United States: Labor Secretary Discusses Priorities During Budget Hearing

Members of the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday asked Labor Secretary Thomas Perez about various Department of Labor plans and initiatives during a hearing to discuss the department’s fiscal year 2016 budget request. Under the President’s FY 2016 request, the DOL would receive $13.2 billion in discretionary funding. Various committee members asked Perez to explain his priorities, as well as the status of pending activities.

Although Perez was reluctant to name any one DOL […]

By | March 18th, 2015 ||

United States: The Importance Of Tracking Employee Time – Simple Practices To Avoid Big Headaches

Employers must keep track of hours worked by hourly, non-exempt employees. Any timekeeping method is permitted, as long as it is complete and accurate. The need to track hours might appear obvious at first, but in reality, this simple rule is not always easy to follow. For example, when hourly employees are out in the field, telecommuting, or traveling, requiring employees to account for their time can prove challenging. Traditionally, time tracking requirements envision […]

By | March 18th, 2015 ||

Canada: The Most Important Question Is Why: The SCC Revisits Constructive Dismissal

The Supreme Court of Canada recently handed down Potter v New Brunswick Legal Aid Services Commission,1 ruling that an employer had constructively dismissed an employee when it suspended him without justification, while he was on sick leave. This decision, which overruled both judgments from the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench and the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, clarifies the common law test for constructive dismissal and has important implications for employers. This article […]

By | March 17th, 2015 ||