Our Labour and Employment lawyers provide innovative and strategic advice to employers in both unionized and non-unionized environments. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide you with insight into human resources issues and their effect on your business. Among our areas of experience are:
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“It’s almost like she is a member of our staff. She has taken the time to get to know our business, she responds quickly, and her advice is very…
“McInnes Cooper knows who we are as an organization. They go beyond providing legal advice – they provide strategic solutions that align with…
Jack is a very trusted counsel by the PSA Halifax Senior Management team. Jack acts as our ‘Go-To’ counsel with regard to all corporate and…
Advised employers on a wide range of employment issues including discipline and termination of employment, auditing and drafting policies and…
McInnes Cooper advised on various aspects of the multi-billion dollar projects for the construction of a hydro-electric dam, AC substations,…
Provided strategic advice to a mining company for a human rights complaint settlement.
Acted as counsel advising on the management of a senior employee who delivered a settlement offer relating to an alleged dismissal and LTI issue.
On March 1st, 2020, SBM Offshore, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, SBM Deep Panuke, S.A. and SBM Nova Scotia Contractors Inc., commenced…
May 6, 2026
New Brunswick is one step closer to introducing a new Long‑Term Illness and Injury Leave, creating expanded job‑protected leave rights for…
April 2, 2026
Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including in the Atlantic Canadian provinces, guarantees Canadian employees a minimum wage…
March 12, 2026
“Equal Pay for work of equal value.” On the surface, the concept is simple: employees whose work is equally valuable get paid the same amount -…
January 27, 2026
Employers faced new challenges in 2025 and will no doubt take those legal learnings with them into 2026. As new labour & employment trends…
December 10, 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, the time is right to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings that will…
October 14, 2025
Sometime in late September or early October, 2025, the Government of Canada added an advisory to its U.S. travel advice page for 2SLGBTQ+…
September 26, 2025
McInnes Cooper is very pleased to be ranked as a leading law firm in Chambers Canada Guide 2026 for General Business Law – Band 1. The guide…
September 25, 2025
Remote work took off with the COVID-19 pandemic – but it’s left a lasting legacy. Many (but not all) employers and employees continue to find…
September 9, 2025
On September 1, 2025, Nova Scotia’s Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act’s amendments to the Nova Scotia Occupational Health & Safety Act…
June 10, 2025
In today’s workplace, every employee likely has access to equipment that could be used to secretly record their workplace conversations –…
April 3, 2025
Updated April 14, 2025. Provincial minimum wage rates continue to climb in Canada. Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including…
March 4, 2025
Effective January 1, 2025, workers who suffer psychological injuries caused by workplace harassment arising from or in the course of employment…
February 27, 2025
In today’s workplace, every employee likely has equipment to secretly record their workplace conversations – including those with their…
February 5, 2025
Updated March 4, 2025. If your business could be affected by the U.S. tariffs against Canada, you might be thinking about employee layoffs as a…
January 21, 2025
While 2024’s legal learnings will leave a lasting impression on employers, with the arrival of 2025 the time is right to look ahead – and get…
December 4, 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, the time is right to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings that will…
October 31, 2024
We are pleased to announce that McInnes Cooper has been recognized in the inaugural edition of Best Law Firms – Canada. This prestigious…
October 24, 2024
McInnes Cooper is proud to be included by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms 2025. The national award recognizes our firm…
October 1, 2024
Effective September 1, 2024, amendments to the Nova Scotia Workers’ Compensation Act allow workers to be compensated for gradual onset stress.…
July 4, 2024
The duty to accommodate is a legal duty human rights laws impose on employers – but it’s not written down or described in human rights…
July 4, 2024
When an employee seeks accommodation of a disability, either physical or mental, the duty to accommodate is nuanced by both the employer’s need…
June 27, 2024
Canadian businesses need foreign workers to address labour and skills shortages. Yet the Canadian government is taking steps to reduce the…
June 26, 2024
Effective October 1, 2024, public and private Prince Edward Island employees will be entitled to up to three paid sick days per calendar year.…
May 30, 2024
Using written employment contracts is a good start – but it doesn’t mean they will be enforceable. Courts interpret employment contracts to…
April 11, 2024
Provincial minimum wage rates continue to climb in Canada. Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including in the Atlantic Canadian…
March 28, 2024
Many international companies set up shop in Canada through branch offices or subsidiaries. Many of these companies are looking to staff up their…
March 27, 2024
In its February 2024 decision in Dufault v. The Corporation of the Township of Ignace, the Ontario Superior Court voided yet another contractual…
March 4, 2024
We are proud to announce the launch of MC Training – interactive training courses to help you meet your legal responsibilities with confidence.…
February 29, 2024
It used to be that an employee dismissal resulted in a single wrongful dismissal claim (if anything) against the employer. These days, an…
January 22, 2024
While 2023’s legal learnings will leave a lasting impression on employers, with the arrival of 2024 the time is right to look ahead – and get…
December 11, 2023
As 2023 draws to a close, the time is right to take a look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings…
November 16, 2023
McInnes Cooper is proud to be included by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms 2024. The national award recognizes our firm…
October 13, 2023
Updated February 11, 2025.On September 12, 2023, the New Brunswick Court of Kings Bench sentenced a front-line supervisor who “did nothing he…
October 12, 2023
McInnes Cooper is very pleased to be ranked as a leading law firm in Chambers Canada 2024 for General Business Law – Band 1. In its ninth year…
September 20, 2023
You’ve experienced a workplace accident that’s resulted in serious injury to, or worse the death of, an employee. Do you need legal counsel now…
June 23, 2023
Effective June 23, 2023, Section 45(1.1) of the Competition Act makes it a criminal offence for all unaffiliated employers to enter into…
May 18, 2023
Employees used to gather around the water cooler to share views on controversial issues, discuss co-workers and complain about their employer.…
May 15, 2023
Employers in Canada are prohibited from discriminating against their employees on the basis of ‘family status,’ which is defined differently…
May 1, 2023
While the December 2021 Bill C-223, An Act to Develop a National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income seems to have died in both…
April 27, 2023
The benefits to employees, and often to employers, of remote work has made it a staple of today’s workplace. But the move to remote work models…
April 3, 2023
Updated April 16, 2024.On February 15, 2023, an adjudicator ordered an employer to pay what could be the “largest employment compensation” ever…
March 29, 2023
Immigration continues to play a key role in addressing Canada’s labour and skills shortage. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)…
March 27, 2023
Updated May 8, 2024. On July 1, 2023, the Nova Scotia Medical Certificates for Employee Absence Act took effect. The Act regulates workplace…
March 23, 2023
NOTE: On December 19, 2023, the N.B. Court of Kings Bench upheld the adjudicator’s decision. On February 15, 2023, a New Brunswick adjudicator…
February 27, 2023
2022 left important lasting implications for employers. With 2023 here, it’s time to look ahead to key issues that will affect employers in the…
February 23, 2023
Many Canadian employers continue to be challenged not only with hiring the right number of people, but with finding candidates with the right…
January 16, 2023
2022 is in the rearview mirror, but the past year left lasting implications for employers. Here’s a retrospective on five of the key 2022 labour…
December 1, 2022
Updated September 5, 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic drove remote work to unprecedented heights. Employee calls for greater flexibility, and cost…
November 18, 2022
McInnes Cooper is proud to be included by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms 2023. of The national award, recognizes our firm…
June 23, 2022
The current labour crunch is only strengthening the business case for building a workplace that’s welcoming to diverse employee pools –…
June 8, 2022
Updated July 28, 2023. Effective June 1, 2022, Bill 119 amended the P.E.I. Employment Standards Act to add new pay transparency provisions. One…
May 27, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic is (arguably) gone but the pre-pandemic labour crunch – for both white and blue collar workers – is back. And there’s no…
April 28, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of the workplace for good – but pre-pandemic labour shortages isn’t one of them. While the pandemic…
March 16, 2022
In February 2022, thousands of people led by a convoy of trucks (many displaying company logos) from across Canada congregated in Ottawa and…
February 8, 2022
Updated June 17, 2024. On May 17, 2022, the P.E.I. Non-disclosure Agreements Act took effect, significantly restricting the use of…
November 17, 2021
McInnes Cooper is proud to be included by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms 2022. In the inaugural edition of this national…
October 27, 2021
Updated July 17, 2024. On October 22, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified that labour arbitrators have exclusive jurisdiction over…
September 21, 2021
Updated December 14, 2022.COVID-19 has been changing Canadian workplaces for 18 months. For some employees, the pandemic led to a shift to…
July 21, 2021
Updated February 9, 2024. It’s now widely accepted: it’s imperative that workplaces be both diverse and inclusive. Perhaps the most oft quoted…
June 15, 2021
As of January 1, 2021, federally regulated employers (such as banks, telephone and cable systems, most federal Crown corporations,…
January 21, 2021
Well-drafted, properly implemented written employment contracts are a key tool to avoiding or resolving disputes during and at the end of…
January 20, 2021
Termination clauses, particularly “without cause” ones, are among the most important clauses to include in any employment agreement. But the…
November 3, 2020
This publication has been updated as at July 9, 2021. For some time, every Prince Edward Island employer has been required to comply with…
October 19, 2020
On October 9, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada delivered its decision in Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. on whether a former employee…
October 5, 2020
External investigations can get expensive. Most investigators charge an hourly rate, so saving on costs usually means assisting with making the…
September 28, 2020
It’s a moment that every Employer dreads: the door closes, the employee’s eyes fill with tears and out comes a story that you – Simply – Can’t –…
August 12, 2020
This publication has been updated as of May 5, 2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led many employees to continue working from home, by…
July 6, 2020
On June 26, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, a much-awaited decision regarding the enforceability of…
February 11, 2020
Handling medical information in the workplace can be a tricky issue for many employers. Knowing when to ask for a medical status update (“MSU”),…
January 15, 2020
Employees are often described as an organization’s most valuable asset. But unlike other assets, employees’ personal services cannot simply be…
December 16, 2019
A majority of the Québec Court of Appeal has ruled that evidence obtained from an employer’s surveillance of an employee on sick leave is…
October 10, 2019
“Do the unexpected. Take 20 minutes out of your day, do what young people all over the world are dying to do: vote.” Rick Mercer (hailing…
September 6, 2019
This publication has been updated as at July 9, 2021. Violence and harassment is an unfortunate reality of society – and of the workplace. Since…
June 5, 2019
Updated September 19, 2024. Like it or not, Canadians live life online. More people – and more employees – are sharing more information, images…
April 29, 2019
As an employer, it’s important to understand your obligations and duties with respect to occupational health and safety, as well as the rights…
April 15, 2019
Under the terms of most benefit plans, employees are not entitled to long-term disability (LTD) coverage past the age of 65. However, in a…
April 8, 2019
Updated September 6, 2024. Growing a business takes people. In early days, many companies have just one “employee”: the owner or founder. At…
March 28, 2019
There are changes coming to New Brunswick’s Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations on April 1, 2019. The new regulations require…
February 27, 2019
We updated this publication on July 9, 2021. As of April 1, 2019, employers of New Brunswick employees must comply with new occupational health…
January 29, 2019
Eager to implement measures to prevent sexual harassment and other abusive behaviour toward employees and to project a positive, progressive…
December 19, 2018
On December 13, 2018, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that a third party can’t waive a person’s right to privacy or their rights under…
November 20, 2018
Canada becomes the first G7 country to legalize cannabis On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act made Canada the second country in the world – and…
October 22, 2018
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently reversed an order for damages awarded under a Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) for an employee who had…
July 16, 2018
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an application for leave to appeal in Suncor Energy Inc v Unifor Local 707A, 2017 ABCA 313. This might…
July 16, 2018
Every parent knows that a lot can happen in 18 months. Many employers agree. The federal government’s extension of employment insurance parental…
June 27, 2018
The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada is imminent. Employers are feeling the heat to prepare – even as they continue efforts to…
June 11, 2018
The “gig economy” and the 21st century workplace We’ve all heard that work has changed in Canada. One of the biggest shifts is that more…
May 22, 2018
Preparing for changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act Employers in Nova Scotia and PEI take note: recent amendments to the Workers’…
May 11, 2018
Updated July 4, 2024 It can be challenging for employers to fulfill their legal duty to accommodate an employee under human rights laws…
April 2, 2018
Equity compensation plans are a valuable and versatile tool for many corporations, from early-stage startups to established blue-chips.…
March 29, 2018
We updated this publication on March 11, 2020.The #metoo and #timesup movements drove workplace sexual harassment to the front and center of…
March 26, 2018
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently considered the issue of medical cannabis in the context of workers’ compensation in Skinner v Nova…
February 2, 2018
Many employers use written workplace policies as a day-to-day workplace management tool; common examples include attendance management policies,…
December 8, 2017
Updated November 23, 2023. For many people, the holiday season now upon us is a fun-filled time of the year. But for employers, and especially…
October 31, 2017
Intellectual Property (IP) can be a valuable asset – even the most valuable asset – of a business. So it’s worth making sure the business both…
September 21, 2017
Updated February 13, 2024 An increasing number of employees are struggling to meet the challenge of the competing demands of their employers and…
July 28, 2017
This publication has been updated as of October 14, 2020. On June 19, 2017, Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the…
July 28, 2017
Updated June 10, 2022. The rapid rise in ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) principles has increased focus on workplace diversity and…
May 19, 2017
Investigations are a vital – but difficult – part of workplace management. The value of a proper investigation can’t be overstated: it plays a…
February 22, 2017
Note: On January 1, 2022, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program became the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Learn more at From…
January 31, 2017
Updated January 13, 2025. The hiring process and the termination process are equally important stages of the employment relationship. And both…
December 13, 2016
Employers’ legal duty to accommodate employees seems to most frequently come up in the context of employees with disabilities. But that duty…
November 15, 2016
The employment contract is an exchange of labour for wages and other benefits, so employers are entitled to expect regular ongoing attendance…
October 19, 2016
Business owners wear many hats – including employer. Your employees may be your business’s greatest asset, but they could also be your greatest…
September 29, 2016
Whether someone is an employee or an independent contractor has long caused employers a degree of angst. And the recent emergence of a new…
August 10, 2016
McInnes Cooper is very pleased to have 86 of our lawyers mentioned in Best Lawyers™ in Canada for 2017. Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive…
July 15, 2016
On July 14, 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada decided that the “Unjust Dismissal” sections of the Canada Labour Code ensure that non-unionized…
June 29, 2016
Employers are entitled to mandate dress codes in the workplace, and even to discipline employees who refuse to comply. But a workplace dress…
May 2, 2016
Updated October 4, 2023. Workplace accidents regularly lead to charges under occupational health and safety (OHS) law. These charges can be…
March 9, 2016
On January 11, 2016, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice sentenced a front-line supervisor to imprisonment for 3½ years for four counts of…
February 24, 2016
McInnes Cooper lawyer Daniel Wallace will take to federal court to represent veterans who say they’ve been wrongly shut out of disability…
February 23, 2016
Employee tardiness is a significant problem for employers – and bad weather is one of the top three reasons that employees give for it according…
February 1, 2016
Updated April 13, 2023. A well drafted and properly implemented written employment contract can be instrumental to both avoiding or resolving…
December 7, 2015
Updated July 19, 2024. Violence has become an unfortunate reality in current society, and the workplace is not immune. With more people…
August 13, 2015
The employment contract, at its core, is an exchange of work for compensation. So at a very basic level, employers are entitled to expect…
June 25, 2015
Updated October 4, 2023. Most people know a company itself has occupational health and safety (OHS) obligations and risks corporate liability if…
March 31, 2015
Updated June 24, 2021. Women make up close to half of the employed workforce: in 2019, Canadian women 15 years and older represented 47.4% of…
February 13, 2015
This publication has been updated as of February 13, 2026. People spend many of their waking hours at or connected to work, making the…
January 30, 2015
In December 2014, the Newfoundland & Labrador Supreme Court ordered an employer to pay its former employee $30,000 in moral damages to…
December 11, 2014
On December 11, 2014 the Supreme Court of Canada continued its trend to recognize privacy rights – and develop the law to protect them – this…
December 5, 2014
Updated December 11, 2020. Employers host numerous events throughout the year – summer and holiday office parties, retreats, client and customer…
November 8, 2013
On November 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canda decided police require specific authorization in a search warrant to search the data in a…
July 2, 2013
On June 14, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 30 v. Irving Pulp…
November 28, 2012
On October 19, 2012 the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decided a teacher criminally charged with possession of child pornography and unauthorized…
June 14, 2012
As any Canadian knows, July 1st – Canada Day – is the first long weekend of the summer; or is it? What about when July 1 falls on a Sunday? …
March 1, 2012
Social media blurs line between work time and “off duty” time. Employers can, however, discipline employees who go over the line. We have 10…
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