Human Resources Law for Education Professionals 2023

8:00 Program Log-In

8:30 Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs

• Jennifer Trépanier, Keel Cottrelle LLP
• Kiran Kang, Goldblatt Partners LLP

8:35 Legislative Overview

• Jennifer Trépanier, Keel Cottrelle LLP
• Kimberley Ishmael, Keel Cottrelle LLP

9:15 Human Rights & Accommodations

• Michelle Thomarat, Cavalluzzo LLP
• Alan McCallum, PooranLaw Professional Corporation

This session will provide education professionals with an overview of Ontario human rights legislation and consider the scope of the duty to accommodate when such requests are made by employees. This will include a focus on disability, family status, creed/religion, gender identity/expression.

10:15 Wellness Break

10:30 An Education Professional’s Guide to Navigating a Unionized Workplace

• Kiran Kang, Goldblatt Partners LLP
• Sean M. Reginio, Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP

Managing in a unionized environment requires education professionals to have a keen understanding of labour and human rights legislation, the collective agreement, and the role of the union in maintaining a positive and respectful work environment. In this session, the presenters will:

• Identify best practices for nurturing collaborative and harmonious labour relations
• Demystify the grievance and disciplinary procedures, while identifying the role of the union in those processes
• Provide an overview of the collective bargaining process in the education sector

11:30 Student Safety: Balancing Rights

• Melanie Battaglia – Battaglia Law PC

This session will outline the balancing of rights in relation to student safety and
will include a discussion around:

•Considerations from a family’s perspective about safety concerns in schools
•Challenges for families when a student’s education is restricted
•Addressing challenges with families when safety is at issue
•Violence in schools: training and resources

This session will include a focus on the protection of staff while balancing the rights of students. It will include a strong focus on staff mental health concerns and in particular focus on equity and diversity concerns and how those are handled

12:30 Lunch Break

1:15 Workplace Disputes, Allegations and Investigations

• Mihad Fahmy, Barrister & Solicitor
• Gabriel Bérard, Executive Director People and Culture, Toronto French School

This session will outline the source and scope of the responsibilities imposed on school boards to investigate allegations of harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence. Topics will include:

• Time frames for the completion of such investigations
• How to ensure procedural fairness throughout the process
• When and how a third-party investigator may be retained
• Timelines and special considerations when police and/or CAS investigations occur
• The role of Board policy in investigations

2:15 Wellness Break

2:30 Risk Management in the Era of Social Media

• Marnie Baizley, SpringLaw

• Overview of employee privacy rights and workplace privacy law
• Freedom of expression and the Charter
• Use of workplace technology and data governance
• Off duty conduct
• OCT investigations
• Discipline for social media misconduct
• Social media content ownership
• Post-employment social media conduct
• Role of policies to mitigate risk

3:30 End of Day Wrap-Up – De-brief

3:45 Program Concludes