Jean Torrens
Jean Torrens is a partner at MLT Aikins LLP where she has extensive experience acting for management. She has appeared as counsel before courts, arbitrators, labour relations boards, human rights and health and safety tribunals. Jean conducts collective bargaining for employers and advises clients on collective agreement administration, group terminations, discipline, the duty to accommodate, OH&S matters, harassment investigations, employment agreements and policies. She is a regular presenter at conferences on a variety of labour and employment related topics including mental health accommodations and marijuana in the workplace. She was a sessional lecturer at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan.
October 3rd
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10:45am - 11:55pm (Breakout Session 1 - Bronze Room)
Accommodating Mental Health Conditions: Options and Pitfalls
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1:00pm - 2:10pm (Breakout Session 2 - Bronze Room)
Accommodating Mental Health Conditions: Options and Pitfalls
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The duty to accommodate employees with mental health conditions can be a challenging, even daunting, task for employers. Human rights, privacy, and labour and employment law all need to be considered and carefully navigated. During this session, we'll discuss employers' legal obligations as well as practical tips and strategies in the following areas: Learn about mental disorders under the DSM-5;Understand the employee's duty to disclose and the employer's duty to inquire about mental health conditions; Provide strategies to obtain appropriate medical information; Review your assessment process; Explore accommodation options; Know if and when discipline is appropriate: Discuss the point of undue hardship.
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