Module 6 Flashcards
which level of govt handles labout rules?
not expressly declared
federal government jurisdiction on employment law
if employment is work managed by federal govt- legislative authority of parliamnet (banking)
-if the employment is integral part of a federally regulated undertaking (like owkring in interprovicnial transportaiton)
when does provincial govt have jurdisitcion of employment law
AS LONG AS THE PLACE OF WORK (office where the mployees work) is locatied in a given province that province can control rules!!
DOES NOT MATTER WHERE THE LOCATION OR HEADOFFICE OF THE EMPLOYER IS
provinces have no authority over people living and wokring outside the province
what are key AB statutes regulating contracts of employemnet
- AB employment standards code:
- AB human rights act
- OHSA & Regs & Code
- PIP Act
- Workers Comp Act
what are the courts that address emplyoment law matters
ACOKINGS BENCH: wrongufl dismissal, breach of contract, other employment related civil claims, appeals from tribunals and admin bodies
ACJ: lower court, hwere dispute <100,000
What are tribunals
-AB human rights comission: quasi judicial, implements human rights act
- Employment standards body: responsible for enforcing employmetns tandards code
- Dispute Resolution & Decision Review Body: reveiws wcb board decisions and cna confrim or deny previous decisions
- OHS officers: enforce the OHSA code
emplymenet law resources
canlii
ab employment standards
ahrc
ohsa
workers compensation: policies CAN ONLY BE FOUND HERE!
key elemetns of employment relations
(mutual)
- Mutuality of Obligations: reciprocal duties that each party agrees to fulfill (compensation/ocmpleted work)
- control: employer supervision and providing guidance and training
___________________________________________ - Econ dependancy: the employee depends on the employer
- exclusivity: eployees can only work exclusively for one employer (unles sindep contractor)
- legal protections: there are legal rights and protections for employees
pros and cons of being an employee
employees:
employment benefits (reirement palns, stabiltiy, security),
predictable income,
employment protections (rights: min wage, overtime pay,termination rights),
lower repsonsibliy for expenses (like office space etc are covered by employer)
tax decutions and contribution
cons:
- limited flexibility
- less autonomty
- fixed comp
- no business opportunity
What is indpendant contractor
CONTracts FORRRRRRRRRRR SERVICE!! NOT a contract OF service!!!
completes projects or services for compensation
-> focus on completing a given task
pros and cons for indepedent contract
- flexibility
- autonomy
- negotiable reumneration
- tax deductions
- business opportunities
cons:
- lack of employeee benefits
- no protections
- unpredictable income
- legal obligatons
- responsibility for business expenses
What is the pricnipal legal test TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE OR INDEP CONTRACTOR? 4 FOLD TEST
- which party maintains control of the work?
- like schedule, supervision, etc. - who rovides the tools to do the work?
- who owns the tools - Chance of profit?
- does worker have opportunity to increase income by taking on more clients/negotaite fees/increase efficiences - Risk of loss?
- what extent is the worker exposesd to fianncial risk?
No single consideration is conclusive!! look at all of the elements as well as the intention of the parties!!
use the table to compare: https://d2l.ucalgary.ca/d2l/le/content/619780/viewContent/6544796/View 24:27
Why is the disctintion important between employees and contractos?
- trend to wards contractors> employees
- common issue in employmenet setting (non-unionized)
- protective employmeent legislation applies only to employment standards
- human rights and ohsa apply to both
Tort of employer negligent misrepresetnation
- misrepresentation in the hiring process!!!
typical cenario: employee accepts position based on job description but it is different afterwards.
This was shown in Queen v. Cognos; SCR supported employee not employer, stating that there is a duty of care from the employer to the employees and misrepestning during the hiring process is wrong!!! breach of fduty of care
Negligent misrpreenstation test
- there must be a duty of care based on a special relationship (in frauudlent misrep the misrep is INTENTION!AL! here it is negligent)
- represetion must be untrue, inaccuracte, or misleading
- representer (employer) must have acted negligentlty [BREACH OF STANDRD OF CARE]
- rerpesentee (employee) must have relied in a reaosnable manner on the negligent misrepresentaion
- reliance must have been deterimental to the representee (emloyee) [MUST HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGES]
Queen case is the basis of this law; the test for negligent misreprestaion is OBJECTIVE!!!!! reasonable person- it does not matter what the hiring manager believes is true, but if they exercise diligence ensuring that the respresntaitons are accuracte
The [hiring manager’s] belief in the truth of his or
her representations is irrelevant to that standard
of care. The position adopted by the Court of
Appeal seems to absolve those who make negligent
misrepresentations from liability if they believe that
their representations are true. Such a position would
virtually eliminate liability for negligent
misrepresentation as liability would result only where
there is actual knowledge that the representation
made is not true; the basis of fraudulent
misrepresentation …. The question facing the trial
judge on the negligence issue was not whether
Mr. Johnston was truthful or believed in what he
was representing to the appellant. The question
was whether he exercised such reasonable care
as the circumstances required so as to ensure the
accuracy of his representations .. “
takeway from queen and cognos
MORAL: honesty and oppeness in hiring process is important but DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE ACCRUACY OF REPRESNTATION IS ESSENTAIL TO AVOID POTENTIAL LIABILTIY TO NEW EMPLOYEES.
What is employment standards code?
provincial statute describes the minmum standrd that must be provided to employees in albert
who is covered under employment standrads code?
ALL EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS
Who is not covered in employment standrds code?
anyone who works out of province, employees working in federal juridfiction ,employeed covered under other acts, self employed workers/contractors
What topics coverd under employment standards code
hours of work, overtime, holidays, vacation, min wage, rules for minor work, termination, payment of earning, job protection league
MOST IMPORTANT employment standrds code
provisions of standard code CAN NOT be modified by employment contract!!!
so this employments tandrd code is the biggest!! if the employment contract gives you MORE rights, then thats fine but they can not give you less rights
Payment of wages- employment standard act
first: what qualifies as wages?
-> employer has to establish one or more pay periods; cannot be more than one work month
-> partial pay is prohibited
-> cash, cheque, or direct deposit is acceptable
when an emplloyee reports for work and is sent home before working less than t3 hours, they need to be paid for at least 3 hours work
3 hr rule, Section 11(3) [with exceptions]