Day 1: Thursday, May 3, 2018

Welcome and Introduction

Implementation of New Employment Contracts with Existing Employees 

• a review of what courts have considered a fresh consideration
• reasonable notice, implementation of a bonus scheme or incentive pay, increased remuneration, more vacation pay, or greater responsibilities
• best practices

Sean T. Pihl, QC — Pihl Law Corporation, Kelowna 
Adrienne N. Staley — Pihl Law Corporation, Kelowna 

Break

Employment Injunctions 

• the applicable threshold test serious question v. strong prima facie case
• what is irreparable harm in employment cases
• important balance of convenience factors
• practical tips on bringing and defending injunctions, including preparation of affidavits

Andrew Nathan — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver 
Steve M. Winder — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver 

#WhatDidYouJustSay: The Uses and Abuses of Social Media in Employment Law 

• introduction to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogs in the employment law context
• uses of social media: recruitment, screening, #metoo, monitoring and privacy issues
• abuses of social media: employee abuses—discipline and just cause termination; employer abuses—expectations of privacy
• what can you do about it? Responsibilities of employers and mitigation of risks—defamation and other liability risks, policies & enforcement, third party involvement

Adrienne Atherton — Civic Legal LLP, Vancouver
Courtenay Mercier — Reed Pope Law Corporation, Victoria 

Lunch with Featured Speaker: The Sharing Economy and Implications For Employment Law 

Geoff Mason — Kent Employment Law, Vancouver
Professor Kenneth Thornicroft — Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, Victoria 

Investigating Sexual Misconduct In Workplaces

• sexual misconduct in workplaces and #metoo — the new context
• employer obligations: when and why to investigate
• investigation best practices including:
  • who should conduct the investigation and how to protect privilege
  • terms of reference/retainer for an investigation
  • after the investigation—communication, privacy, and remedial measures
  • safeguarding procedural fairness and addressing confidentiality, and the role of counsel in the investigation process
  • trauma informed investigation practices
  • thorny issues that arise in sexual misconduct investigations (anonymous complaints, uncooperative parties, similar fact evidence)
• legal pitfalls and flawed investigations
• the broader context — Canadian experience and a comparative approach to other jursdictions

Valerie S. Dixon — Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
Sandra F. Guarascio — Roper Greyell LLP – Employment and Labour Lawyers, Vancouver
Martin Sheard — Tevlin Gleadle Curtis Employment Law Strategies, Vancouver 

Break

A Reference Point For References and Reference Letters: Recent Developments and Legal And Practical Considerations 

• review of law regarding the provision of references and reference letters
• whether an employer has a legal obligation to provide a reference
• whether liability may result out of giving a negative reference
• claims of defamation arising out of references
• effect of providing or refusing to provide a reference on an employee's entitlement to notice at common law, right to damages, and duty to mitigate
• direction in which the law may be moving with respect to references and reference letters
• role which references and reference letters can play in settlement negotiations and agreements

James D. Kondopulos — Roper Greyell LLP – Employment and Labour Lawyers, Vancouver
Matthew Larsen — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver 

The Overtime Game — Select Issues in Working Past the Clock

• legal overview of provincial, federal, and common law rules on overtime
• sepcific issues with overtime (travel, cell phone use, and class actions)
• best practices and issue spotting for plaintiff's counsel
• best practices for defendant's counsel

Richard E. Press — DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, Vancouver
Melissa Vander Houwen — Moore Edgar Lyster, Vancouver 

Reception at Chewies Steam & Oyster Bar, Coal Harbour, Hosted by: 

Day 2: Friday, May 4, 2018

Welcome

Developments In Employment Law Aggravated Damages Claims for Psychiatric Damage

• review of Saadati v. Moorhead, SCC 28 and implications
• cost v. benefit of using medical experts in these claims
• lay evidence required if no expert is utilized
• practical reasons to plead or not plead aggravated damages claims
• WCB-related issues

Blair W. Curtis — Tevlin Gleadle Curtis Employment Law Strategies, Vancouver 
Christopher R. Forguson — Chris Forguson Employment Law, Vancouver
Thomas A. Posyniak — Harris & Company LLP, Vancouver 

Break

Issues in Mitigation

• principles relating to mitigation in employment law
• review of Brake v. PJ-M2R Restaurant Inc., 2017 ONCA 402, which revisits the duty to mitigate
• implications of this case

David D. McWhinnie — Tevlin Gleadle Curtis Employment Law Strategies, Vancouver
Nicole Toye — Harris & Company LLP, Vancouver 

Money For Nothing: Legal Strategies To Make Settlement Dollars Go Further 

• effective strategies and the legalities behind structured settlements for income tax and employment insurance purposes, including:
  • retiring allowances
  • reimbursement of legal fees
  • reimbursement of mitigation expenses
  • general damages, aggravated damages, and punitive damages—when are they appropriate and how are they viewed by Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency?
  • compensating the employee-shareholder and buying back shares in privately held corporations
  • employer contributions to RRSPs and other tax-deferred savings schemes
  • are contractors treated differently?
  • compensation in lieu of reinstatement (in human rights cases)
  • interest payments
  • can a claim be made for loss of a capital asset (for designated professionals)?

David M. Brown — Kent Employment Law, Kelowna 
Riley Burr — Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Vancouver 

Networking Lunch

The Trials and Tribulations of a Virtual Workplace 

• legal and practical issues of telecommuting
• lessons learned from the perspectives of both the employer and employee

Sandra Carter — Valkyrie Law Corporation, North Vancouver 
Emily McClendon — Valkyrie Law Corporation, North Vancouver 

Employment Standards Update 

• organizational overview
• trends in employment standards across Canada
• BC data and facts, employment standards statistics
• little known facts about the ESA/Employment Standards Branch
• director's "tips" for employment law counsel and HR professionals

Bill C. Boyte, LLB, LLM — Executive Director, Ministry of Labour – Employment Standards Branch, Victoria 

Break

Family Status — The Status of the Family Status Test 

• review of the test set out in Health Sciences Association of British Columbia v. Campbell River and North Island Transition Society, 2004 BCCA 260 ("Campbell River")
• how Stewart v. Elk Valley Coal Corp, 2017 SCC 30 impacts Campbell River 
• how Campbell River has been treated before and after Stewart v. Elk Valley Coal Corp, 2017 SCC 30
• review of the test for family status in other jurisdictions
• how the test applies to employees' obligations to their parents

Erin Brandt — Kent Employment Law, Vancouver
Richard Savage — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver 

Just Cause, Just 'Cuz

• key cases
• analysis and trends
• effects on practice

Gradin D. Tyler — Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP, Vancouver 
Cameron R. Wardell — Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP, Vancouver 

Closing Remarks