Rob's practice focuses on management-side labour and employment law. He advises on labour and employment aspects of commercial transactions and day-to-day labour and employment issues. His work includes labour and employment litigation, arbitrations, human rights, employment standards (including director and officer liability issues), collective bargaining and workers compensation.

Bar Admissions
British Columbia (1991)
Alberta (1999)
Yukon (2010)

Education
Dickinson College; Victoria College, University of Toronto (B.A., 1987)
University of Toronto (LL.B., 1990)

Significant Accomplishments
Providing advice on significant downsizings, plant closures, and reorganizations

Negotiations of employment contracts, stock option plans, and change of control agreements with senior executives

Providing advice to Boards on compensation and director liability issues

Conducting investigations of harassment and defending employers in respect of harassment claims

Acting as chief spokesperson for the employer on both first collective agreements and renewals

Successfully negotiating collective agreements for a wide variety of employers in both British Columbia and Alberta, including employers in the forestry, construction, transportation, service, financial and food industries

Providing advice on share and asset deals in the forestry, mining, manufacturing, financial and service industries


Professional Associations
*Canadian Bar Association, Member
*Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, Employment Law Subsection, Member and past Chair (2004-05)
*Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, Labour Law Subsection, Member
*Human Resource Management Association, Member
*Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE), Member

Recognition and Ranking
*Chambers Global: recognized in the Employment & Labour (Canada) category
*Best Lawyers in Canada: recognized for labour and employment law
*Benchmark Canada: The Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys: recognized as a Future Star for Labour and Employment in British Columbia
*Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2015: consistently recommended as a Leading Practitioner for employment law (employer)
*Martindale-Hubbell International Law Directory: BV Peer Review rated

Community Activities
*Youth Basketball Coach
*Men's League Director, Tennis BC
*President, New Westminster Tennis Club

Seminars/ Presentation
"Latest in Duty to Accommodate", Legal Symposium, BC Human Rights Management Association (May 29, 2014), Speaker

"Cross Canada Human Rights Update", 10th Annual Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE) Conference, Banff, AB (October 3 - 5, 2013)

"The Rundown on Employment Law", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (June 6, 2013), Speaker

"Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace: Reducing stress and addressing mental illness", Human Rights and Accommodation Conference, Lancaster House, Vancouver, BC (April 17-18, 2013), Speaker

"Employment Law Update", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (May 31, 2012), Speaker

"Tackling Tough Duty to Accommodate Issues", BC Human Resources Association Conference, Vancouver, BC (April 26-27, 2012), Speaker

"Employment", Business Basics 2012, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (February 16, 2012), Course Presenter

"Managing the Sick Employee", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (June 14, 2011), Speaker

"Background Checks in the Age of Facebook", BC Human Resources Association Conference (April 14-15, 2011), Speaker

"Written Employment Agreements - Getting It Right", Legal Symposium, BC Human Resources Association (February 10, 2011), Speaker

"Written Employment Agreements - Getting It Right", Legal Symposium, BC Human Resources Association (January 27, 2011), Speaker

"Employment Law", Business Basics 2010, The Practice of Law, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (September 23, 2010), Course Presenter

"Benefits, Pension and Tax Issues Arising from Employment Related Settlements", Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, Employment Subsection (September 20, 2010), Speaker

"Hiring", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (June 2, 2010), Speaker

"Downsizing in a Downturn: Points to Consider when Reducing your Workforce”, Practical Tips for Tough Economic Times Seminar (May 20, 2009), Speaker

"Layoff, Bumping and Recall: Canvassing Options in Tough Economic Times", Lancaster House (March 5, 2009), Speaker

"Labour Relations Update", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (October 30, 2008), Speaker

"Employment Law Update", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (June 21, 2007), Speaker

"Pre-Employment Screening and the Hiring Process", Lawson Lundell Labour & Employment Law Seminar (June 21, 2006), Speaker

• Employer Do’s & Don’ts When Holding Termination Meetings

  By Robert Sider |June 2021

• Terminating Employees – 15 Planning Questions an Employer Should Ask Itself

  By Robert Sider |November 2020

Additional ArticlesSupreme Court of Canada Releases Right to Strike Decision: Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v. Saskatchewan, 2015 SCC 4 (February 2, 2015)

Landmark Case on the Freedom of Association from the Supreme Court of Canada: Mounted Police Association of Ontario v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 1 (January 19, 2015)

L&E Bulletin: SCC Decision on Statutory Freeze Provisions in Labour Legislation (June 27, 2014)

Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers, Contributor to the Handbook (June 9, 2014)

Labour & Employment Law Bulletin: Who is an “employee” under the British Columbia Human Rights Code? (May 22, 2014)

Labour & Employment Bulletin (October 9, 2012), Co-Author

Labour & Employment Law Bulletin (November 8, 2011), Co-Author

Labour & Employment Bulletin: Federal Elections – Employee Voting Time Entitlement and Company Computers and the Employee’s Expectation of Privacy (April 29, 2011)

Labour & Employment Bulletin: Minimum Wage Increase and Changes to Temporary Foreign Worker Regulations (March 18, 2011)

Labour & Employment Law Bulletin: Court of Appeal finds Attendance Management Program Discriminatory (October 20, 2010)

Practical Tips for Tough Economic Times (May 20, 2009)

“Management’s Duty to Accommodate Disability-Related Absenteeism”, CACE (2007), Author

“Strategic Responses to Major Business Changes”, Insight (2006), Author

“Advising British Columbia Businesses”, Continuing Legal Education, Labour and Employment chapter (2006), Author

“Beyond Wallace: The Ongoing Impact of the Supreme Court of Canada’s Decision on Dismissals”, Management Rights Journal (2002), Co-author

“Employment Contracts for Foreign Nationals”, Insight (2001), Co-author

“The Employer’s Duty of Good Faith: New Developments Since Wallace”, The Canadian Institute, Western Canada’s Advanced Forum on Employment Law (November 2001), Co-author

“Issues of Confidentiality and Competition in the IT Sector”, Canadian IT Law Association (2001), Co-author

“What Not to Ask: A Human Rights Guide to Pre-Employment Inquiries”, Infonex Conferences (2000), Co-author

“The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work”, Co-author

“Difficult Issues in Wrongful Dismissal Cases”, Pacific Business and Law Institute (1996), Co-author

Labour & Employment Law Blog

Lawson Lundell LLP

Lawson Lundell's Labour and Employment Law Blog provides updates on the most recent legal developments impacting the Canadian workplace and offers practical tips for employers. We cover a range of topics, including labour relations, employment law, collective bargaining, human rights, employment standards, employment equity, workers' compensation, business immigration, privacy, occupational health and safety and pensions and employee benefits.

Pensions and Employee Benefits Law Blog

Lawson Lundell LLP

Lawson Lundell's Pension and Employee Benefits Law Blog provides updates on the most recent legal developments impacting pension and employee benefit plans. We cover a range of topics, including recent case law and changes to relevant provincial and federal legislation.