In 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly changed the lives of many employers and employees.

Canada's federal government has announced significant temporary changes to Employment Insurance in response to escalating U.S. tariffs, including extended benefit periods and new flexibility for workers who voluntarily left previous jobs. These measures, part of a $7.5-billion support package, will directly impact how Canadian employers navigate workforce decisions during the trade dispute.

A British Columbia Court recently ruled that an employer should deduct Canada Emergency Response Benefits (CERB) from an employee's wrongful dismissal damages.

Non-profit and charitable organizations experiencing a decline in revenues due to the direct or indirect result of U.S. tariffs may be eligible for support through...

Bonuses and other forms of incentive compensation often form a significant part of employees' compensation, and employees' entitlement to such compensation are highly disputed in the context of wrongful dismissal claims.

Businesses all across Canada continue to be significantly impacted by the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Now, perhaps more than ever, we are seeing unprecedented changes in the employment relationship.

Businesses across the country are bracing for the economic impact of COVID-19, while various levels of government simultaneously continue to announce measures to sustain their economies ...

On May 29, 2020, the Ontario government filed Ontario Regulation 228/20 (the "Regulation").

As employers begin to turn their minds to reopening, it is an ideal time to revisit some basics of employment law best practices.

On March 1, 2022, the Province of Alberta entered stage 2 of the Government's three-stage process for easing COVID-19 restrictions, which resulted in the lifting of nearly all remaining public health restrictions...

The B.C. Employment Standards Branch ("ESB") has recently published guidance on how business closures and staffing reductions related to the COVID-19 pandemic may exempt British Columbia employers.

On March 7, 2025, the Government of Canada expanded the Employment Insurance Work-Sharing Program to support Canadian workers and businesses in response to the threat or potential realization of tariffs.

The Federal Government recently announced its proposed plan to transition individuals receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to modified Employment ...

As Hudson's Bay Company begins liquidation sales at nearly all of its Canadian stores, over 9,300 employees are facing job loss—and many are learning they may not receive any severance pay.

A continuation in our series for Canadian employers addressing the U.S. tariff effect. For more information, check out BLG's Tariffs and Trade Resource Centre.

In a recent Alberta Provincial Court decision, Dunbar v. Northern Air, 2019 ABPC 179, the court reminds employers that layoff is not another word for termination despite their frequent interchangeable use in common parlance.

As recently highlighted in various publications including the Toronto Star, there has unfortunately been an increasing amount of layoffs recently in the tech sector.

As economic pressures mount due to tariffs and rising costs, many businesses may find themselves facing tough workforce decisions. If you are a business owner wondering, "Can I lay people off because of tariffs and price increases?" — the answer is a resounding "maybe." But it's complex.

On November 24, 2020, the Government of Alberta announced additional restrictions in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the province.