Legal Insights from a Toronto Employment Lawyer
Practical articles on wrongful dismissal, severance packages, employment contracts, and workplace rights in Ontario — written by Sezar Bune, J.D.
Ontario Human Rights Law for Employees
Human Rights Law Protections for Employees The Ontario Human Rights Code requires all employers to respect the rights of their workers and ensure their workplace is free of any form of discrimination. Most importantly, employers are required to accommodate their...
Ontario – Infectious Disease Emergency Leave and Temporary Layoff
Temporary Layoffs in Ontario As covered before on this blog, employers may be able to place employees on a temporary layoff, particularly in response to business downturns. However, to do so, the employer must have prior permission in the form of a signed, valid...
To be or Not to Be: Employee, Independent Contractor… or Dependent Contractor?
Employee, Independent Contractor... or Dependent Contractor? In the area of employment law, some of the most common disputes employment lawyers deal with often involve debating legal rules that are constantly changing as a result of conflicting court decisions. The...
Got a New Employment Contract? Key Considerations for Employees in Ontario
Receiving a new job offer is an exciting time, often coming with a new role, a fresh start and - most importantly - higher pay and more employee perks and benefits. But with that new gig, a new employer may request that an employee sign a new "Employment Contract"...
Employee Severance Package
What Does My Employer Have to Pay When My Employment is Terminated? In Ontario, an employer has various legal obligations when it decides to terminate an employee's job. Most important among them is the obligation to provide the employee with a severance package....
COVID-19: Federal Government Benefits for Businesses and Employees
In response to the coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19"), the Canadian government has enacted a variety of financial measures intended to alleviate the economic and financial consequences of COVID-19. To help employers, employees, seniors and students navigate through the...
Constructive Dismissal of Employees in Ontario: What is It? What Are Some Examples?
What is a Constructive Dismissal in Ontario? In employment law, a "constructive dismissal" means that an employer has acted in such a manner that it has essentially refused to perform its obligations under its employment contract with an employee. In other words, a...
When is a Temporary Layoff Allowed? When is it a Constructive Dismissal?
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant economic disruptions on businesses across Canada, many employees were either terminated from their employment, or were placed on "temporary layoff" by their employers. While it may seem reasonable for employers to ask...
What Are My Rights as an Employee in Ontario?
In Ontario, all workers are guaranteed certain (minimum) rights at work protected by law. In this article, we cover few main areas of legal protection that all employees enjoy, including when it comes to employment terms and conditions and human rights. Employment...
Ontario Employee or Independent Contractor?
Are you an employee or an independent contractor? What is the difference, and what rights does an employee have that an independent contractor does not under Ontario employment law? One of the difficulties workers experience is not knowing how to determine if they are...