News & Events

In a decision released May 15, 2021, Arbitrator Derek Rogers upheld grievances concerning an employer’s implementation of a phone application entitled “Exak Time.”  Grievances were filed by both IUOE Local 793 and LIUNA 183. Both unions challenged the employer’s implementation of the app, which required clocking in and clocking out via mobile phone. The ExakTime

Pension and benefit plan administrators and trustees process a substantial amount of personal information about individuals in order to provide benefits to employees, retirees, pensioners and surviving spouses. Privacy legislation, such as Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document Act (PIPEDA), imposes a legal framework around how the personal information collection by pension and benefit plan

The Koskie Minsky LLP Privacy Practice Group cordially invites you to a Complimentary Seminar Series Introducing Privacy Legislation and Best Practices.  The Complimentary Privacy Seminar Series will be held monthly over a three month period for one hour on the following dates: April 9 at 10 am EDT – Overview of Privacy Legislation May 6 at 10 am EDT – Best

A recent decision provides a caution concerning the proper treatment of medical information in the grievance process. In Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital v Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union, Local 383, Arbitrator Randi Abramsky determined that the hospital violated the Personal Health Information Protection Act (“PHIPA”), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) the hospital’s own

Although Canadian laws have been slow to evolve, individual privacy rights have been an issue of importance and concern for many Canadian throughout history and into the present day.  With an ever growing global economy in the digital age the transfer of personal information has undoubtedly become a form of currency with which we knowingly or

Whether a Canadian business has operations in the United States, uses a third party from the United States or even stores its information on a cloud server in the United States, it is almost impossible to do business in Canada without a cross-border aspect. Regardless of the level of interaction with our neighbours to the

On March 17, 2020, the Government of Ontario declared a provincial state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent workplace closures and public health recommendations instantly moved a significant number of businesses online, including health care providers and organizations that use and disclose personal health information. The Government of Ontario reacted to this

With various Canadian provinces and territories declaring states of emergency as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, many workplaces have directed their employees to work from home. While we live in an era where most businesses are prepared and equipped for their employees to work remotely, there remain a number of challenges in ensuring

Philip Graham and Lauren Tarasuk were interviewed by Canadian Lawyer Magazine: Growing sophistication of technology in workplaces creating labour and employment issues.  To view the article, please click here.  

Privacy in the workplace has long been of interest to trade unions. Grievances and complaints have been advanced in response to various employer practices and policies that infringe on private information including the use of digital surveillance, drug and alcohol testing and the use of biometric data in the workplace. Of growing concern to unions