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ARTICLE · 12 JUNE 2015

Family Status Accommodation: An Employer Can't Just Say "No"

Gowling WLG
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Early this Spring, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench upheld the ruling of an Arbitrator in a union grievance about accommodating family status requirements in the construction industry.

CanadaEmployment and HR
David Law
David Law
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SMS Equipment Inc v Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, Local 707, 2015 ABQB 162

Early this Spring, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench upheld the ruling of an Arbitrator in a union grievance about accommodating family status requirements in the construction industry. 

A construction industry welder took a job working 7 shifts on, 7 shifts off alternating days and nights. After having her second child and losing child care help from the father, the welder found herself in a state of both physical and financial exhaustion, trying to care for her kids when she could while paying for care on her difficult schedule.  When she asked her employer to relieve her of the night shift requirement, the company refused.

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