Our team of Employment and Workplace Law lawyers assists a variety of clients from small local business owners to large corporations operating in multiple jurisdictions, including owners and management of unionized and non-unionized companies, independent contractors, not for profits, and charitable organizations.
To learn more about your employment obligations during the COVID-19 crisis, please see our recent articles listed below, or visit our COVID-19 Resource Centre.
Our services include:
Employment Contracts
We draft and review contracts for employees and independent contractors, paying consideration to issues including remuneration, stock options, non-solicitation and non-competition provisions, notice provisions, and compliance with applicable legislation.
Harassment/Bullying Polices
We help employers prepare harassment and bullying policies that protect employees and promote a healthy, positive, and productive workplace.
Workplace Investigations
We advise employers with respect adhering to the law when conducting workplace investigations regarding harassment, bullying, theft or any other adverse workplace conduct.
Employee Transfers during the Purchase or Sale of a Business
We assist both buyers and sellers of businesses in addressing employment issues, including preparing transitional services agreements, termination of existing employees and the hiring of new employees.
Employee Terminations
We help employers ensure that employee terminations are handled appropriately and that any termination notices are in compliance with all applicable laws, including both common law and statute.
We advise employees of their rights upon termination, including whether the notice period was sufficient based on their background and experience level, as well as researching any additional avenues of compensation such as wrongful dismissal, severance pay and other relevant employer obligations.
Doing Business in Canada
We help foreign businesses operating in Canada obtain the necessary registrations and licenses, and advise on local employment laws and practices. We are able to address and assist with any immigration issues affecting employees moving to Canada from abroad.
Privacy Issues
We advise employers on their statutory obligations and best practices to ensure the privacy of all relevant employee and customer information, including the drafting of privacy policies, employee handbooks, confidentiality agreements and other documents as appropriate. We also advise employers with respect to the legality of workplace surveillance and drug and alcohol testing.
Human Rights Disputes
We provide advice regarding human rights issues in the workplace and represent both employers and employees in BC Human Rights Tribunal proceedings.
Performance and Disability Management
We advise employers with respect to their legal obligations in relation to employees with long term disability leave issues, the duty to accommodate and disability management in the workplace.
20 May 2021
This paper was jointly prepared by employment lawyers representing Watson Goepel LLP and 6 other Canadian member firms of Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW), a global association of independent international law firms. As the COVID-19 vaccination becomes more widely available to Canadians, can it be made mandatory? Both the federal and provincial governments have so far…
15 March 2021
BC is now in Phase 2 of the province’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan and there is emerging debate as to whether employers have the right to require employees to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations. With limited exceptions, there is currently no support for mandated employee vaccinations in Canadian law. Traditionally, employers have not been allowed to impose blanket…
20 October 2020
In August the B.C. government implemented changes to the Workers Compensation Act through Bill 23, which received Royal Assent on August 14, 2020. Several notable changes were introduced; one of these changes widened the “Occupational Disease” framework to capture COVID-19 infection in certain circumstances. Workers Compensation Act Section 238 now reads: (1) Subject to subsection…
20 August 2020
Both provincial and federal governments continue to update legislation and programs introduced this year in response to COVID-19. This blog post highlights some of the recent changes. Temporary Layoffs in B.C. Under the Employment Standards Act, RSBC 1996, c. 113 (the “Act”), as long as an employer has the contractual authority or the employee agrees…
