Employment Law Conference 2021


Course Date: May 6, 2021

Full Course Materials
Total: 4h 16min

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:05)

Valerie DixonCity of Vancouver, Vancouver
James D. KondopulosRoper Greyell LLP, Vancouver

Resignation; Why So Difficult? (9:05 – 9:50)

  • the test for determining whether an employee has resigned and a review of recent decisions
  • whether and in what circumstances, an employee may retract their resignation
  • good faith and resignations
  • the circumstances in which an employees is obliged to accept an offer of re-employment to mitigate their damages when a resignation is alleged to be a termination

Laura DeVriesMcCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Donovan G. PlompMcCarthy Tétraul LLP, Vancouver

Break (9:50 – 10:00)

Intersection of Human Rights and Employment Law (10:00 – 10:45)

  • jurisdictional limits on employee claims
  • potential contractual remedies
  • the trend is upwardsrecent awards in tribunal sexual harassment cases

Steven R. BarkerTevlin Gleadle Curtis Employment Law Strategies, Vancouver
Fiona H. McFarlaneKent Employment Law Corporation, Vancouver
Laura TrackCommunity Legal Assistance Society, Vancouver

Break (10:45 – 10:55)

Employment Standards Update (10:55 – 11:25)

Jennifer O’RourkeBC Labour Relations Board and Employment Standards Tribunal, Vancouver

Break (11:25 – 11:35)

Incentive Compensation: Design, Drafting, and a Discussion of Mathews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., 2020 SCC 26 (11:35 – 12:20)

  • an overview of incentive compensation designs, including employment, tax and securities issues
  • incorporating incentive compensation into employment agreements
  • the treatment of incentive compensation awards upon termination, including a discussion of the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Matthews

Taylor BuckleyDentons Canada LLP, Vancouver  
Martin SheardInlet Employment Law, Vancouver

Lunch (12:20 – 12:50)

The Inside ViewIn-house Counsel's Top 10 List for Employment Counsel (12:50 – 1:35)

  • insights and practice tips for plaintiff and employer-side counsel from the vantage point of an employer's legal department
  • hear about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to in-house counsel's experiences with employment lawyers
  • topics will include client relations, negotiation strategy, billing practices, and more

Amy FrankelForte Law Corporation, Surrey
Lindsey Taylorlululemon athletica inc., Vancouver

Break (1:35 – 1:45)

Director and Officer Personal Liability and Statutory Exemptions (1:45 – 2:30)

  • overview of director and officer personal liability for wages and other employment liabilities
  • managing personal liabilities in the face of contemplated receivership or insolvency proceedings
  • the importance of timing in relation to statutory exemptions from personal liability under the Employment Standards Act
  • enforcement-related matters

Jeffrey BastienDentons Canada LLP, Vancouver

Break (2:30 – 2:40)

Transition Back to Normal: Employer and Employee Rights in the Post-pandemic World (2:40 – 3:25)

D. Michael Bain, QCHHBG Employment Lawyers, Vancouver
Maggie CampbellRoper Greyell LLP, Vancouver
Michael JonesHHBG Employment Lawyers, Surrey
Tamara NavaratnamRoper Greyell LLP, Vancouver

Closing Questions and Comments (3:25 – 3:30)

Valerie DixonCity of Vancouver, Vancouver
James D. KondopulosRoper Greyell LLP, Vancouver