Jordynne Hislop

Lessons in Labour Relations for School Board Employers Date: October 24, 2025 In this edition of our fall 2025 School Board Update, we review two recent decisions and provide important takeaways in interpreting collective agreements for school board employers. First, Jordynne Hislop outlines the facts and Arbitrator Hayes’ decision in Toronto District School Board v Elementary Teachers’ Federationon whether boards are required to pay benefit premiums for teachers on self-funded leave.

Welcome to our latest edition of the School Board Update. In this Update  we discuss three significant decisions. The first decision is from the Ontario Labour Relations Board. It clarifies that, with the revocation of O. Reg. 274/12 Hiring Practices, school boards are obliged to comply with Policy/Program Memorandum No. 165, School Board Teacher Hiring Practices, when establishing and administering their hiring practices.

In Stonechild v. Canada, Justice Phelan of the Federal Court recently certified a class proceeding brought on behalf of off-reserve Indigenous children and their families. Under the Federal Court system, this avoids the necessity or prospect of up to thirteen separate provincial and territorial class actions.