Latest Articles
The information contained below is not legal advice and is for informational purposes only.
The Impact of Inflation on Damages Awarded by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal: A New Benchmark for Human Rights Damages
A recent decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”) signals a significant shift in how damages are calculated in human rights claims. In McConnell v. Hibbert, 2026 HRTO 579, the Tribunal demonstrated that inflation is now a formal factor that...
Partridge v. Botony Dental Corporation, 2015 ONCA 836 (CanLII)
Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Wrongful Dismissal and Human Rights DamagesAfter Employee Faces Reprisal Upon Return from Maternity Leave In the case of Partridge v. Botony Dental Corporation, 2015 ONCA 836, the Court of Appeal forOntario dismissed an employer’s...
Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Wrongful Dismissal and Human Rights Damages After Employee Faces Reprisal Upon Return from Maternity Leave
Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Wrongful Dismissal and Human Rights Damages After Employee Faces Reprisal Upon Return from Maternity Leave In the case of Partridge v. Botony Dental Corporation, 2015 ONCA 836, the Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed an employer’s...
Court Awards Human Rights Damages of $125,000 in Workplace Sexual Harassment Case
In Stride v. Syra Group et al., 2024 ONSC 2169, the Plaintiff, Stride, was an employee of Syra Group Holdings (“Syra”). She brought an action for wrongful dismissal and breach of the Human Rights Code. Syra is an Ontario Corporation that owns several apartment...
Ontario to Expand the Definition of Workplace Harassment to include Virtual Spaces
In Ontario, the Occupational Health and Safety Act outlines Employers’ legal obligations to ensure the maintenance of a safe workplace. The OHSA (the “Act”) requires employers covered by the Act to prepare and regularly review policies regarding workplace harassment....
HRTO Dismisses Sexual Harassment Claim because it was Brought 19 Years after the Alleged Sexual Misconduct Occurred
Limitation Periods in Ontario In Ontario, there is a limitation period for civil legal matters. The Ontario Limitations Act 2002 provides that legal claims of a civil nature must be brought within a two-year period. In 2016 however, the Limitations Act was amended...
Restroom Access for Transgender Employees
Accommodations for transgender persons in the workplace is not necessarily a new topic of discussion, however it is one that persists as a controversial issue. Indeed, in February of 2024, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre reportedly stated that people born...
British Columbia Tribunal Awards the Second Highest Injury to Dignity Awards in the Province
In Ms. L v. Clear Pacific Holdings Ltd. and others, 2024 BCHRT 14, the complainant, Ms. L, received British Columbia’s second highest award for injury to dignity as a result of the conduct of her employer, Sydney Hayden. What Happened in Brief Ms. L began her...
Alberta Tribunal Awards Damages for Discriminatory Dismissal Disguised as “Restructuring”
The Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, in Silliker v Suncor Energy Inc, 2024 AHRC 91, has awarded a plaintiff $40,000 in damages and 50% of each of her base salary, her annual bonus, the expected employer contribution to her pension, as well as all the out-of-pocket...
Family Status Discrimination Results in $105k in Damages
In Ontario, ‘family status’ encompasses a parent-child relationship and employers have a duty to accommodate their employees who have such responsibilities until the point of undue hardship. The parent-child relationship is interpreted broadly to include childcare...