When Do I Need an Employment Lawyer in Ontario?

When Should I Consult with an Employment Lawyer?

Whether you are an employee or employer in Ontario, there are several situations in which you may want to consider speaking with an experienced employment lawyer:

1) If you believe your employer has violated your employee rights: A leading employment lawyer in Ontario can help you understand your legal rights and next steps are as an employee, and determine if your employer has acted unfairly. For example, if you believe you were unjustly fired, or were the victim of harassment or discrimination harassment, an employment lawyer can help you explore your options.

The issue of wrongful termination is an important one to consider. If you have been fired, it can be a very difficult and stressful experience. The most important thing to keep in mind is to first consult with an employment lawyer to review your employer’s severance package before you sign any legal documents (especially a severance pay offer and legal release, which forfeit your legal rights to negotiate your severance package or pursue a wrongful dismissal case).

2) If you are negotiating a severance agreement: If you have been terminated and your employer is offering a severance package, it is always a good idea to have an employment lawyer review the severance package before you sign it. Most importantly, a top employment lawyer in Ontario can ensure that the terms of the severance pay offer are fair, reasonable and protect your rights as an employee following your termination of employment.

3) If you are starting a new business (or otherwise growing your existing business as an employer): an employment lawyer can help you understand the employment laws that apply to your company and assist you in developing employment policies and contracts that are compliant with these laws. The benefits of consulting with an employment lawyer in these situations cannot be overstated: there are a myriad of legal requirements that all employers must follow under Ontario employment law, and have the following workplace policies in place can help ensure compliance to minimize the risk of workplace litigation or Ministry of Labour complaints:

employment contracts (help enshrine both the employer and employee’s legal rights and obligations, including when it comes to employer resignation, termination of employment and other typical workplace issues that can arise)
workplace harassment policies (as required by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act)
workplace harassment policies (as required by the Ontario Human Rights Code)
employee electronic monitoring policies

4) If you are involved in a workplace dispute with your employer or employee: If you are involved in a dispute with your employer, such as a wrongful dismissal or constructive dismissal claim, an top employment lawyer in Ontario can help you effectively resolve the issues, or represent your interests in employment litigation. When it comes to workplace discrimination, where you believe you have been the victim of discrimination at work based on your gender, religion, age, or another protected personal characteristic, an employment lawyer can help you understand your rights and options for pursuing a discrimination claim.

5) New employment contract: if you are an employee who was asked by your current (or new) employer to sign a new employment agreement, our experienced employment lawyer at Bune Law can help review and explain its terms and conditions in plain language, to help you understand whether the employment contract you are about to sign is in your best interests (spoiler alert: often, it is not), and to help strategize and negotiate important changes to it to protect your employee legal rights.

Similarly, if you are a business operating in Ontario, an employment lawyer can help draft a legally valid employment contract that is fair, appropriate and protects your business, while ensuring it fully complied with employment law requirements.

6) Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements: If your employer is requiring you to comply with a signed a non-compete or non-solicitation agreement you previously signed, an employment lawyer in Ontario can help you understand the terms of the agreement, whether or not it is legally enforceable, and explain your employee rights and obligations under the agreement.

The above is not a complete list, and an employment lawyer in Ontario can help with all other issues or disputes related to employment or workplaces in Ontario.

Contact Ontario Employment Lawyer Today

If you are an employer who is facing a wrongful dismissal claim and need employer defence counsel for help or representation, or an employee who believes you have been wrongfully dismissed by your employer and you would like to know if you have the right to sue your employer for constructive dismissal, review your employment contract or negotiate a severance package, our experienced constructive dismissal lawyer at Bune Law, Toronto employment lawyer, can help. Contact us by phone 647-822-5492 or fill out the contact form to the side. We would be happy to assist in your employment law matter as quickly as possible.

Disclaimer: The content on this website and blog is not legal advice or legal opinion of any kind, and is only to provide general information. It is in no way particular to your individual case and should not be relied upon in any way. The outcome of a legal matter depends on its unique circumstances, and prior successes are not indicative of future results. No portion or use of this website or blog will establish a lawyer-client relationship with the author, this law firm or any related party. Should you require legal advice for your particular situation, please fill out the form below, or call 647-822-5492, to request an initial consultation.