Summer Registration
Course registration for Summer opens for current Queen’s students and students currently registered in the program February 2, 2026. Visit the student registration guide to learn how to
One-third of your life is spent at work. You owe it to yourself to understand it.
Whether you're an employee or an employer, understanding workplace law is crucial. Learn about a dynamic force at play in all of our lives – for many, the key factor for health, happiness, security and wellbeing.
For most Canadians, the laws that govern work relations are a critical determinant of income, satisfaction, fairness, safety, and ultimately, fulfillment.
Learn about the various legal regimes that regulate work relations: the common law regime; the regulatory regime which includes employment standards, health and safety rules, and human rights; and the collective bargaining regime that applies to unionized workplaces.
Get to know one of the fastest-evolving and active areas in law: change is the only constant as workplaces are affected by economic, historical, political and global forces.
You will finish this course with an understanding of the legal and social issues at play in the laws that apply to work.
Sarah Cvetkovski
I took Law 203 online over the summer which provided me with the opportunity to make my own schedule and complete the course at my own pace. This course made it possible for me to understand the rights I have as a retail employee and which laws directly applied to my situation. I was able to apply this knowledge to my own workplace to make sure my employer was adhering to all workplace standards.
Amanda Scorda
Workplace Law was an area of law I did not think I would be interested in. However, it has been one of my favourite areas to learn about! While it was a challenging course, I took away valuable information about what rights I have as an employee and ways to navigate through workplace disputes. Taking away knowledge that I can apply to my life has been very useful and rewarding.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- CLO 1: Describe the historical, economic, and political context of workplace regulation in Canada.
- CLO 2: Describe the overlapping regulatory systems applying to the workplace.
- CLO 3: Apply basic legal reasoning within the context of workplace regulation.
- CLO 4: Extract relevant legal issues from specific situations within Canadian workplaces.
- CLO 5: Argue a legal position resulting from a workplace issue.
- CLO 6: Describe the impact of global changes on workplace regulation and prospects for reform.
Course Offering (may be subject to change)
Workplace Law (Law 203/703) is offered every September and January.
Assessment Weighting (may be subject to change)
| ASSESSMENT TOOL | WEIGHT |
|---|---|
| Group Simulation Activities (Human Rights Tribunal & Collective Bargaining)* | 50% |
| Final Assessment | 50% |
*The Group Simulation Activities takes place in weeks 6, 8 and 11. The week 6 session is an introduction session for the students to meet groupmates and the session facilitator and go over tasks for both the Human Rights Tribunal and Collective Bargaining Simulation. You will sign up for a timeslot in onQ once the course begins. The three synchronous sessions will be held through Zoom with either the instructor or a Teaching Assistant.
Course Materials
This is a required textbook. The hardcopy can be purchased through Queen's Campus Bookstore or directly from Emond Publishing. The electronic version can be purchased on VitalSource.
The Law of Work: 3rd Edition (Emond Publishing, 2024), David J. Doorey
Textbook Buying Options
Hardcover - $112.00 (non-returnable) or $124.00 (returnable)
eTextbook - Lifetime access is $101.00 or you can rent the textbook for one year for a cost of $90.00