‘Employers can go beyond whatever definition the legislature provides and be more generous’: employment lawyer offers insights on how to support victims of IPV
Domestic violence leave is in every employment standards statute in Canada in one form or another but an ongoing Yukon University discrimination case is highlighting how unclear policies and bias-based management can land employers in human rights hearings.
The case revolves around a researcher who took a five-day domestic violence leave and then saw her contract terminated the day after her return over a month early, even though HR and her previous supervisor had no concerns with her performance or attendance.
The complainant told CBC that she was told by her supervisor to wrap up her projects “in the next day or two” and that she had “a lot of accrued leave” – which she thinks played a part in the decision. She said that until then, her contracts were reliably renewed before termination date, and that she had already secured funding to continue.
In a recent Tribunal hearing, the university admitted that the decision was discriminatory, after initially defending the actions of the supervisor who carried out the termination.
For Jennifer Koshan, professor of law and research excellence chair in family violence at the University of Calgary, this case reveals how gender bias around domestic violence survivors can filter into employment decisions.
She points to the...
Pakistani actress and model Ayesha Omar has strongly denied a controversial statement falsely attributed to her on social media. In recent days, a statement circulated online claiming that the act...