Learn & Connect

CPHR Alberta HR Law Conference is back!  We are excited to bring you our HR Law Conference in the Central Alberta Chapter on Wednesday February 12, 2020. Located at the Red Deer County, the conference will consist of a full-day of presentations delivered by Alberta HR and employment law experts.  Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks but register now, this conference sells out every year! 

The HR Law Conference is designed specifically for CPHR Alberta Members, living and working in Alberta.  We will bring together some of Alberta’s most knowledgeable legal professionals to provide you with up-to date legal information for 2020 that is relevant to you and your city.  The key to making Alberta’s workplaces great is staying in-the-know on HR Law and best practices!

Presenters and Session Information

Workplace Sexual Harassment Complaints: Managing Risks and Improving Outcomes

In the modern workplace, human resources professionals are consistently handling sexual harassment, including allegations, investigations, discipline, and reparation for the affected individual(s) and workplace in general. This presentation will focus on complainants.  Specifically, we will assess the various complaint options for sexual harassment issues, and the common factual characteristics associated with each, to help human resources professionals manage risk and develop effective policies.

The presentation will apply CPHR Competencies 20300 and 20600, namely compliance with legal requirements and development of evidence-based human resources policies to minimize risk and promote sound human resources decision-making.

Types of formal sexual harassment complaints we intend on reviewing include Internal complaints,  Human Rights Complaints (discrimination and retaliation), Occupational Health and Safety issues (duty to provide a safe workplace), Worker’s Compensation Board issues (psychiatric injury) and Civil Claims (constructive dismissal).

Presenter - TBA

 International Mobility of Employees—Obtaining Work Authorization for Employees in Canada and the United States in an Ever-Changing Immigration Landscape. 

Giving HR managers who may be, for the first time, (a) hiring foreign workers to Canada and/or (b) sending Canadian workers to the United States, a general overview of the work permit/work visa categories (and their corresponding legal requirements) that would most likely be applicable. 

Presenter – Veronica Choy with  Miller Thomson LLP

Veronica Choy is the Chair of Miller Thomson’s national Immigration group. She acts for a broad range of companies and individuals on Canadian and American business immigration matters. Licensed in Alberta and Washington, Veronica offers her clients the unique advantage of sourcing their American and Canadian immigration needs in one place. This allows clients to consider a wider range of practical options, processes, and consequences in the hiring and movement of personnel to work in Canada and/or the United States. She can clarify the wide range of work permit and work visa options for Canada and the United States and advise on acquiring permanent residency and citizenship status. Veronica works with companies to develop and implement plans and strategies involving the hiring and movement of personnel in Canada and the United States in order to expand their business, share knowledge and experience within a global company, or successfully execute a business transaction. She works with clients across all industries to determine the most appropriate immigration options for their employees—for both short-term projects and permanent transfers—and provides practical advice on how best to proceed.

Social Media, Your Employees and the Law

Learn about the pitfalls of Social Media, your employees and the effects to your organization for negative postings, speech, etc. 

Presenter – Stephen Torscher with Miller Thomson LLP

Stephen Torscher provides trusted advice to clients on a wide range of labour and employment issues. His practice covers all aspects of the employment relationship from hiring to firing.

Stephen advises clients on a range of human resources matters including employment contracts, workplace policies, grievances and arbitration, employee discipline, and terminations. He has also provided strategic advice to vendors and purchasers of businesses in Alberta in order to manage transactional employee issues. Stephen acts as counsel in litigation concerning wrongful dismissal, human rights, employment standards, and labour arbitrations.

Stephen has a broad range of experience in other areas of litigation including health law, creditors’ rights, professional negligence law, foreclosure, and Aboriginal law and has appeared in all levels of court in Alberta and the Federal Court of Canada.

Stephen has presented lectures and seminars on a variety of employment-law issues and is an editor of the Miller Thomson Labour and Employment Law Blog.

Navigating Complex Investigations: Preparing for the Unpredictable with Southern Butler Price

Using examples from numerous investigations, our presenters will draw on their experiences as investigators to highlight some of the most unexpected moments and highlight options for addressing them.

Using storytelling, humour and audience engagement, the session will be an engaging, interactive presentation that will give attendees more tools in their toolbox for when unexpected events transpire during investigations.

Using a “live scenario”, this session will give insight into how the experts navigate the crisis-laden complexities of workplace investigations. You will move through these important moments guided by, and participating with, leaders in the field.

The panel will walk through several triggering incidents;

• the complaint process;
• planning;
• the investigation itself; and
• the reporting out.

Attendees will learn what to do, what not to do, and today's best practices in this important work.

Panelist: Lisa Southern, LLB | Jessica Bowering, Barrister & Solicitor | Jennifer Hawkins - Barrister & Solicitor | Shelina Neallani, Barrister & Solicitor