Overview
Labour and employment law is largely described by legislation or what we call statutory law. Statutory law is created by our elected federal parliament and provincial legislatures. In accordance with the way Canada was set up in 1867, we are governed jointly by the federal government and the government of the province in which we live and work. You will learn, in this unit, about which level of government has jurisdiction over what for the purposes of employment law. You will also discover that employment statutes are not written simply for lawyers; they are written to be understood and applied by you and the other players in your workplace. In this unit, you will learn about the basic legal principles and when you need legal or other professional assistance.
At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Determine what jurisdiction your business is in
- Identify the principal legislation that impacts on employment in your business
- Describe key concepts in the applicable employment legislation
- Recognize when to get professional assistance
Author Overview
Jamie Knight is a partner at Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP, a firm specializing in the representation of management in all areas of Labour Relations and Employment law. Jamie’s practice includes acting as spokesperson at collective bargaining negotiations. Jamie has handled hundreds of arbitration cases and he frequently guides employers through the process of responding to union organizing campaigns.
Jamie also represents both employers and senior executives who require advice at the outset of employment, during employment, or particularly at the end of employment. This includes dealing with fiduciary issues and covenants designed to restrict future competition by a departing employee. Jamie is a teacher and trainer, and advocates sound human resources practices in both union and non-union workplaces. His clients are in industries as diverse as manufacturing, technology, financial services, entertainment and construction. Jamie is an experienced litigator, in the courts, at arbitration, and before administrative tribunals, including federal and provincial labour boards. Jamie is a 1983 graduate of The University of Toronto Law School. He spent 3 undergraduate years at Le College Militaire Royal De St. Jean, Quebec, and for several years Jamie was a commissioned officer in Canada’s Naval Reserve.
Jamie is a member of the Labour Relations, Administrative Law and Workers’ Compensation Sections of the Ontario Bar Association. He is an active participant in HRPAO and has spent the past few years serving on the Complaints and Investigation Committee.
Jamie has authored or co-authored over a dozen publications for use by human resource professionals and lawyers on labour relations, health and safety, human rights, and wrongful dismissal. He has taught supervisors and Human Resources professionals at the University of Guelph for 15 years, as part of the HRPAO certification program. Jamie is a frequent speaker at conferences for lawyers, executives, managers and Human Resources professionals.
