WSIB Denies Many Sexual Harassment Claims
Were you aware that a large portion of claims made to WSIB by workers who have experienced sexual harassment at work are being denied? WSIB defines harassment as “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker, including bullying, that is known or ought reasonably to be… READ MORE
What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and who can apply for compensation?
Sadly, many of the people who we help at The Legal Clinic have been the victims of a violent crime either as an adult or as a child. Many victims are not aware that they can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for some compensation for the injuries they… READ MORE
Are You Aware?
Are you aware that while every person working in Canada must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN), the federal government is discontinuing production of the plastic SIN card? As of April 1, 2014, Service Canada will begin issuing social insurance numbers to individuals in a paper format instead of a plastic… READ MORE
Legalese: Do You Want to be a Director?
Last year Rural Legal Services amalgamated with the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Legal Clinic to form The Legal Clinic (TLC). As a community legal clinic, TLC receives funding from Legal Aid Ontario to provide a range of free legal services to the residents of northern Frontenac and northern Lennox &… READ MORE
Obtaining A Legal Aid Certificate Through New Call Centre
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) offers a variety of legal services for low income residents of Ontario including: Duty counsel services located at Family or Criminal court and at the Landlord and Tenant Board A Legal Aid Certificate program that covers the cost of retaining a lawyer to assist with certain… READ MORE
Change
by Susan Irwin, Lawyer/Executive Director Change is one of life’s few certainties. It applies equally to individuals and to organizations, although in the business context it is often described as “innovation” or “transformation”. Within the next few months, Rural Legal Services (RLS) will be undergoing a “transformative” change as we… READ MORE
The duty to accommodate employees with disabilities
By Anne-Marie Langan, Staff Lawyer In small rural communities where it may be difficult to find full time local employment, disabled workers often do not request accommodation for their disability for fear it will put their employment at risk. This is especially true for people who have a disability that… READ MORE
Anti-terrorism law expands police powers
Community Legal Education Ontario produces a monthly email bulletin called On the Radar. This month's On the Radar, reproduced for Legalese, looks at some of the laws that apply when the police decide to stop people on the street and question them. Under the federal Combating Terrorism Act, which… READ MORE
Pay attention to your hydro bills
By Anne-Marie Langan, staff lawyer, Rural Legal Services Lately Rural Legal Services has had a rash of complaints from seniors, clients with disabilities and persons on a fixed income, about their Hydro Bills. These complaints have included: Usage has been grossly underestimated for months and then the customer receives a… READ MORE
Avoiding Telephone Trickery
It is probably safe to say that telephone fraud was not what Alexander Graham Bell had in mind when he pioneered the telephone in the 1870s. Unfortunately, modern-day telephone scammers defraud consumers out of millions of dollars annually. We hope that this article will help you to protect yourself… READ MORE
Public Holidays and Workers’ Rights
The information in this column was provided by Community Legal Education Ontario in its monthly email alert “On the Radar” Many of us look forward to the long weekend in May as the "unofficial" beginning of the summer. In anticipation of Victoria Day on May 20 and the other… READ MORE
Are you a Survivor of Violent Crime?
Have you experienced assault? Have you ever been criminally harassed? Did you experience abuse as a child? Have you been the victim of domestic violence? If the answer is yes to these questions or if you have been the victim of another violent crime, you may be able to… READ MORE
Pay Day Loans: Easy Cash and Pay Day Lending Services
Consumers facing financial difficulty who are unable to obtain credit from a bank or other conventional lender often resort to using the services of a pay day lender. Here is some information you should know when dealing with a pay day lender. What is a Pay Day Loan? In a… READ MORE
Legalese - Powers of Attorney
Every day we make decisions that affect our personal health and financial well-being. Having the capacity to make decisions means that we are able to understand information needed to make a decision and to appreciate the consequences of making or not making a decision. But what if you lose that… READ MORE
Surviving Home Renovations under the Consumer Protection Act
Home renovation projects can be long and costly. While consumers are protected by numerous provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 (CPA), contractors are largely unregulated, allowing unscrupulous contractors to take advantage of consumers. Home renovation grievances were the second most common complaint received by the Ministry of Consumer Services… READ MORE
Thinking About Renting: How does the Residential Tenancies Act apply?
If you are thinking about renting a place to live, or becoming a landlord, you need to be informed about the law. The Residential Tenancies Act (Act) is a law that governs the relationship between residential landlords and tenants in Ontario. It sets out the rights and responsibilities of landlords… READ MORE
