We are pleased to welcome Julia Bell to the firm.
Julia graduated from the Juris Doctor program at the University of Victoria in May 2015. While at the University of Victoria, Julia received numerous awards, including course prizes in labour law, administrative law, and contracts law. She also worked as a peer tutor for first-year law students.
Prior to joining Roper Greyell, Julia articled at a national law firm and clerked for seven justices at the British Columbia Supreme Court.
In the latest edition of Human Capital Law and Policy Jock Finlayson, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer, Business Council of British Columbia and Thomas A. Roper discuss the expected changes to the province’s labour and employment laws and regulations.
Here are the highlights:
Click here to read the complete article.
We are pleased to announce that six of the firm’s lawyers have been listed in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada. In addition, Delayne Sartison Q.C. was named the 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” for Employment and Labour Law in Vancouver. Lawyers were selected based on feedback from peers within their region and legal practice areas.
Join us in congratulating the following lawyers who are listed in the 2018 edition of Best Lawyers:
Click here to view the Best Lawyers website.
About Best Lawyers
Since 1983, Best Lawyers has become a definitive guide to legal excellence. The peer-review publication is based on a confidential survey in which thousands of leading lawyers rank the legal abilities of other lawyers in specific practice areas.
We are pleased to welcome Jacqueline Gant to the firm.
Jacqueline received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University, where she was the captain of the varsity soccer team, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Victoria.
Since her call to the bar in 2015, Jacqueline has been advising employers concerning the management of workplace issues in both union and non-union environments, including discipline and discharge cases, collective agreement interpretation, accommodation issues and policy grievances. She has acted for clients in various industries, including mining, technology, post-secondary institutions and municipalities.
Prior to joining Roper Greyell, Jacqueline articled and practised at a large national firm in Vancouver.
We are pleased to announce that seven Roper Greyell lawyers have been ranked in the 2017 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Canada.
Meet our lawyers who have been recognized for their expertise:
Thomas A Roper Q.C.
Gregory J Heywood
Delayne Sartison Q.C.
Michael Wagner
Sandra Guarascio
Gavin Marshall
James D Kondopulos
Click here to view the complete list of Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2017.
About Who’s Who Legal
Since 1996, Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners in business law based upon comprehensive, independent research. It is impossible to buy entry into this publication.
Gabrielle Scorer comments on the British Columbia Court of Appeal’s decision to restore the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal’s decision re: Francescutti v. Vancouver (City).
Read complete article here.
We are pleased to announce that ten of the firm’s lawyers were recognized by Lexpert as leading employment and labour law practitioners in the 2017 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
Join us in congratulating the following Roper Greyell lawyers:
*Lawyer listed for the first time in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
For the complete directory, click here
About the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Published since 1997, the annual Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory profiles leading practitioners across Canada in over 60 practice areas and leading law firms in over 40 practice areas.
A Provincial General Election is scheduled to take place in British Columbia on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.
The B.C. Election Act imposes certain obligations on employers to ensure that their employees have sufficient time free from work to exercise their right to vote.
We are publishing this bulletin to help employers understand the scope of their obligations on General Voting Day.
Who can vote in the Provincial General Election?
All Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old on General Voting Day and have lived in B.C. for six months before election day are eligible to vote in the Provincial General Election.
When are polling stations open on General Voting Day?
Polling stations are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. PT.
Time off for Voting
Section 74 of the Election Act outlines an employer’s obligations to provide time off for voting. Of particular significance, employers must provide their employees:
Example:
Sam and Toby both work on General Voting Day. Polling stations are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. PT
Sam works from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The employer must let Sam do one of the following:
Irrespective of when Sam takes time off for voting, he is entitled to his regular compensation for his full shift
Toby works from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Toby is not entitled to any time off work because he has four consecutive hours free from work for voting – 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Employers Operating in a Unionized Environment
Any employer operating in a unionized environment is advised to review all provisions of the applicable collective agreement which speak to obligations on General Voting Day. The employer may have obligations over and above the statutory obligations set out in the Election Act.
Employees Working in a Remote Location
The right to have four consecutive hours off work on General Voting Day without any loss of pay or penalty is not a right available to all employees. An employee who is in a remote location by reason of employment such that he or she would be unable to reasonably reach any voting place during voting hours is not entitled to time off for voting.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The consequences for an employer of failing to grant time off work for voting can be significant. Failure to comply with section 74 of the Election Act is an offence and, on conviction, the employer may be liable to one or both of the following: a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not longer than one year.
Advance Voting
Any employer anticipating a disruption to its business on General Voting Day can encourage its employees to vote in advance voting. This will be available throughout B.C. from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (local time) on April 29 and 30 and May 3, 4, 5 and 6, 2017. The employer cannot compel its employees to vote on those voting days.
If you have any question at all about how the Provincial General Election may affect you or your workplace, please contact Tamara or James or any other lawyer at Roper Greyell LLP.
The federal government tabled legislation today, April 13, 2017, that would legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes by July 1, 2018.
Under the new legislative regime, the federal government will license marijuana producers, while the provinces and territories will have jurisdiction over the distribution and sale of marijuana within the framework set out in the federal legislation.
Highlights of the proposed legislation are as follows:
As part of this major legislative initiative, the federal government is also proposing a number of changes to the Criminal Code, including creating a new criminal offence with a maximum of 14 years in jail for selling marijuana to a minor.
The proposed legislation also includes significant changes to Canada’s impaired driving laws. Proposed amendments to the Criminal Code would reportedly make it illegal for a person to drive within two hours of having a prescribed level of marijuana in his or her blood stream. The government is promising a system of mandatory roadside testing to test for cannabis impairment. The government is also proposing a new drug-impaired driving offence for drivers who combine alcohol with cannabis.
Potential Implications for Employers
In advance of the proposed legalization of marijuana, employers should consider updating their drug and alcohol policies. In particular, the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code may provide employers with an evidence-based model for managing suspected impairment in the workplace.
We will be carefully following the proposed legislation as it passes its way through the House of Commons and Senate.
If you require assistance regarding the impact of these proposed legislative changes on your workplace or any workplace policies or benefit plans, please contact us.
We are pleased to welcome Maggie Campbell and Mike Hamata to the firm.
For the past ten years, Maggie has advised clients on all aspects of employment relations. She has represented clients before the British Columbia courts, the Human Rights Tribunal and the Employment Standards Tribunal. Before joining Roper Greyell, Maggie practiced employment and labour law at the Vancouver office of an international firm.
Mike received his Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto and was called to the British Columbia bar in 2012. Prior to starting his legal career, Mike was a judicial law clerk to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Mike articled and practiced as an employment and labour associate at an international law firm in Vancouver before joining Roper Greyell.
“We are very excited to welcome Maggie and Mike to Roper Greyell. They bring top-tier experience that will benefit our clients and contribute to the strength of our firm,” said Tom Roper, Roper Greyell’s Chair.
