more than 40 years of legal experience
302, 15252 – 32nd Avenue | Surrey, British Columbia V3Z 0R7

Workplace Compliance Lawyer

Expert legal guidance to ensure your business meets all workplace regulations and standards. Protect your company from legal risks with comprehensive compliance strategies tailored to your needs.

Doran Law in Vancouver specializes in civil, commercial, and employment law, delivering effective workplace compliance counsel

Ensuring Legal Compliance in the Workplace

The Law Firm of Doran Law focuses exclusively on civil litigation, commercial litigation, and employment law matters to serve our diverse clients in Vancouver and across British Columbia. We are highly experienced employment lawyers with a track record of providing effective counsel related to workplace compliance.

 

Indeed, we are a law firm dedicated to helping both employers and employees handle a range of challenges in the modern workplace. Our in-depth understanding of employment law can guide you (an organization or individual employer) and your employees to address a broad range of issues that may arise in the workplace.

Employment Law Essentials for Businesses

The employment regulations and workplace compliance are complex for both domestic and foreign employers. Before you become an employer in British Columbia, you must understand and meet various logistical requirements. Beyond business registration and acquisition of all relevant licenses, here are employment law essentials you must understand.

Employment Relationship is Contractual

Employment regulations are based on the premise that the employer-employee relationship is a contract. Thus, the applicable laws imply the terms of the contract are legally binding. In the absence of written contract terms, tribunals and courts may imply various contractual obligations on the employer and employee (the parties involved in the contract).

 

Although there may be narrow exceptions for specific sectors or industries, most employment contracts are of indefinite period. Such contracts may be terminated by events such as termination for cause, resignation of an employee, frustration of the working relationship, termination without cause, or death.

Employment Termination

There’s no ‘at will’ employment throughout Canada. Courts have even declared that probationary workers are entitled to the opportunity to prove or demonstrate their competencies.

 

Thus, employers must prove a cause to terminate or dismiss an employee without notice or provide severance pay in lieu of notice. Failure to adhere to the laws regarding termination could lead to wrongful dismissal lawsuits.

Duty of Confidentiality

Workers have an implied obligation to keep the confidential information of employers secret. Thus, it’s prudent to have carefully drafted employment contracts that outline what employers consider to be confidential information.

 

Additionally, employers must implement the right procedures to ensure the confidentiality of secret or sensitive information. In British Columbia, courts often enforce the duty of information confidentiality with injunctions.

Restrictive Covenants

Some employers may wish to impose post-termination restrictions on their workers’ business undertakings. These restrictions include non-competition clauses and non-solicitation clauses. Generally, a restrictive covenant should be limited strictly to what’s necessary to protect an employer’s legally-acceptable interests.

 

Whether a non-competition clause or a series of non-solicitation clauses, any restrictive covenant should be reasonable and can’t contract public policy. Note that a non-solicitation clause limits a worker’s ability to solicit clients or other workers. Consult our skilled lawyers to draft an enforceable restrictive covenant with legally acceptable non-competition provisions.

Legislation that Governs Employment Relationship

The workforce in BC is heavily regulated. Depending on your type of business and industry, you (the employer) may be regulated provincially, federally, or both. Here are the types of legislation that you should know.

 

Employment Standards Act

 

Generally, employment standards and labour expectations can be complex. They are often governed by legislation that’s varied by regulations that may be industry-specific. Besides, certain exceptions may apply to certain types of workers like professionals and managers regardless of the industry.

To avoid coercion, we advise workers not to contract out of minimum employment standards or requirements through a written agreement with potential employers. However, it’s possible to obtain exemptions to some of these requirements, especially if there’s a compelling reason.

Employers must understand all legal provisions regarding hours of work, vacations, parental leave, statutory holidays, sick leave, overtime pay, and more. Consult our experienced employment lawyers to consider all aspects of employment standards and ensure they align with your organization’s policies regarding workplace safety, termination, and more.

 

Human Rights

 

In British Columbia, human rights laws prohibit discrimination in every aspect of employment. The legislation provides that every employee has the right to fair and equal treatment in the workplace. No employee should be discriminated against based on their colour, place of origin, creed, citizenship, race, gender expression, disability, and marital status. Discrimination based on these aspects will constitute a human rights violation.

Additionally, workers have the right to a safe workplace that’s free from any form of harassment based on the prohibited bases of discrimination. Thus, you need the help of an experienced employment lawyer to stay compliant and to draft and implement company policies that prevent workplace harassment and other violations of human rights in your workplace.

 

Occupational Health and Safety

 

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation requires employers to create and implement a health and safety program to minimize safety risks and protect employees. They must conduct risk assessments, update policies, train employees, and implement health and safety measures to protect workers from violence and harassment in the workplace.

Beyond these employment law essentials, employers are legally required to stay compliant with other legal requirements regarding labour relations, workers’ compensation, public health insurance, employment insurance, and more. Failure to adhere to relevant legal requirements can result in disputes, lawsuits, and significant financial consequences for any employer.

At the law firm of Doran Law, our experienced employment lawyers can help ensure that your organization remains compliant with all relevant labour laws and regulations. We will review your company’s policies and practices regarding labour relations, workplace health and safety, workers’ compensation, public health insurance, employment insurance, and other related issues to identify any areas of non-compliance and help you address them.

 The Role of our Workplace Compliance Lawyers

At Doran Law, we make workplace-related laws more understandable to our clients and offer the guidance they need to meet workplace compliance requirements. Here’s how our skilled and professional lawyers can help.

Craft and Review Employment Contracts

Crafting and reviewing employment contracts is a critical task for any organization. There are many increasingly complex compliance requirements in the modern workplace. Therefore, it’s essential to have professional guidance to ensure that your employment agreements are legally sound and protect the interests of both the employer and the employee.

 

Our experienced employment lawyer will guide your organization through the process of crafting and reviewing employment contracts to ensure compliance with all relevant laws. We will work closely with you to understand your organization’s unique needs and objectives. Whether you want to hire new employees, renew existing contracts, or make changes to your workforce, we will tailor our services to ensure your contracts match all legal requirements.

Help Address Work Environment Safety Concerns

At the Doran Law, we understand the importance of a safe and healthy work environment. Our team of experienced lawyers is dedicated to helping organizations create safe and healthy work environments for their employees. We begin by assessing your safety policies to ensure that they meet all legal requirements.

 

Indeed, we aim to help you create a safe and compliant work environment that protects the well-being of your employees and minimizes your organization’s risk of liability. If there are any safety concerns regarding your work environment raised by your employees, we will assess them, and provide actionable legal counsel.

Help you Handle Harassment and Human Rights Issues in the Workplace

All our lawyers are dedicated to helping businesses create safe and inclusive workplaces where all employees feel respected and valued. We are ready to help you address harassment and other employment issues in the workplace. This way, we can help your organization to stay compliant with all relevant laws.

 

Additionally, we understand that preventing workplace harassment, discrimination, and other employment law issues or violations requires more than just having the right policies in place. It also requires effective training and communication.

 

That’s why our lawyers are frequently involved in the process of drafting policies and operational procedures that are easily understandable to all levels of employees. We believe that clear policies and comprehensive training are essential for reducing the risk of harassment, violence, and other violations in the workplace. Whenever you need such policies, we are ready to help.

 

If allegations of harassment or discrimination arise, our team is here to provide you with legal expertise on how to handle them. We will work closely with your management team to investigate the allegations, develop a response plan, and take appropriate action to address the situation. Our goal is to help you resolve these issues quickly and effectively while also minimizing any potential legal risk to your organization.

Navigate Termination and Wrongful Dismissal

Termination and wrongful dismissal can be incredibly challenging experiences for both organizations and their employees. They also have legal implications, especially for the employer. That’s why our team of experienced lawyers is here to help you navigate these complex issues with confidence and peace of mind.

 

Whether you are an employer facing a termination situation or an employee who believes you have been wrongfully dismissed, we are here to provide the legal support and representation you need. Our goal is to ensure that your rights are protected and that you achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

 

For employers, we provide expert legal guidance on how to navigate the termination process in a way that is fair, compliant, and minimizes the risk of legal action. We can help you draft enforceable employment termination provisions, review your termination procedures, and provide you with advice on how to handle difficult termination situations.

 

For employees, we offer compassionate and knowledgeable legal representation to help you navigate the complexities of wrongful dismissal claims. If you believe that you have been wrongfully dismissed, we will carefully assess your case, explain your rights, and provide you with expert legal advice on how to proceed. We will fight tirelessly to ensure that you receive the compensation and justice you deserve.

Do you need an Experienced Employment Lawyer?

Contact us. By working with Doran Law, you can rest assured that your organization is meeting its legal obligations and minimizing the risk of disputes or lawsuits. Don’t wait until it’s too late—get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation and ensure that your organization remains compliant with all applicable labour laws and regulations.

 

At Doran Law, we have been providing professional legal services to our clients since 1981. With decades of experience, Robert Doran, our litigation counsel, has a proven track record of success in helping clients navigate complex legal issues related to employment and the modern workplace.

 

Indeed, we are committed to providing personalized attention and professional advice to our clients on matters related to workplace compliance. We can help organizations seeking guidance on employment contracts, work environment safety, and termination procedures. Similarly, we provide legal support to employees facing issues such as harassment, discrimination, or wrongful termination.

 

Our team of experienced lawyers understands the challenges our clients face and we are dedicated to providing them with the highest level of legal service quality and support. We will work tirelessly to protect your rights, minimize your legal risk, and achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. Schedule a free consultation today.

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Office Location

Surrey Office
302, 15252 – 32nd Avenue Surrey, British Columbia V3Z 0R7
Phone: 604-542-9455
Fax: 604-542-9493

Office Hours

Monday – Friday | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Punjabi Spoken

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