To make a business run effectively, we know it takes more than one person. Employers have to hire people to manage the day to day operations of a business. In doing so, employers have to place a certain amount of trust in their employees to do their work honestly and ethically. But what happens when… Read more »
Articles Articles
Who Altered the Will, Can You White Out Part of a Will?
At first glance, a Will may appear to be clearly drafted and easy to interpret. However, small, seemingly insignificant changes to a Will can lead to dramatically different results for the beneficiaries. Beverley May Levesque passed away on August 17, 2018 leaving behind a Will originally created on May 21, 2009. Upon her passing, her… Read more »
Domestic or Sexual Violence Leaves of Absence
Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the B.C. Legislature that would, if passed, amend the provisions of the Employment Standards Act relating to domestic or sexual violence leaves of absence. Other changes to that statute relating to COVID-19 have since taken precedence and have been passed, but the proposed amendments regarding domestic or… Read more »
Can your criminal past come back and fire you?
Terminating an employee is not a topic that most people enjoy talking about. It is complicated and for many, too scary to even consider. Yet, whether employees or employers want to think about it or not, termination is a reality that can affect anyone working in today’s world. It is a topic full of grey… Read more »
Beware Employers
Sometimes terminating an employee is not as simple as following the Law As a lawyer, I am often amazed at the complexities of owning a business. Whether small or large, there are financial, operational and human resource requirements that all demand the attention of the business owner. One of the most common employer issues to… Read more »
The Cannabis Act and What it Means for Employers
Legalizing marijuana has introduced some real concerns for businesses in British Columbia. Although the new Cannabis Act allows employers to set policies to prevent impairment and the use of non-medical marijuana at work, employers have to accommodate employees who are prescribed marijuana for medical reasons. This has employers worried about how they are going to… Read more »
A Will Is Only As Good As Its Ruling
In a recent decision of the Australian court, Re Nichol, an unsent text message was accepted as a valid will of a deceased person. The draft text message detailed the man’s intentions to leave his property to his brother and nephew, rather than his wife and children. The message ended with the words “my will”,… Read more »
What a franchise need to know about the BC Franchises Act
Who does it apply to? The Act applies to new franchise agreements, existing franchise agreements that are renewed or extended on or after February 1, 2017 and franchise agreements entered into before February 1, 2017. What’s in the Act? 1. Franchise disclosure document (“FDD”) The franchisor must provide the franchisee with a Franchise Disclosure Document… Read more »
Listen to Your Elders
For most us, our parents are the standards of adulthood, strength, and wisdom. Late in life mental disabilities, such as dementia, catch many otherwise attentive adult children of older parents off guard, and the legal ramifications are often the true blindside. It is important for your parents to meet with a lawyer to seek advice… Read more »
What is (Not) Harassment at Work?
The word “harass” is used in many different contexts in our society. It can be used in sports (“The defence effectively harassed the puck carrier as he entered the zone”), playfully among friends (“Why are you always harassing me about what I wear?”) or in extremely serious situations (“The military has adopted a zero tolerance… Read more »