pay or disclose their pay to others. And as of November 1, 2023, employers will be required to specify the expected wage range in all publicly advertised job opportunities. The Act will impose reporting requirements on certain employers but these will be phased in between 2023 and 2026.

In this session, we will discuss the provisions of the Pay Transparency Act and what it means for employers and employees in BC.

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Topic: Addressing Challenging Issues in Workplace Investigations

Speaker: Jennifer Russell - Partner, Roper Greyell LLP

Description: The potential consequences of a flawed investigation can be significant. This session is intended to help employers navigate some of the more difficult procedural situations that commonly arise when conducting workplace investigations or retaining outside investigators, including: 

  • When can you investigate, when should you investigate, and when do you have to investigate? 
  • How to assess credibility and navigate changing landscapes re: consent and credibility in sexual harassment and other misconduct investigations Investigating online and off duty conduct – is it any of your business? 
  • Managing participants: setting expectations, communicating appropriately, minimizing reputational damage, and imposing interim measures 
  • Dealing with reluctant complainants and witnesses as well as over-involved union and legal representatives 
  • What to do when a key player says they cannot participate in an investigation for medical reasons

In this session, you will learn how to handle thorny procedural issues, reach reliable conclusions, and minimize damage in the investigation process.

Meet your keynote speakers

Paul McLean

Paul is a partner of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP in Vancouver. Paul has been helping employers across Western Canada resolve workplace law problems for over two decades. He has significant experience in the mining, transportation, education, hospitality, construction and financial sectors. Recognized as a leading practitioner by Best Lawyers and Lexpert, Paul provides strategic counsel to clients concerning employment litigation, occupational health and safety, shareholder disputes, workers’ compensation, human rights, labour injunctions, CCAA proceedings, workplace class actions and executive compensation issues. Like many lawyers, he frequently finds himself in court or before administrative tribunals and arbitrators. When not attempting to stop pucks as a beer league goalie, Paul lectures as an Adjunct Professor at the UBC Faculty of Law, where he teaches employment law.

Deborah Cushing

Deborah practises labour and employment law, advising clients on a range of matters including wrongful dismissal, employment standards, business immigration, labour relations, and human rights issues. Deborah attended law school following a career in human resources. She worked in labour relations in the public sector followed by experience as an employee relations manager in the financial industry. Deborah works with clients in a wide range of sectors including mining, retail, hospitality, health care, government and non-profit.

Jennifer Russell

Jennifer is a partner at Roper Greyell where she practises employment, labour, and human rights law on behalf of public and private sector employers. As a skilled and loyal advocate, Jennifer represents her clients before courts of all jurisdictions in British Columbia and Canada as well as at arbitration and before the Labour Relations Board, the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal, and the Employment Standards Tribunal. She also has expertise in appellate advocacy and judicial review. Jennifer employs a client-centered and needs-based approach to her practice. She enjoys collaborating with her clients to develop effective strategies that proactively address workplace issues. She is particularly skilled at investigating and addressing sensitive issues such as bullying and harassment, and litigating complex disputes. A resourceful problem-solver, Jennifer thrives on challenging cases. She provides her clients with strategic advice regarding all aspects of the employment relationship including hiring and termination, human rights, collective agreement interpretation, discipline, privacy, the purchase and sale of businesses, restrictive covenants and competition issues. She also conducts workplace investigations and represents her clients as their spokesperson during collective bargaining. Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family and rascally dog. She also coaches the student team from The University of British Columbia’s Peter A. Allard School of Law at the National Labour Arbitration Competition. She finds it rewarding and inspiring to mentor students and develop them into excellent advocates.

Course curriculum

    1. Video

    2. PowerPoint

    1. Video

    2. PowerPoint

    1. Video

    2. PowerPoint

    1. Course Survey

About this course

  • 7 lessons
  • 3.5 hours of video content