LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT
Human resources and personnel management has become increasingly complex and difficult in recent years. Brownlee LLP acts in a timely manner to provide practical, proactive solutions that employers in both unionized and non-unionized organizations can depend on. In many cases, Brownlee lawyers provide meaningful answers to labour and employment law questions during a client’s very first call.

Clients come to Brownlee for our advice on all facets of labour and employment law. We help clients:

  • with advice on dismissals and potential dismissals
  • deal with disabilities and human rights issues
  • negotiate reorganizations

LITIGATION
We represent our clients in litigation dealing with situations such as:

  • wrongful dismissal
  • constructive dismissal
  • grievances
  • arbitration
  • complaints to the Alberta Labour Relations Board
  • complaints to the Human Rights Commission

ADVISORY SERVICES
Brownlee provides assistance with policies, procedures, templates, letters of hire and other measures that help organizations proactively avoid labour and employment conflicts. In the event of a dispute, these measures also serve to minimize risk.

Examples of policies, contractual language and other services that we provide for our clients include:

  • offer letters
  • employment contracts
  • agreed severance clauses
  • sexual harassment policy
  • drug and alcohol policy
  • workplace violence policy
  • working alone policy
  • training and development policy
  • privacy policy
  • computer, internet and e-mail use policy
  • reviews of employer policies and human resource management systems
  • reviews of employee performance appraisal and discipline systems

EMPLOYMENT AUDIT
Brownlee utilizes the Employment Audit to help interested employers detect hidden problems before they result in employee relations’ breakdowns, and the inevitable legal bills that follow. Employment and Labour problems that commonly affect businesses and other organizations include:

  • the inability to terminate for “just cause” despite chronic misconduct or poor performance
  • exposure to increasing severance awards
  • expenditure of time and money on unsatisfactory employees at the expense of loyal, hardworking employees
  • increased legal costs

We can examine any of the areas in the Advisory Services List (above), as well as others, to help employers keep their businesses running smoothly.

UNIONIZED WORKPLACES
Businesses that employ unionized workers face various situations where Brownlee can offer a helping hand, including:

  • certification applications
  • collective bargaining
  • collective agreements
  • collective agreement arbitration
  • unfair labour practices
  • strikes and lockouts
  • successorship
  • certificate revocation

Members of our Employment and Labour Group have experience before all levels of court in Alberta as well as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Alberta Labour Relations Board, Boards of Arbitration, Human Rights Commission, Employment Standards, Occupational Health and Safety, as well as numerous other bodies and administrative tribunals that arise in personnel management.