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.

Sarah Cvetkovski

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.

Amanda Scorda

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 January. 

Assessment Weighting (may be subject to change)

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 is offered in two versions; hard copy or electronic