Labour & Employment

Stewart McKelvey has Atlantic Canada’s largest Labour & Employment Group with nationally recognized practitioners in each province. We are strategic advisors who support clients with proactive and practical guidance on complex workplace issues. We support non-union and unionized clients who are provincial, national or international and operating in both the private and public sectors. We recognize that workplace issues are time-sensitive and our lawyers are available whenever you need us. Representative areas of our practice include:

Employment

We provide a full range of services required in today’s complex employment environment with ever-changing regulation or legislative obligations, an aging workforce, and the increasing importance of human capital. We regularly advise on critical employment issues including”

• Employment, Contractor & Consultant Contracts
• Executive Compensation
• Workplace Policies & Procedures
• Business Restructurings
• Purchase & Sale of Businesses
• Employment Standards
• Workplace Investigations
• Terminations (and avoiding constructive dismissals)
• Litigation – Terminations, Restrictive Covenants etc
• Employment Equity & Pay Equity

Labour

Stewart McKelvey represents many of Atlantic Canada’s leading corporate and institutional employers, both large and small, including many governed by the Canada Labour Code. We provide clients with strategic guidance on complex labour relations issues such as:

• Collective Agreement Interpretation and Administration
• Collective Bargaining
• Grievance and Interest Arbitrations
• Strikes & Lockouts
• Jurisdictional Disputes
• Labour Board proceedings including Certification, Decertification, Common Employer and Successor Rights

Workplace Investigations

We are well-positioned to support organizations and boards of directors in numerous industries and sectors including universities and community colleges, municipalities, corporations and other law firms across Canada to navigate the complex nuances of workplace investigations. Where employers from across the country are required to conduct third-party investigations for serious allegations, our team of lawyers are able to assist.

As a full-service law firm, we can pull the necessary resources to support your matter, addressing a host of needs and concerns, with solutions tailored to your unique situation, and address the full scope of workplace investigations.

Learn more about our Workplace Investigations.

Human Rights

Occupational health & safety

Employers recognize the need to operate with a clear focus on workplace health & safety. We regularly advise and assist on such matters as:

• Regulatory compliance
• Health & Safety Policies
• Drug & Alcohol Testing Procedures & Protocols
• Incident Responses (both internally & to Government)
• Defending Prosecutions

Pensions and Benefits

In addition, our Labour & Employment Group includes many lawyers advising on Workers’ Compensation, Workplace Privacy and Immigration.

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Webinars

Workplace issues change rapidly, and we know how important it is for our clients to be up to date. To support this, our labour and employment lawyers host a number of webinars on a range of topics throughout the year. To view previous sessions, please click on one of the following titles (please note these are intended to be general information only and do not constitute legal advice):

2025:

• April 25: Understanding Subtle Discrimination

2024:

• June 18: Protecting your Workplace: NS WCB Coverage for Gradual Onset Stress 
• May 27: For Regulators: Conducting Investigations Effectively and Efficiently 
• May 22: Protecting your Workplace: Trauma Informed Investigations
• April 16: Protecting your Workplace: OH&S Legal Updates and Insights 
• March 27: Protecting your Workplace: How to address subtle discrimination and micro-aggressions

Insights

Throughout the year, our labour and employment lawyers provide written insights and updates on recent case law and legislation in the region and beyond. To learn more about relevant workplace topics, click on one of the following titles:

• Making 2025 changes real in 2026: A practical guide for employers
• Overview of labour and employment implications of the proposed Federal Budget 2025 – the “Canada Strong Budget”
• Concurrent jurisdiction: New Brunswick Court clarifies intersection of labour and human rights disputes
• A union’s optional approach to following the law
• New harassment prevention policy obligations for Nova Scotia employers
• In Ontario, employers must investigate known or suspected harassment— even off the clock
• New harassment prevention obligations for Nova Scotia employers
• Non-disclosure agreements: A sword or a shield?
• Effectively identifying and navigating subtle discrimination: A must-do list for employers
• Enforceable equal wages: More changes for federal employers
• At a glance: Key changes coming to Prince Edward Island’s Employment Standards Act
• Balancing inclusivity and workplace safety
• Privacy rights in the workplace: Supreme Court expands charter protections for public school teachers
• Plans of arrangement come to Newfoundland and Labrador
• “Be prepared” – Recent Scouts Canada ruling provides new guidance to organizations that engage volunteers
• 2024 Nova Scotia election: Employer obligations
• 2024 New Brunswick election: employer obligations
• Nova Scotia legislative update: “Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act” – Bill No. 464
• Workplace investigation helps avoid costly litigation
• Recent case re-confirms temporary ailment is not a disability
• Changes affecting federally regulated employers
• Impending changes to Nova Scotia’s Workers’ Compensation Act – Gradual onset stress
• Appeal Courts uphold substantial costs awards for regulators
• Court upheld municipality’s refusal to disclose investigation report
• Occupational Health and Safety sentencing decision – Nova Scotia
• An employer’s guide to human rights law in Atlantic Canada
• Recognizing subtle discrimination in the workplace: insights from recent legal cases