Law Times

Law Times • OcTOber 1, 2012 DOJ lawyers in limbo as layoffs loom Recent suicide indicates stress, anxiety on the rise NEWS BY ELIZABETH THOMPSON For Law Times OTTAWA — Stress and anxiety are on the rise among lawyers at the federal Justice De- partment as the government' their toll and staff find themselves in limbo, says the union that represents them. Lisa Blais, president of the Association of Justice Counsel, says she's watching law- s job cuts take yers who have worked for years to become specialists in their fields wonder whether they're still going to have jobs in a few weeks. "It is a stressful process when you are and understandably it has affected morale within these targeted offices and it has been a very difficult summer for many of our members." Jan Hauck, national vice president of the Union of Solicitor General Employees that represents Justice Department staff, says she' ness of the complaints she receives. "Those who are complaining have a high level of stress, a high level of anxiety, a high level of uncertainty, s seeing an increase in the serious- "They don't feel good about themselves anymore. It's not a healthy workplace." The job cuts in the Justice Department " she says. and the increase in stress levels were in the spotlight last month following revelations that a Justice Department lawyer who had received notice that his job was in jeopardy took his own life in July. Blais says the lawyer, who has been identified only as Eric at his family' a University of Ottawa graduate, a mid-career lawyer, and a member of the Ontario bar who worked in the depart- ment' s request, was section. "I do know from col- s aboriginal affairs competing with colleagues you may have worked with for several years," says Blais. "It can be a very, very difficult process leagues who contacted me when the news broke that he was well-liked, he was very good at his job, a very dedicated employee of Justice, describes the incident as "sad and tragic." In an interview with Radio-Canada, Eric's " says Blais, who 'It is a stressful process when you are competing with colleagues you may have worked with for several years,' says Lisa Blais. wife Clarissa, a public servant who also learned in April that her job was in jeopardy, said her husband had pre-existing problems with anxiety but noted the public service cuts had triggered a downward spiral. Clarissa said Eric was one of 32 lawyers files and work the longest hours," she told Radio-Canada. "My husband ended up cancelling his vacation." Blais says 99 Justice Department law- government has since declared 16 lawyers to be surplus, says Blais. While it hasn't yet laid them off, the lawyers didn't win the competitions in their sections for the remain- ing jobs. Blais says 10 of the 16 lawyers declared surplus work in the ab- original affairs section. Those declared sur- in jeopardy. In many cases, the lawyers have to compete for the jobs that remain. Of that number, the list for another job in the public service. They can also leave the government with a buyout package or go back to school. While voluntary departures have re- plus have a number of options that include temporary assignments and going on a priority who were going to have to compete for 11 remaining positions. "Everybody was trying to get the best Canadians as a whole will feel the impact of these cuts." In the case of Justice Department staff, the cuts have followed a different path. Hauck says her union has filed a policy grievance against the department charging that it has failed to respect the provisions of the government' process. Hauck says the letters sent to her members indicated they wouldn't be receiv- ing a reasonable job offer. Since then, the department has leſt staff s workforce adjustment PAGE 5 members in limbo, she adds, as it hasn't initiated competitions to determine who might remain or carried out any layoffs. "The fact that they have said there is not going to be a reasonable job offer, they need to either move on with workforce adjust- ing them or tell them they are no longer af- fected. This whole limbo is really what is the crux of the anxiety. If their job is gone, let' just tell them their job is gone," says Hauck, s solved some of the Justice Department job cuts, many of the remaining lawyers who got workforce adjustment letters are still facing competitions to retain their positions, says Blais. Blais says she also worries about the who notes her union represents 483 of the 674 Justice Department employees whose jobs are in jeopardy. The areas most affected involve workers in various communications and information roles. In addition, 24 of her union' Service have received notices. While both unions have anecdotal evi- yers have received workforce adjustment notices, otherwise known as affected let- ters, notifying them their jobs could be toll the cuts will take on a department that handles cases totalling as much as $1 trillion in claims at any given time. "Our members at Justice are being asked to do more with less and it's not only stress- s members in the Public Prosecution ful for our members, but once the dust settles in our members' departments I think dence that stress and anxiety are on the rise at the federal Justice Department, neither union has statistics on stress leaves, absen- teeism or recourse to counseling services. Both unions have been encouraging lawyers and Justice Department staff experiencing stress or anxiety to consult the department' LT employee-assistance program. s for Classes Starting in September 2012 Part-time, Executive LLM program for corporate counsel and practising lawyers Information Sessions Wednesday, December 7, 2011 5:30 - 7:00 pm Friday, December 9, 2011 8:00 - 9:30 am U of T Faculty of Law, Faculty Lounge 78 Queen's Park, Toronto No registration required. Please feel free to drop in anytime during these hours. Taught by U of T Faculty of Law professors, together with top international faculty from INSEAD Business School, NYU School of Law, and Rotman School of Management. For more information and to apply: http://www.law.utoronto.ca/programs/GPLLM.html http://www.law.utoronto.ca/programs/GPLLM.html For more information and to apply: Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) - Ontario Chapter and in partnership with Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business. GLLM_LT_June4_12.indd 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 12-05-29 4:18 PM

• Cover