HR Heartbeat: B.C’s Bill 10, faster police checks and…

Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we take a look at the most pressing HR and employment law stories. With over a decade of experience working within the HR and employment law industry, I give my opinion on current trends impacting your business, as well as my own personal commentary on all things HR and legal.

The price of ignoring established law

When employment disputes end up in court, it’s not just the facts that are examined but also how each side chooses to defend its position.

That became very expensive for one employer after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered the company to pay an additional $215,000 in legal costs on top of a wrongful dismissal award exceeding $680,000.

What really stood out in this case was the court’s criticism of the employer’s legal strategy. The judge found the company continued relying on arguments that had already been rejected in a previous higher court ruling, meaning it was effectively arguing against established law.

The court also took issue with how long the employer maintained that position. Even when asked directly whether the contract wording differed from the earlier case, the company reportedly denied there were differences for months before finally shifting its stance close to trial. The judge viewed that change as strategic pressure rather than a genuine correction.

To me, this decision is a reminder that defending a claim is one thing but how you defend it matters too. Courts expect parties to act in good faith and follow established legal precedent. Ignoring that can quickly drive up both damages and legal costs.

Faster police checks could change hiring timelines

For HR teams in Ontario, especially those in childcare, healthcare, seniors’ care, and other safety-sensitive sectors, vulnerable sector police checks are a critical part of the hiring process.

They’re often one of the slower steps in onboarding, but that may soon change thanks to the Government of Ontario’s proposed amendments to the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015. These changes aim to reduce delays in processing vulnerable sector checks (VSCs) while maintaining existing safeguards.

The goal is to help qualified people start jobs or volunteer roles in critical sectors sooner, without unnecessary waiting. At the same time, the province says safeguards will remain in place, and the system will continue to work with federal partners like the RCMP to ensure access to national databases.

For employers in regulated or care-based environments, the impact could mean faster screening and onboarding, without compromising the compliance requirements that come with hiring in vulnerable sectors.

Introducing British Columbia’s Bill 10

Workplace complaints can be frustrating for everyone involved — especially when the process drags on for months and resolution feels further away than when the issue first started.

That’s part of the reason behind Bill 10, the Labour Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, which recently received Royal Assent in British Columbia.

The changes are meant to modernize how the Employment Standards Branch handles complaints under the Employment Standards Act and the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act, with a big focus on making the process move faster and more efficiently.

What stands out to me is the balance the province is trying to strike here. On one hand, there’s now clearer authority to dismiss complaints that are frivolous, already resolved, or outside the scope of the legislation. Investigations can also be paused if complainants stop participating in the process.

On the other hand, if a complaint points to a larger workplace issue affecting multiple employees, the Director can now widen the investigation instead of limiting it to a single case.

There are also some practical changes, like requiring employers to deposit owed wages before appealing decisions and introducing earlier resolution meetings to try to resolve issues sooner.

At its core, this Bill is really about reducing backlog and making the system work more efficiently while still keeping worker protections firmly in place.

And that’s a wrap from me. Come back next time for my take on the latest headlines and employment law stories, helping keep your business ahead!