Overview
Stephen Torscher provides trusted advice to clients on a wide range of labour and employment issues. His practice covers all aspects of the employment relationship from hiring to firing.
Stephen advises clients on a range of human resources matters including employment contracts, workplace policies, grievances and arbitration, employee discipline, and terminations. He has also provided strategic advice to vendors and purchasers of businesses in Alberta in order to manage transactional employee issues. Stephen acts as counsel in litigation concerning wrongful dismissal, human rights, employment standards, and labour arbitrations.
Stephen’s counsel on employment relationships includes the following:
Employment agreements and policies: Stephen assists with creating employment agreements for all levels of employees from entry level to executive as well as developing respectful workplace, progressive discipline, and other workplace policies.
Employee grievances and discipline: Stephen can help with arbitrations, grievances, employment standards complaints, human rights complaints, and progressive discipline.
Termination: Stephen advises on just cause dismissals, without cause terminations, severance packages, and defending wrongful dismissal allegations.
Stephen has a broad range of experience in other areas of litigation including health law, creditors’ rights, professional negligence law, foreclosure, and Aboriginal law and has appeared in all levels of court in Alberta and the Federal Court of Canada.
Stephen has presented lectures and seminars on a variety of employment-law issues and is an editor of the Miller Thomson Labour and Employment Law Blog.
During his studies at the University of Calgary, Stephen worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada as an immigration officer at ports of entry in Coutts, Alberta and the Calgary International Airport.
Thought leadership
- Speaker, “Navigating COVID-19: Your Employment Questions Answered,” Miller Thomson Labour & Employment Webinar, May 7, 2020
- Speaker, “Travellers hazy on cannabis rules,” Canadian HR Reporter, February 4, 2020
- Author, “Further Changes to the Canada Labour Code May be on the Way,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, July 19, 2019
- Co-author, “Bill C-86 – Major Changes Proposed to Federal Labour and Employment Legislation,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, November 5, 2018
- Speaker, “What All Employers Need to Know,” Miller Thomson Occupational Health and Safety seminar, May 15, 2018
- Author, “Random Drug and Alcohol Testing: Further Guidance Will Have to Wait,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, December 4, 2017
- Co-author, “Amendments to Alberta Labour Relations Code and Employment Standards Code,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, May 29, 2017
- Co-author, ““Without Cause Terminations” and a Possible “Duty of Reasonable Exercise of Discretionary Powers”,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, January 10, 2017
- Speaker, “Departing With Dignity,” Higher Landing Seminar, Calgary, April 2016
- Speaker, “Deconstructing Constructive Dismissal,” HRIA Conference, Calgary, April 2016
- Speaker, “How the Economy Affects Reasonable Notice Periods,” Miller Thomson Client Seminar, Edmonton, April 2016
- Speaker, “Decisions and Developments on the Horizon,” HRIA Calgary HR Law Conference Panel Presentation, Calgary, February 2016
- Author, “Dealing with Bonuses and LTIP Plans Post Termination,” Labour and Employment Communiqué, December 8, 2015
- Speaker, “Must be an Active Employee’–Dealing with bonuses and LTIP plans post termination,” CBA Alberta Labour and Employment Section, Calgary, November 2015
- Speaker, “Managing Employment Law Risks with a Globalized Workforce,” CERC Conference, Montreal, September 2015
- Speaker, “Emerging Human Rights Issues—Practical Strategies To Manage Complex Workplace Problems,” HRIA Conference, Edmonton, April 2015
- Speaker, “Labour and Employment Update, including workplace investigations and managing disability claims,” Miller Thomson LLP Client Seminar, Calgary and Edmonton, March 2015
- Speaker, “Legislative Framework in Employment Law,” Federated Press 3rd Mini LLB for Aboriginal Leadership Course, Calgary, March 2015
- Speaker, “Constructive Dismissal,” Miller Thomson LLP Client Seminar, Calgary, November 2014
- Speaker, “Human Rights in the Workplace—A Perspective from the New Chief of the Alberta Human Rights Commission and Tribunals,” Miller Thomson Client Presentation, Calgary and Edmonton, September and October 2014
- Speaker, “Employee Termination: How to Proceed if Termination is the Only Option,” Infonex, Calgary, August 2014
- Author, “Accommodating Family Status,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, May 7, 2014
- Speaker, “Employment Considerations for Employers of Foreign Workers,” HRIA Conference, Calgary, April 2014
- Author, “Alberta Introduces Compassionate Care Leave,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, January 24, 2014
- Speaker, “Employment Considerations for Employers of Foreign Workers,” Miller Thomson LLP Client Seminar, Calgary, November 2013
- Author, “Court of Appeal Rejects Due Diligence Defence in Workplace Death,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, August 29, 2013
- Author, “Beware the Boss’s Wife: Appearance-Based Discrimination in the Workplace,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, August 6, 2013
- Author, “Too Sick to Work, But Not to Sick to Play Softball,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, July 15, 2013
- Author, “Supreme Court of Canada Rules on Random Alcohol Testing,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, June 14, 2013
- Author, “Alberta Court Grants Injunction Against Former Employee of Applicant,” Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, June 10, 2013
- Speaker, “Overtime: The Pitfalls and the Solutions,” Seminar, April 2013
- Speaker, “Workplace Accommodation,” Lorman Education Services, December 2012
- Guest lecturer, Employment Law, University of Calgary Faculty of Law, October 2012
- Speaker, “Conducting an Effective Workplace Investigation,” Seminar, May 2012
Community involvement
- University of Calgary Faculty of Law, Student Legal Assistance, volunteer lawyer
- Civil Claims Duty Counsel Project
- Amicus Project
Professional memberships
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, Labour & Employment Section
- Member, Human Resources Institute of Alberta
Bar admissions & education
- Alberta Bar, 2007
- B.A. (Psychology with Distinction), University of Calgary, 2003
- LL.B., University of Calgary, 2006
