Canada: Order To Safeguard The Rights Of The Parties: A Cautionary Tale

On February 28, 2014, in Hydro-Québec v SSPHQ et al.,1 the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled on an employer’s right to recover employees’ premiums retroactively to the effective date of changes to a supplemental group life insurance plan.
Facts
The unionized employees of Hydro-Québec belonging to two unions are entitled to supplemental group life insurance (SGLI) coverage. This insurance is optional and the costs are borne equally by the supplemental group life insurance plan members (Plan Members) […]

By | May 16th, 2014 ||

Poland: High Time For Flextime

A less rigid approach to scheduling of working time offers win/win solutions for employers and employees

Amendments to Poland’s Labor Code that went into effect on August 23, 2013, introduced important changes in the rules for scheduling and calculating employees’ working time.

The amending act includes provisions designed to counter the effects of the economic crisis and allow businesses in Poland to operate more competitively. Lawmakers also sought to make it easier to create new jobs, […]

By | May 15th, 2014 ||

Three New Statutory Leaves Of Absence Are Set To Take Effect In Ontario On October 29, 2014

On April 29, 2014, Bill 21, the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2014, was passed and received royal assent in Ontario. This means that, effective October 29, 2014, the list of job-protected leaves of absence under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) will expand to include family caregiver leave, critically ill child care leave and crime-related child death or disappearance leave. These new leaves of absence will be in addition to […]

By | May 14th, 2014 ||