Masterclass takes place Feb. 15
Canadian Lawyer’s Employment Law Masterclass is back for another year, bringing together labour and employment lawyers and inhouse counsel to dive into 2024’s most consequential employment law issues.
The day-long event – Employment Law in 2024: Accommodations, family status, and more – will occur online on Feb. 15.
In the last few years, Canadian workplaces have been upended by the evolving nature of work and shifting workforce expectations. Much of the changing reality is attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employment law issues are developing into unique and sometimes novel territory.
At this year’s Masterclass, the speakers and panellists include founders of leading labour and employment law firms and law firm partners with workplace, tax, privacy, and cybersecurity law backgrounds.
The day begins at 9:45 am EST.
The first panel will cover best practices for mitigating the risk of constructive dismissal and without-cause termination clauses. The panel will discuss recent constructive dismissal caselaw, reasonable notice and who is entitled to it, how changes to an employee’s duties and responsibilities can lead to a constructive dismissal, and how the workplace environment can produce risk of constructive dismissal. The panel will also look at harassment and how to establish reasons for dismissal.
Following the first panel, McMillan LLP partner Kristen Pennington will discuss employee monitoring and the employee rights and employer obligations associated with it.
Then, a panel on the legal implications of AI in the workplace will examine how organizations can develop best practices and avoid liabilities with this rapidly growing technology. The panel will cover the benefits of AI in HR, the evolving legal and regulatory landscape surrounding AI, how to draft effective AI policies for ethical AI use, and the privacy risks associated with AI use, among many other topics.
With employers grappling with the increased risk of successful wrongful termination claims, Koskie Minsky LLP partner Nancy Shapiro will give a presentation exploring the latest legal developments in employment contracts, focusing on recent termination-related cases and trends.
A recent Alberta case that recognized the tort of harassment could lead to a wave of harassment claims. Turnpenney Milne LLP’s Rachel Turnpenney will look at the implications of the new tort, the latest legal developments on workplace harassment, and strategies to mitigate employer risk.
Another session will explore the impact of recent changes to Income Tax Act disclosure rules. The new amendments may require employees, contractors, and employers to disclose certain aspects of wrongful dismissal settlements and contractor agreements. WeirFoulds tax partner Ryan Morris will discuss what these changes mean for employers and their lawyers.
The Masterclass’ second last session will review recent developments and emerging issues in workplace accommodation and provide strategies for approaching and assessing accommodation requests.
The day's final session will cover workplace investigations, providing best practices for conducting an investigation that ensures a thorough, impartial approach to a claim while mitigating potential liabilities.
