Advocating For the Rights of Law Enforcement Officers
One of the groups whose rights are often overlooked or minimized by the public are police officers in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. With a significant push in today’s society to protect private citizens and avoid their rights being violated, society often forgets that police officers can have their rights trampled on as well.
One of the most essential elements of any job or workplace is the requirement that employees feel valued and safe. Although being a police officer comes with inherent risks, there are still legal protections that must be afforded just as all other individuals in society.
Some of the most common issues that police officers face outside of their employment duties include a lack of adequate pay and benefits in comparison to other departments with similar makeups. Additionally, in recent times, female officers have reported significant numbers of sexual harassment incidents.
If you want more information about Labour Rights Law of Vancouver, British Columbia, we can assist you with forming a union to ensure better benefits, or if you need a lawyer who can pursue a sexual harassment case, contact our law office, and ask to schedule a consultation to learn more.
How Can a Police Labour Rights Lawyer Help Me?
There are several considerable advantages to hiring a police labour rights lawyer. Although police officers enforce the laws, they do not have a hand in making laws that protect them. As a result, police officers often find themselves in need of skilled legal representation.
Labour Rights Law of Vancouver is a law firm that ensures employees are offered fair protection under British Columbia laws. Our highly trained legal staff recognizes that law enforcement officers have unique legal needs and extensive experience helping individuals maintain their rights.
Our law firm can advise you of your rights as an employee and what legal options may be available to resolve your issues. If you are considering forming a new police union, we can provide advice and other legal services to help you accomplish your goals. Suppose you are suffering harassment on the job or other employment issues. In that case, our well-trained employment lawyer can advise you of your rights and help determine a legal strategy to resolve your issues.
Can a Police Labour Lawyer Help to Form a New Police Union?
One of the best resources police officers have is the support and protection offered by police unions. However, even if there is significant interest in forming a police union, there are still specific steps that must be followed to ensure the legality of your organization.
To form a new police union, a group of employees should organize and work closely with all other co-workers who wish to organize. The first steps to forming a union include:
- Begin a mandatory card-signing campaign to notify the British Columbia Labour Relations Board that employees are earnest in their intentions to start a union.
- Sign up 60% of the employees in the workplace.
Once these steps have been completed, Labour Rights Law can assist with the other necessary steps, including:
- Filing an official application with the labour board.
- Once an application is accepted, the Labour Relations Board holds a secret ballot vote for employees within 5 days of applying. If 50% plus one vote yes, then the union will be officially certified.
- The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will help to negotiate the first collective agreement.
- The bargaining committee then presents the agreement to members to ratify the contract. Both the union members and the employer need to accept the agreement to be legally binding.
- The newly formed union will then use the collective agreement to ensure fairness and accountability in the workplace.
Our law firm can provide solid legal representation through every step of formation to ensure your union member’s rights are protected.
How Can Your Law Firm Help Female Officers Being Harassed at Work?
Sadly, as of late, there have been more reports of female police officers being harassed in the workplace. As with any other job, female officers enjoy the same rights as those in other professions. However, in Canada, the only legal recourse for women who feel they have been harassed is to file a human rights complaint.
The Canadian Human Rights Act is designed to protect employees from being harassed based on race, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, colour, or national and ethnic origin.
If you are a female officer who has been harassed at work but has not received help from your employer, you need to consult a knowledgeable lawyer who can explain your rights and determine what legal steps can help you gain peace of mind.
Harassment can take many forms, including:
- Sexual harassment
- Making threats towards others
- Discrediting an employee by spreading rumors of malicious gossip.
- Making fun of another individual’s religious or political beliefs or values.
- Making demeaning statements about the employee in front of others.
- Making rude or offensive remarks.
What Makes Your Law Firm Stand Out Over Others in Vancouver?
Police officers who come to Labour Rights Law can expect a high level of service and quality legal representation. Our law firm recognizes that it can be challenging for individuals tasked with enforcing the laws to speak to a lawyer for legal advice. However, our professional staff strives to treat each client with the integrity and compassion they deserve.
Labour Right Law is unique in the fact there are very few other law firms that offer legal services that can assist police officers. Our commitment to serving Vancouver and the surrounding communities extends to everyone, not just a select few.
If you want more information about how our law firm can assist you with your legal needs, contact us at 604-245-3169 and schedule a consultation to discuss your case.