Resources: Human Rights

Settlement and Release: The Final Destination?

Early resolution of human rights matters results in many benefits, including opportunities for efficiency, lower cost and creativity. However, a signed release of legal claims and complaints may not be the end of the road.

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Bots in the HR Department: Recruitment in the Age of Generative AI

Although artificial intelligence (AI) tools have been available to human resources (HR) departments for many years, the November 2022 release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT prompted HR professionals and their legal advisors to take a fresh look at how generative AI chatbots can support and improve HR work, including recruitment.

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Mind Your Manners: B.C. Human Rights Tribunal Orders Complainant to Pay $3,000 in Punitive Costs for Improper Conduct in the Complaint Process

In Dr. A. v. Health Authority, 2023 BCHRT 10, the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ordered the complainant, Dr. A, to pay $3,000 in punitive costs for contravening the rules and orders of the Tribunal and also for engaging in improper conduct during the complaint process.

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No Evidence that ‘Contact High’ is a Disability: B.C. Tribunal

In Gendron v. Koppert Canada Ltd., 2023 BCHRT 173 the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal (the Tribunal) dismissed a complaint from an individual who alleged that she experienced a “contact high” from cannabis plants. The Tribunal held that the complainant failed to provide any evidence capable of proving that the symptoms she was experiencing were the result of a disability. As a result, the complaint had no reasonable prospect of success and did not warrant the time and expense of a hearing.

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Employer Response to Racial Slur Found Reasonable by Human Rights Tribunal

A recent BC human rights case demonstrates the importance of employers taking meaningful action in response to complaints of racial harassment.

In Raul Martinez Johnson v. Whitewater Concrete Ltd. and Matias Pacheco and Miguel Pacheco and Nicolas Pacheco (No. 2), 2022 BCHRT 129, the employer’s response to a complaint eliminated an award of lost wages, despite a finding of discrimination.

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Ontario Court of Appeal Finds School Board Breached Section 8 of the Charter When Disciplining Grievors for Personal Document Left Open on School Computer

In Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario v. York Region District School Board, 2022 ONCA 476, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that a school principal and the school board for which he worked had breached the employee right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the “Charter”) when the principal went through a teacher’s personal document on a school laptop.

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Show Me The Money – Pay Transparency Act

British Columbia’s Minister of Finance introduced Bill 13, the Pay Transparency Act on March 7, 2023 (“Bill 13”). Bill 13 received its third reading in the BC legislature on April 25, 2023 and received Royal Assent on May 11, 2023 with the exception of section 2 of the Act, which will pass into law on November 1, 2023. Regulations are expected to be drafted over the summer of 2023.

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Modern Family (Status): Court of Appeal Clarifies Test for Family Status Discrimination in B.C.

A five-justice division of the B.C. Court of Appeal has just issued an important, unanimous decision on the applicable test to address claims of discrimination in employment with respect to family status (caregiving obligations).

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Just Cause “Cancellation”?

Ever since the #MeToo movement, “cancel culture” has gained momentum, seeking to hold individuals accountable for abuses of power as well as sexual harassment and assault – in both the past and present. The decision in Ottawa Jewish Community School Teachers’ Assn. v. Ottawa Jewish Community School (Cianni Grievance), 2022 O.L.A.A. No 113 (Tremayne) examines the trend of “cancelling” individuals for past misconduct in the context of a just cause termination.

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Lessons from Selling Sunset, Part Three: Workplace Relationships

What better way to end our three-part series on employment law lessons learned from watching Netflix’s Selling Sunset than to talk about romantic relationships in the workplace. As always, there are spoilers ahead.

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