Labor Lawyer Course

Lesson 1 • Defining the Employment Relationship

Distinguishes employees, independent contractors, and other work arrangements using legal tests. Correct classification determines which rights and obligations apply.

Lesson 2 • Fundamental Worker Rights Overview

Surveys core rights including association, non-discrimination, and safe working conditions. Provides the normative baseline referenced throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Key Institutions and Regulatory Bodies

Maps the agencies and tribunals that administer and enforce labour law. Connects institutional roles to practical compliance and dispute resolution pathways.

Lesson 4 • History and Evolution of Labour Law

Traces labour law from early industrial regulation to modern statutory frameworks. Establishes historical context essential for interpreting current rules and anticipating reform trends.

Lesson 1 • Contract Modification and Variation

Explains lawful methods for changing contract terms unilaterally or by agreement. Identifies when variation constitutes a breach or constructive dismissal.

Lesson 2 • Fixed-Term and Atypical Contracts

Addresses legal rules governing fixed-term, part-time, and zero-hours arrangements. Highlights equal treatment obligations and conversion rights.

Lesson 3 • Restrictive Covenants and Confidentiality

Analyses non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality clauses for enforceability. Balances employer protection against worker mobility rights.

Lesson 4 • Contract Formation and Validity

Covers offer, acceptance, consideration, and capacity as applied to employment agreements. Establishes which elements must be present for a binding contract.

Lesson 1 • Leave Entitlements and Pay

Covers statutory annual, sick, parental, and bereavement leave obligations. Explains interaction between statutory minimums and contractual enhancements.

Lesson 2 • Employee Benefits and Mandatory Contributions

Surveys mandatory pension, insurance, and social security contribution obligations. Identifies employer duties and consequences of non-compliance.

Lesson 3 • Overtime and Working Time Rules

Details thresholds, exemptions, and calculation methods for overtime pay. Connects working-time limits to health and safety obligations.

Lesson 4 • Pay Equity and Transparency

Addresses equal pay obligations, pay gap reporting, and salary transparency requirements. Links pay equity law to broader anti-discrimination frameworks.

Lesson 1 • Protected Characteristics and Coverage

Catalogues legally protected characteristics and the employment decisions they cover. Establishes the scope of anti-discrimination law across the employment lifecycle.

Lesson 2 • Harassment and Hostile Work Environment

Defines actionable harassment, employer liability standards, and affirmative defences. Connects prevention programmes to reduced legal exposure.

Lesson 3 • Reasonable Accommodation Obligations

Explains the interactive process for disability and religious accommodations. Identifies undue hardship limits and documentation best practices.

Lesson 4 • Direct and Indirect Discrimination

Distinguishes intentional disparate treatment from neutral policies with disparate impact. Explains burden-shifting frameworks used in litigation.

Lesson 1 • Collective Bargaining Agreement Interpretation

Teaches methods for reading, applying, and arbitrating collective agreement provisions. Builds skills for advising clients on rights under existing contracts.

Lesson 2 • Unfair Labour Practice Charges

Covers the filing, investigation, and litigation of unfair labour practice charges. Identifies common violations by employers and unions with remedial options.

Lesson 3 • Collective Bargaining Process

Details the duty to bargain in good faith, mandatory subjects, and impasse procedures. Connects bargaining strategy to enforceable agreement outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Strikes, Lockouts, and Work Stoppages

Analyses the legal framework governing strikes, picketing, and employer lockouts. Addresses replacement worker rules and reinstatement rights.

Lesson 1 • Progressive Discipline Systems

Designs lawful progressive discipline frameworks from verbal warnings to termination. Links consistent application to reduced wrongful dismissal exposure.

Lesson 2 • Just Cause and At-Will Employment

Contrasts at-will termination with just-cause standards and their exceptions. Identifies contractual, statutory, and public-policy limits on dismissal.

Lesson 3 • Termination Procedures and Notice

Covers statutory and contractual notice periods, pay in lieu, and final pay obligations. Addresses procedural fairness requirements that affect dismissal validity.

Lesson 4 • Wrongful and Unfair Dismissal Claims

Analyses claim elements, remedies, and litigation strategy for dismissal disputes. Covers reinstatement, compensation caps, and settlement considerations.

Lesson 1 • Incident Reporting and Investigation

Covers mandatory reporting thresholds, investigation protocols, and root-cause analysis. Links thorough investigation to corrective action and liability mitigation.

Lesson 2 • Employer Duty of Care Framework

Defines the general duty to provide a safe workplace and its statutory underpinnings. Establishes the standard of care against which employer conduct is measured.

Lesson 3 • Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Teaches systematic methods for identifying, evaluating, and controlling workplace hazards. Connects risk assessment documentation to regulatory compliance.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory Inspections and Enforcement

Prepares practitioners to manage agency inspections, respond to citations, and contest penalties. Covers employer rights during and after an inspection.

Lesson 1 • Mediation and Conciliation in Labour Disputes

Covers mediation process, mediator selection, and negotiation tactics in labour contexts. Distinguishes mediation from conciliation and arbitration.

Lesson 2 • Labour Arbitration Practice

Teaches arbitration clause drafting, hearing preparation, and award enforcement. Addresses grounds for vacating arbitration awards.

Lesson 3 • Labour Litigation Strategy and Trial Skills

Develops case theory, discovery strategy, and courtroom advocacy for labour trials. Integrates settlement analysis with litigation risk assessment.

Lesson 4 • Grievance and Internal Complaint Procedures

Designs effective internal grievance systems that resolve disputes before litigation. Explains how procedural compliance affects external claim outcomes.