Q&A: Suspected use of marijuana in the workplace
With medicinal marijuana already being prescribed by doctors and the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana just around the corner, this question addresses a real concern shared by many employers across Canada.
Ava Z Moradi, JD
7 minutes read
July 6, 2018
Improve internal controls over fixed assets (Part 1)
Many organizations face challenges with recording and physically safeguarding fixed assets. Organizations must also meet disclosure and other requirements when they prepare audited or other financial statements, corporate tax returns (applicable to for-profit organizations) and T3010 Registered Charity Information Returns (applicable to charitable organizations). Accounting processes and procedures must facilitate these activities.
Apolone Gentles, JD, CPA,CGA, FCCA, Bsc (Hons)
Six principles for effective risk management
In World-Class Risk Management, I review the eleven principles in the ISO 31000:2009 global risk management standard and condense them to just six.
Norman D. Marks, CPA, CRMA
Closing your business for the holidays
The holidays are quickly approaching. However, leading to that point of unwinding can be stressful for many business owners, with the balancing of family demands and workplace year–end pressures. Regardless of such amounting pressures, businesses should not neglect their responsibilities to employees and clients before closing for the holidays.
Cristina Lavecchia
My former employee left behind some personal property. What can I do with it?
Employees occasionally leave behind personal property following termination of employment. Whether it is discovered immediately or long after the employee has departed, many Alberta employers would be surprised to learn that they have certain obligations to that former employee with respect to the treatment of the personal property.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
My website allows users to post comments – can I be liable for defamation?
If you host a website that allows the public to post comments, you may be surprised to find out that you may sued if a stranger posts defamatory comments on it.
Maanit Zemel
The hiring process: How to control risks
Recruiting and hiring new staff members is fraught with challenges. Which candidate has the right combination of skills for the job? Will she fit in with her new team members? Can he actually do the things he says he can? These questions are fundamental to effective hiring, but they don’t begin to consider the legal risks associated with the hiring process.
Adam Gorley
Personal information and medical leaves – careful what you disclose
I recently read an interesting case made by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (decision 2014 – 014) stating that under subsection 5(3) of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) that the employer’s purposes for disclosing the employee’s personal information regarding his medical leave were not appropriate in the circumstances and were not necessary for the organization to meet its employee schedule management needs in the context of its work environment.
Christina Catenacci, BA, LLB, LLM, PhD
Do you agree that workplaces should have a dress code?
Human resources experts agree that employees appreciate knowing your expectations about how they should dress for work-if they exist. However, some managers and employers disagree with dress codes. One of our subscribers wondered what our readers think, so in a recent HRinfodesk poll, we asked, Do you agree that workplaces should have a dress code?
Ted Kenney