Workplace Policy Drafting and Compliance Lawyers for Ontario and BC Employers

Workplace policies are the legal infrastructure of an organization. When a harassment complaint is filed, a termination is challenged, or an inspector comes calling, the first question is almost always whether the employer had a clear, compliant policy in place and followed it. Achkar Law's workplace compliance lawyers draft, review, and update workplace policies, procedures, and employee handbooks for employers across Ontario and British Columbia, so the framework is in place and defensible before a problem arrives.

When Employers Need Workplace Policies Drafted or Reviewed

Policy work is cheapest and most effective before there is a dispute. Employers come to us for workplace policy drafting and compliance review when they:

• Have no written policies, or a patchwork that has never had legal input
• Need an employee handbook drafted or refreshed
• Are relying on policies that have not kept pace with legislative change
• Have crossed an employee-count threshold that triggers new policy obligations
• Have just had a complaint, investigation, or inspection expose a gap
• Are expanding into a new province and need province-specific policies
• Want a compliance audit of their current policies against the law today
• Need managers trained to apply policies consistently

Workplace Policies and Procedures We Draft for Employers

As employment lawyers creating workplace policies and procedures, we draft the full range of documents employers need to manage risk and meet their legislative obligations, tailored to the organization's size, industry, and operations rather than pulled from a generic template.

Employee Handbooks

An employee handbook consolidates the key policies into one accessible document, sets expectations, and supports consistent management. Our employee handbook drafting also addresses the relationship between the handbook and individual employment agreements, so the handbook does not accidentally create contractual obligations the employer did not intend.

Workplace Harassment and Violence Policies

Mandatory in both provinces. We draft harassment and violence policies that meet the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in Ontario and the WorkSafeBC bullying and harassment requirements in British Columbia, setting out prohibited conduct, reporting channels, and the investigation process.

Workplace Investigation Procedures

A written investigation procedure establishes who investigates, the steps, and the timelines, which is exactly what tribunals look for when assessing whether an employer responded properly. This pairs directly with our workplace investigations service.

Health and Safety Policies and Programs

We draft occupational health and safety policies and supporting programs that meet the statutory requirements in each province and demonstrate compliance if a workplace incident or inspection occurs.

Human Rights, Anti-Discrimination, and Accommodation Policies

Clear policies on discrimination, harassment, and the duty to accommodate, grounded in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the British Columbia Human Rights Code, give the organization a consistent and defensible way to handle accommodation requests and complaints.

Disconnecting from Work and Electronic Monitoring Policies

Ontario employers that hit the 25-employee threshold must have written policies on disconnecting from work and on electronic monitoring. We draft both to meet the Employment Standards Act, 2000 requirements introduced by the Working for Workers Act, 2021 and the Working for Workers Act, 2022, with the disclosures and timing the legislation requires.

Code of Conduct, Discipline, and Performance Management

A clear code of conduct and a progressive discipline policy set the standards, and consistently applying them is one of the most important factors in establishing just cause if a termination is ever challenged.

Technology, Confidentiality, Remote Work, and AI Use

We draft acceptable-use, confidentiality, social media, remote and hybrid work, and emerging AI-use policies that protect the organization's information and set clear expectations for how staff use workplace technology.

Which Workplace Policies Are Legally Required

Some workplace policies are mandatory and some are simply prudent. Knowing which is which, and meeting the requirements precisely, is the heart of workplace policy compliance. The mandatory list differs by province and, in Ontario, by employee count.

Ontario

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, every Ontario employer must have workplace violence and workplace harassment policies, and where more than five workers are regularly employed those policies must be in writing and posted, and reviewed at least annually. An employer with more than five workers must also have a written occupational health and safety policy, reviewed annually. Under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, an employer with 25 or more employees as of January 1 must have a written policy on disconnecting from work and a written policy on the electronic monitoring of employees in place before March 1 of that year, and provide copies to employees within the required timelines. Accessibility obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 add further policy requirements. Beyond these, an investigation procedure, a discipline policy, a confidentiality policy, and an accommodation policy are strongly advisable.

British Columbia

British Columbia employers are required under WorkSafeBC, made under the Workers Compensation Act, to have a workplace bullying and harassment policy and to develop reporting and investigation procedures, and to maintain occupational health and safety policies and, depending on size and risk, a formal health and safety program. The Personal Information Protection Act creates obligations around employee personal information that are best addressed through a privacy policy. British Columbia does not have Ontario's disconnecting-from-work or electronic-monitoring policy requirements, but as in Ontario, a fuller suite of policies beyond the legislative minimum is strongly advisable.

Why Workplace Policy Compliance Is a Defence, Not Paperwork

Policies earn their cost when something goes wrong. A compliant harassment policy and a documented investigation procedure put the employer in a far stronger position before a human rights tribunal. A clear, consistently applied discipline policy is often what makes a just-cause termination defensible. Conversely, the absence of a required policy, or applying a policy selectively, weakens the employer's position before any adjudicator and can attract regulatory penalties on its own. The two failure modes we see most are policies that were never drafted with legal input and policies that were drafted once and never updated as the law moved. Both leave the organization carrying risk it usually does not know it has, which is why a periodic compliance review matters as much as the original drafting. Where a policy gap surfaces in active litigation, our employment litigation team works from the same playbook.

Workplace Policy and Compliance FAQ

What workplace policies are legally required for Ontario employers?

Every Ontario employer must have workplace violence and workplace harassment policies under the Occupational Health and Safety Act; where more than five workers are regularly employed, those policies must be written and posted and reviewed at least annually, and the employer must also have a written health and safety policy. Employers with 25 or more employees as of January 1 must also have written disconnecting-from-work and electronic-monitoring policies in place before March 1. Beyond these mandatory policies, an investigation procedure, discipline policy, confidentiality policy, and accommodation policy are strongly advised.

What workplace policies are required for BC employers?

British Columbia employers must have a workplace bullying and harassment policy and reporting and investigation procedures under WorkSafeBC, and must maintain occupational health and safety policies and, depending on size and risk, a formal health and safety program. The Personal Information Protection Act also creates obligations around employee personal information best addressed in a privacy policy. As in Ontario, a fuller suite of policies beyond the minimum is recommended to manage risk.

What is an employee handbook and do we need one?

An employee handbook gathers the organization's key policies into one accessible document, which sets clear expectations, supports consistent management, and gives a reference point when disputes arise. It is not strictly mandatory, but it is one of the most effective risk-management tools an employer of any size can have. We draft handbooks tailored to the organization and advise on keeping the handbook from unintentionally creating contractual obligations alongside the employment agreement.

Do we need a disconnecting-from-work or electronic-monitoring policy?

In Ontario, both are required if you employ 25 or more employees as of January 1, with the written policies due before March 1 of that year and copies provided to employees within the required timelines. The electronic-monitoring policy must state whether the employer monitors employees and, if so, how and for what purposes. British Columbia does not impose these specific policy requirements. We can confirm whether your organization is captured and draft compliant policies if so.

How often should workplace policies be reviewed?

Ontario requires workplace harassment and violence policies to be reviewed at least annually. For other policies, a review at least every couple of years is advisable, and sooner after a significant legislative change, a substantial change to the organization, or an incident that reveals a gap. Employment law in both provinces moves regularly, and a policy that was compliant when drafted can quietly fall out of date.

Do we need a lawyer to draft our workplace policies?

You are not legally required to, but having an employment lawyer draft or review your policies sharply reduces the risk that they are non-compliant or ineffective when they matter most. Many employers discover a gap only once a dispute is underway, when fixing it costs far more. A legal review also ties the policies to current case law and to your employment agreements so the framework holds together.

Do you draft workplace policies outside Toronto and across British Columbia?

Yes. Achkar Law has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver and drafts and reviews workplace policies and employee handbooks for employers throughout Ontario and British Columbia. We work with clients remotely using secure communications, so location within these provinces is not a barrier.

Speak With a Workplace Policy Lawyer

If your organization needs workplace policies, procedures, or an employee handbook drafted, reviewed, or updated, tell us what you have in place and we will follow up promptly with a clear read on your compliance and what to address first. You can also reach us directly at 1-800-771-7882. We serve employers in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, and throughout Ontario and British Columbia.