Is your consultant actually an employee? Ontario rules are changing.

Worker misclassification disputes are nothing new in the trucking industry. The engagement of owner-operators and other independent contractors who provide things like safety consulting services is commonplace. For the most…

Recorded workplace conversations can breach trust

Unhappy workers sometimes record a workplace conversation to prove they are being mistreated, harassed, or face discrimination. And in Canada, recorded conversations don’t violate the Criminal Code if they have…

Paid sick days coming to federally regulated carriers

It is not easy being an employer during a pandemic. They’re dealing with lockdowns and layoffs or grappling with the opposite problem — labour shortages. On top of those concerns,…

New pay equity rules arrive for federally regulated fleets

For every dollar a man earns in Canada, a woman earns 89 cents. It goes without saying that women and men should receive equal pay for equal work. An employer’s…

Protect your CVOR with a due diligence defence

Carriers that operate trucks in Ontario need to protect their Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR). And one of the ways to ensure the CVOR remains in good standing is to…

Businesses face new challenge in accommodating medical marijuana

Canadian human rights laws provide that a worker who uses medical cannabis to treat a disability, and who is employed in a safety-sensitive workplace, is entitled to be accommodated by…

What if they don’t return to the workplace?

As we slowly enter the next phase of the pandemic and businesses start to reopen, some employees are refusing to return to work. They offer a number of reasons for…

Opinion: Are you in an ‘exclusive’ business relationship?

Many companies engage independent contractors to perform services. And when the relationship turns sour, the parties often fight over whether the independent contractor is actually an employee who’s entitled to notice of termination and other benefits.

Think twice before you write a reference letter

A positive reference letter can seem like a welcome favor for a long-term employee, but a recent court case illustrates why fleet managers may want to think twice before writing such a document. It all began with a blocked route.

Human rights to be considered before hiring

Terminated employees have been known to raise human rights complaints, claiming that a termination should have been prohibited under applicable human rights legislation, or that an employer failed to accommodate…

Are your contractors independent enough?

Independent contractor relationships are common in the trucking industry. They are particularly attractive in the case of owner-operators who supply a truck and driver to a carrier, or for sales agents who want to set their own schedule and be paid based on the sales they bring in.