Jennifer practises in the areas of labour relations and employment law. Within her practice, she advises employers (both provincially regulated in Ontario and B.C., and federally regulated) with respect to all aspects of the employment relationship including:
- Hiring, offer letters/employment contracts, pay transparency, employee and independent contractor considerations, and human rights matters.
- Managing the ongoing employment relationship including discipline/performance management, employee relations matters, employment policies, employment standards and leave of absences.
- The termination of employment relationships, wrongful dismissals and negotiating severance packages.
- All matters related to statutory claims under employment standards, human rights, WorkSafeBC (prohibited action complaints).
She has a special interest and expertise in constructive dismissal law.
Jennifer also represents employers in wrongful dismissal and related civil litigation and appears on behalf of clients before various administrative tribunals, including human rights tribunals and labour relations boards.
Jennifer also conducts client training on a variety of labour and employment issues. A significant part of her practice involves and representing unionized employers in collective agreement negotiations and arbitration and educating non-unionized employers regarding the risks and warning signs of unionization (including positive employee relations training).
Prior to joining the Vancouver office, Jennifer practised at BLG’s Toronto office for 15 years.
Experience
- Advises a variety of private and public sector employers, notably in the financial services sector and the health care sector, providing advice related to all aspects of the employment relationship, in both unionized and non-unionized workplaces.
- Represents public and private sector employers and employees in civil wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal actions.
- Represented a national sports association as an Intervener in a hearing before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario challenging the Association’s dressing room policy as discriminatory. The policy was upheld as non-discriminatory by the Tribunal.
- Represented various hospitals in human rights complaints before the Tribunal, involving former employees and patients (including sensitive matters involving the rights of transgendered patients and other vulnerable segments of the population).
- Represented several clients in defending complaints alleging a violation of reinstatement provisions and reprisal under the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
- Co-Chair, New Lawyer Program: Employment Law Practice Essentials, September 2012, 2014 and 2016 (webinar).
- Speaker, Osgoode Certificate in HR Law for HR Professionals, 2012 - 2016.
- Speaker, "Hiring and Firing," Vancouver Board of Trade, 2016.
- Advises a variety of private and public sector employers, notably in the financial services sector and the health care sector, providing advice related to all aspects of the employment relationship, in both unionized and non-unionized workplaces.
- Represents public and private sector employers and employees in civil wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal actions.
- Represented a national sports association as an Intervener in a hearing before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario challenging the Association’s dressing room policy as discriminatory. The policy was upheld as non-discriminatory by the Tribunal.
- Represented various hospitals in human rights complaints before the Tribunal, involving former employees and patients (including sensitive matters involving the rights of transgendered patients and other vulnerable segments of the population).
- Represented several clients in defending complaints alleging a violation of reinstatement provisions and reprisal under the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
- Co-Chair, New Lawyer Program: Employment Law Practice Essentials, September 2012, 2014 and 2016 (webinar).
- Speaker, Osgoode Certificate in HR Law for HR Professionals, 2012 - 2016.
- Speaker, "Hiring and Firing," Vancouver Board of Trade, 2016.
