WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS
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Federally and provincially regulated workplaces
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Federal and provincial crown agencies
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Hospitals and long-term care facilities
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For profit and not-for-profit workplaces
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Unionized and non-unionized workplaces
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Boardrooms and Committees
INVESTIGATIONS INTO COMPLAINTS ABOUT:
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Workplace bullying and harassment, including complaints of sexual harassment and cyber-bullying
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Anti-Black racism and systemic racism
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Unfair labour and employment practices
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Employee and Director misconduct
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Corporate governance and compliance, including non-compliance with conflict-of-interest rules
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Regulatory governance and compliance, including non-compliance with Broader Public Sector procurement and other requirements​
​MEDIATION/ADR:
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Experience acting as both counsel and as mediator at mediations
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Employment/workplace disputes, including civil wrongful dismissal claims
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Commercial disputes
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Disputes between Boards of Directors of distinct corporate entities​
ADJUDICATION:
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Chair, Discipline Committee, Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
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Professional Regulation, Professional Misconduct, Insurance Fraud, Sexual Abuse, Penalties and Costs
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Contested and Uncontested hearings, Chair panel deliberations, write decisions on merits and on penalty and costs
Human Rights Law | Occupational Health and Safety Law | Employment Law
Administrative Law | Regulated Health Professions Law and Procedures
Corporate Governance and Compliance | Regulatory Governance and Compliance
ABOUT US
JWLaw specializes in workplace issues and investigations and in mediation/ ADR. Its founder, Judy Welikovitch, is a senior lawyer, litigator, mediator and investigator with extensive executive management experience in the not-for-profit sector.
Judy is an independent, fair-minded fact-finder who brings her strong interviewing and analytical skills, her ethical compass, and her sound judgment to her investigations.
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JWLaw will conduct an independent workplace investigation with the utmost fairness and integrity. As directed by the investigation mandate, JWLaw will carry out a thorough and timely investigation that is guided by the principles of procedural fairness and natural justice, and the requirements of occupational health and safety law, administrative law, human rights and anti-discrimination laws, and labour and employment law.
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JWLaw also provides mediation/ADR services to its clients. Judy brings her legal knowledge and expertise to the table when assisting parties to settle their disputes. She meets with the parties at the beginning of each mediation to develop a keen sense of the complex dynamics of the conflict and the goals of each party for the day. Judy is a skilled neutral third party who assists parties to a dispute to voluntarily reach their own mutually acceptable settlement of the issues between them.
JUDY WELIKOVITCH
Judy earned a BCom (Economics) from McGill University, where she was recognized as a University Scholar upon graduation. She then earned an LLB (JD) at Osgoode Hall Law School. Judy is a Member in Good Standing of the Law Society of Ontario, and a Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
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She has completed additional training in a number of key areas, including investigative processes and techniques, corporate governance essentials, managing in a unionized workplace, negotiation, occupational health and safety law and administrative law, and assessing credibility. She earned a certificate in Negotiation from the Osgoode Professional Development Centre.
Judy joined the Board of the Geneva Centre for Autism in 2016 and was elected President of the Board in 2017. She is also Chair of the GCA's Human Resources Committee and its Governance Committee.
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Judy was appointed a Public Member of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario in 2019 and was re-appointed in 2022. She is Chair of the Discipline Committee and a member of the Governance Committee. As Chair of Discipline, Judy plays an adjudicative role in leading panels of the Committee at hearings where dentists/members are called upon to defend allegations made against them. She is also primarily responsible for writing the Reasons for the panel and for writing and issuing reprimands to dentists.
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Judy is also a member of the College's inaugural Governance Committee in which she is playing an important role in the organization’s governance reform. She was recently re-appointed to the Committee for 2025-27.
OUR APPROACH
Pursuant to current Ontario legislation, employers are being held to an ever-increasing standard of impartiality and thoroughness in their workplace investigations.
Investigations must be undertaken when the employer becomes aware of an incident or receives a complaint (whether oral or in writing). Investigations must also be conducted with the utmost confidentiality possible so as to ensure the privacy and protection of the people involved. Parties to an investigation must be advised of their entitlement to protection from reprisal pursuant to Section 50 of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. This means that employees are protected from acts like an employer firing them or threatening to fire them, or disciplining them or threatening to discipline them, because they made a complaint.
Judy is a skilled and active listener and interviewer. At JWLaw, we work to ensure that throughout the investigative process, participants are both heard and feel heard. The participants – complainant, respondent, any witnesses – and the employer must feel confident that the investigation was independent and impartial. To accomplish this, we will work to deliver an investigation that:
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is efficient and timely
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is thorough and well-documented
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strives to maintain an investigative process that is professional and as confidential as possible in all the circumstances
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is conducted with integrity and
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is both fair and perceived to be fair
We can offer recommendations regarding management of the complaint before and after completion of the investigation and report, particularly where a continuation of the employment relationship is contemplated. We can also offer recommendations with respect to resolution of the complaint where possible or preferable, and for strengthening your policies and procedures.
CONTACT US
You can reach us by phone at (416) 995-1567 or by email at judy@jwlawtoronto.ca.
Our mailing address is 6060-3080 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4N 3N1.
