11 Oct Ontario Domestic Violence Leave Bill May Present Privacy Issues
Legislation currently being proposed in Ontario will allow employees to take leaves when dealing with domestic and sexual violence issues. However, a few labor and employment lawyers have raised concerns regarding the privacy issues it might open up.
Paul Willets of Vey Willetts LLP said that the Bill 157 or the Domestic and Sexual Violence Protection Act of 2017 will divulge an employee’s sexual and domestic violence situation to their employer, and it may be better to address the issue in a general leave provision in the Employment Standards Act.
Meanwhile, Inna Koldorf of Miller Thompson LLP warns that employers should take the necessary preparations should the act become a law. She added that it will create a potential liability and that businesses should consider creating a policy that creates parameters on the leave, and supporting evidence needed for it.
Source: The Lawyer’s Daily
