Resources: Privacy + FOI

  • New Mandatory Data Breach Regulations

    May 2018

    The Canadian government has finally published regulations relating to mandatory privacy breach notification under the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).  The new requirements will come into force on November 1, 2018.

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  • What does the Cambridge Analytica Scandal Mean for Canadian Employers?

    April 2018

    Cambridge Analytica has been all over the news for the past couple of weeks. The consulting firm allegedly used the personal information of 50 million Facebook users, without their permission, for political purposes. What does this issue mean to Canadian employers?

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  • What does the Cambridge Analytica Scandal Mean for Canadian Employers?

    April 2018

    Cambridge Analytica has been all over the news for the past couple of weeks. The consulting firm allegedly used the personal information of 50 million Facebook users, without their permission, for political purposes. What does this issue mean to Canadian employers?

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  • Are Your Bullying and Harassment Policies and Procedures in Good Shape?

    February 2018

    by Danny Bernstein

    It seems like every day a new story surfaces about allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood elites and other celebrities. Each time, the online world erupts and anyone with a computer can have their say.  Reputations can be destroyed in hours.

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  • The Need To Notify: Evidence Ruled Inadmissible Due To Privacy Violation

    January 2018

    The importance of providing notice to employees prior to collecting and using employee personal information is highlighted in Zelstoff Celgar Ltd. v. Public and Private Workers of Canada, Local 1 (Negreiff Grievance), [2017] B.C.C.A.A.A. No. 28 (Blasina).

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  • The Zellstoff Trilogy- Privacy v. Technology

    December 2017

    by Gavin Marshall

    In the age of technology and data collection, there is, or can be, a digital footprint and record of virtually all employee activity.

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  • Arbitrator Determines that Employee Did Not Have Reasonable Expectation of Privacy When Using Work Computer to Run Charity

    September 2017

    by Danielle Scorda

    In Toronto (City) v. CUPE, Local 79 (Wright Grievance), [2016] O.L.A.A. No. 445 (Misra), an Ontario arbitrator considered whether an employer can rely on documents obtained from an employee’s work computer to uphold the termination of her employment for using employer resources and time to run her own charity.

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  • Do Employees Have an Expectation of Privacy in Their Text Messages?

    September 2016

    by Delayne Sartison K.C.

    Information and evidence obtained from social media or electronic communications is playing an increasingly important role in the workplace, but employers must be conscious of employee privacy rights.  As a result, the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision regarding whether there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in sent text messages is of particular interest to employers.

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  • Is that “Confidential” Investigation Report actually Confidential?

    May 2016

    by Graeme McFarlane

    If not set up properly, that “confidential” investigation report may not be so confidential after all. An Ontario arbitrator has ruled that an investigation report prepared by a lawyer is not covered by solicitor-client or litigation privilege as a matter of right. In Durham Regional Police Association v Durham Regional Police Services Boardthe arbitrator ordered production of an investigation report to the union which was dissatisfied with the employer’s handling of a harassment situation.

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  • Family Feud Leads to Damages for Wrongful Dismissal

    February 2016

    In TeBaerts v. Penta Builders Group Inc., 2015 BCSC 2008, the B.C. Supreme Court awarded nearly $94,000 in damages to a 32-year old project consultant and account manager after finding she was wrongfully dismissed by her employer, a family-run business.

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