Workplace Harassment, ICBC Rebates and Understanding Your Rights as a Tenant in BC
Each month Spraggs Law publishes Vancouver Legal News, a curated selection of articles about legal issues being discussed in the news. This month we start off with local workplace harassment and assault cases, followed by ICBC rebate delays, wrapping up with several local scenarios that demonstrate your rights as a tenant in BC.
Local Bullying and Harassment Cases
When working with an abusive ex isn’t working
Imagine working with an abusive ex-boyfriend whose harassing behaviour made your work life a living hell. Worse still, imagine your employer dismissing your pleas for help. That’s what one former Whistler restaurant worker attests in a civil claim she filed with the BC Supreme Court.
Investigating past trauma against an employee’s will
Several different reasons may prevent a victim from coming forward to disclose their experience and seek retribution. For one Protrans B.C. Line Attendant, sexual assault she alleges to have sustained at a company party eleven years prior is an experience she’d prefer to forget — especially considering that she still works with the accused. However, a recent investigation launched by her employer has forced her to face the trauma, which she claims is derailing her mental health and threatening her work.
Environmentally friendly but otherwise unfriendly
What kind of work experience would you expect from a B.C.-based environmental non-profit? Exciting wildlife encounters? Breathtaking landscapes that inspire reflection? That’s what one BC woman expected when she was hired to work with the organization’s co-founder. However, shortly after starting her position, she claims to have witnessed a barrage of verbal harassment and wreckless neglect of safety protocols.
Double claims paint the same ugly picture
Claims filed by two women allege sexual assault, workplace harassment, and other lewd and toxic misconduct occurred at Civeo-operated work camps used to house staff and LNG subcontractors — occurrences that the women claim were left unaddressed even after they brought them to the attention of superiors.
Long Waits for Relief Rebates
Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars
The escalating cost of living in BC is no joke for residents, but a creative local named Caleb Harder channelled Vancouverites’ collective exasperation into a Metro Vancouver-themed version of the classic board game Monopoly, and it’s really something!
Rebates that move slower than crude oil in winter
As gas prices rise quickly, some British Columbians are accusing ICBC of dragging their feet in following through on their promise to mail out rebate cheques to help offset the high petrol costs. It’s reported that most of ICBCs customers have yet to receive a rebate and may not see one until mid-July.
Tenants, Know Your Rights!
Can my landlord ask me that?
This article outlines some important basics on how the BC Human Rights Code protects tenants’ rights and “protected characteristics” and what to do if you’re experiencing unjustified discrimination.
Deceived Tenants seek arbitration
A Surrey family of seven was forced to move when the rental property they lived in sold to new owners that intended on using the property for themselves. Instead, the family claims they discovered their landlord advertising their rental home online for a much higher rental cost than the family had been paying.
I’ve changed my mind. May I have my rental deposit back, please?
Can prospective landlords keep your rental deposit if you back out instead of moving in? It depends!
In this case, the lack of a formal signed rental agreement worked in a would-be-tenants favour.
Can my landlord do that?
If you’ve ever received the infamous rent increase notice from a Vancouver landlord, you’ve probably asked yourself whether your landlord is infringing on your rights or just flexing their own. While It helps to know the allowable limit each year, there are specific circumstances when BC landlords can demand rental cost increases above and beyond the allowable limit.
Strata’s rules prove heartless for grieving senior couple
Stratas have their own sets of regulations, including restrictions on pets. One strata’s pet-height limitation resulted in heartache for a BC couple forced to give up their therapy dog. However, there are still several provincial laws that stratas must adhere to, which, if the government decides, may include abolishing current rental restrictions.
What Do You Think?
What do you think about these updates affecting citizens, employers, homeowners, and renters across Canada? If you have questions about employment law, family law, or your rights as a tenant or landlord for our team at Spraggs Law, we’d love to hear from you. Contact one of our lawyers in Vancouver today.
