Possible Essay Topics

Here are a bunch of possible essay topics off the top of my head in no particular order. If none of these interest you, and nothing else is coming to mind, I recommend you email me and tell me in a general way what interests you. We can then think about possible topics.

Possible Essay Topics

  • Examine the academic literature dealing with the impacts of unions on such things as productivity, profitability, and employment levels.
  • Examine academic and policy debates surrounding the employment status of “gig” (i.e. Uber, etc) workers.  Issues to consider include: What are arguments for and against treating gig workers as “employees” rather than independent contractors?  Are gig workers “employees” under existing Canadian work law?  What are some proposals for reform?
  • Examine the academic debates about the effects of an increase in the minimum wage on poverty and employment levels. 
  •  In recent years there has been a flurry of court cases that examine the interaction of notice of termination clauses in employment contracts and statutory minimum notice requirements.  Research that case law and explain to HR professionals how to draft a proper (enforceable) notice of termination clause.
  • Examine and compare how Canada’s various governments responded to COVID-19 in relation to employees and employers.
  • Mischaracterization of employees as “independent contractors” has been identified as a serious problem in the regulation of work.  Examine this issue through the lens of HRM, drawing on HRM literature as well as legal literature.
  • Explore the law that governs an HR issue that you or your organization has had deal with.  Do you think that law strikes an appropriate balance between the employer’s interests and the employees’ interest?
  • Choose any academic/professor in the field of industrial relations or employment/labour law and explore themes and ideas in their work.
  • How does the Human Rights Code deal with employees with addictions or mental illness and what is the extent of an employer’s duty to accommodate those employees?
  • Examine cases in the common law and regulatory regimes that involve the use of social media by either employers and employees and provide advise to HRM professionals about the law’s treatment of social media.
  • Research issues that will arise in relation to the legalization of marijuana and the workplace and how the law will deal with those issues.

And other topic related to work law and/or labour relations and approved by Professor Doorey.

 

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