Canada: BC Refines Its Criminal Record Checks Regime – Employers' Rights Preserved

The Province has made it possible for employees and volunteers to rely on a single criminal record check for a five year period with multiple employers, yet an employer’s right to require a criminal record check in every case is preserved.

The Province has made some important amendments to the Criminal Records Review Act (the “Act”), directed mostly at employees and volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults but which could also impact employers. TheCriminal Records […]

By | December 9th, 2013 ||

More Confusion Likely Over California's "Paid Family Leave"

Earlier this year Gov. Brown signed into law an expansion of the state’s “paid family leave” benefit. While the new law does not become effective until July 1, 2014, already media outlets have reported that employees will have expanded rights to paid time off from work next year. This is only partially correct and it continues to spread the confusion over what “paid family leave” really means.

Beginning in 2004, California employees who took time […]

By | December 6th, 2013 ||

Australia: District Court has jurisdiction to hear OHS matters

The New South Wales Court of Appeal (Court of Appeal) and the New South Wales Parliament have confirmed that the District Court has jurisdiction to hear prosecutions brought under the previous occupational health and safety legislation.

The Court of Appeal decision in Empire Waste Pty Ltd v District Court of New South Wales [2013] NSWCA 394 unanimously upheld the District Court judgment in determining the District Court had the necessary power to deal with health and safety […]

By | December 5th, 2013 ||