Employment Contract Lawyer
in Toronto, Ontario
Before You Sign. Before You're Let Go. The Contract Controls Everything.
"Most people don't actually look at their employment contract until the day they are let go. By then, the terms of their severance were set years ago, without their input."Sezar Bune, Employment Lawyer & Founder, Bune Law
Most employment contracts in Ontario are drafted by the employer's lawyer, written to define and limit what you can claim long before a dispute ever arises. A contract that hasn't been reviewed can cap your severance, enforce an unenforceable non-compete, or leave you without recourse if the relationship ends.
Whether you've just received a new offer or you're questioning the terms you've been working under for years, knowing what your contract actually says changes what you're entitled to.
Have your employment contract reviewed by an employment contract lawyer in Ontario before you sign, or before it matters most.
Why Employment Contracts Deserve Careful Attention Before Signing
Most employees treat a new employment contract just another document, quickly sign and return it to their employer. That approach is understandable. However, it is also one of the more serious mistakes an employee can make.
Most Ontario contracts contain a clause that caps severance at the ESA statutory minimum, regardless of what the employee might be entitled to at common law. The difference between those two figures can be substantial.
The severance package an employer offers at the end of the relationship is often traceable back to a single clause signed on day one, without a full understanding of what it meant.
By the time that clause becomes relevant, it is more difficult to challenge, short of the employer agreeing to amend it, which rarely happens.
What Our Employment Contract Review Covers
An employment contract review at Bune Law is a thorough, plain-language assessment of every provision that will impact your rights as an employee. It does not matter whether the role is entry-level or executive, or whether the contract is two pages or twenty. The length of the contract is rarely the issue. What is buried in it usually is.
At Bune Law, the contract review begins before any meeting takes place. Sezar Bune reviews the contract in advance, identifies the provisions that carry legal weight, and flags anything that warrants discussion or negotiation. From there, the findings are walked through with you directly, either in person or by phone, so that you leave with a clear picture of what the contract actually means for your legal position, not just what it says.
Every review is tailored to the specific agreement and the client's circumstances. The following provisions are routinely analyzed examined in every employment contract review at Bune Law.
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01
Termination clauses
Whether the clause is enforceable under Ontario law, what it means for your severance entitlements, and whether it warrants discussion before signing.
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02
Probationary period provisions
What the probationary period actually means in practice, how long it runs, and how it affects an employee's legal rights and protections during the early stage of the relationship.
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03
Non-competition clauses
The scope of the restriction, its geographic reach and duration, and whether it is proportionate enough to withstand legal scrutiny under Ontario law. Many non-competition clauses are broader than what a court would enforce.
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04
Non-solicitation clauses
How broadly the restriction is drafted, what conduct it captures after employment ends, and whether its scope is reasonably tied to the employer's legitimate business interests.
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05
Confidentiality and intellectual property provisions
What the employee is agreeing to protect, how long those obligations last, whether the scope of the restriction is reasonable given the nature of the role, and other terms that are often hidden.
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06
Compensation, bonus, and benefits terms
Whether discretionary language quietly limits entitlements that appear guaranteed on the surface, and how those provisions interact with termination rights if the relationship ends early.
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07
Ownership of work and inventions
Who owns what the employee creates during the course of employment, and where the line is drawn between the employer's property and the employee's own. This is particularly relevant for employees in technical, creative, or entrepreneurial roles.
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08
Relocation and flexibility clauses
Provisions that give the employer unilateral rights to change the fundamental terms of the employment relationship, including job duties, location, or compensation, often without any corresponding obligation to provide additional notice or compensation.
The goal of a employment contract review is not simply to flag problems. It is to make sure you understand exactly what you are being offered, what you are not, what the risks are, and what is worth raising before it becomes legally binding.
Schedule a ConsultationKey Clauses to Understand Before You Sign
Termination Clauses in Ontario Employment Contracts
The termination clause is the provision most employees pay the least attention to when signing, and the one they think about most when the employment relationship ends. In Ontario, it determines what compensation an employee will receive upon dismissal — and in most cases, it is drafted to limit that entitlement to the minimum required under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, which can be considerably less than what common law would otherwise provide.
Given their significance on limiting an employee's rights, the courts in Ontario examine termination clauses carefully. A termination clause that appears clear on its face may not hold up when measured against current legal standards. How the clause is worded, when it was signed, and whether the employment relationship changed significantly after signing are all factors that can affect how it is ultimately interpreted.
Through an employment contract review, you will be able to better understand what a termination clause says, how it may affect your rights and options in the future, and whether it raises anything worth addressing before signing.
Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Clauses in Ontario
Non-competition clauses are prohibited for most employees in Ontario under the Working for Workers Act. Despite this, many contracts still include them — and many employees sign without realizing the restriction may be unenforceable, or without understanding what it actually prevents them from doing. Where they do apply, an enforceable non-compete can restrict you from working in your field, joining a competitor, or operating in a specific geographic area for a fixed period after leaving.
Non-solicitation clauses are generally permissible but must be carefully drafted to be enforceable. Knowing whether the restrictions in your contract go further than a court would uphold is worth establishing before you sign, not after.
When to Have Your Employment Contract Reviewed
For employees, the right time to have an employment contract reviewed is before signing. That is the only point in the process where questions can be raised, terms can be discussed, and changes can actually be made. Once an employment contract is signed, the terms become considerably harder to revisit. Employers are under no legal obligation to renegotiate a signed agreement, and courts will generally hold parties to what they agreed to, unless the terms themselves are unenforceable.
Receiving a job offer does not require an immediate response on the contract. A reasonable employer will allow a prospective employee adequate time to review an offer before signing. Where that time is not offered, that itself is worth raising before the contract is executed. In our experience, most employers expect that a candidate may want a few days to review the agreement carefully. Asking for that time rarely costs an offer.
For employees who have already signed, speaking with an employment contract lawyer still serves a purpose. Understanding what the agreement actually says, which provisions may be unenforceable under Ontario law, and what options exist within the existing terms is information worth having before a dispute arises. Not every signed contract is as binding as it appears, and knowing the difference matters.
Why Clients Choose Bune Law for Employment Contract Review
Whether you have just received an offer or have already signed, understanding what your employment contract actually means and what it may cost you later is what every review at Bune Law is focused on.
Sezar Bune is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. Bune Law provides employment contract review and preparation services to employees in Toronto and across Ontario.
Bay Street Knowledge. Entirely on Your Side.
Sezar Bune has represented both employees and employers at prominent Ontario employment law firms since being called to the bar in 2014. He knows how employment contracts are drafted, what employers are protecting, and where provisions often do not hold up under Ontario law. That experience is now entirely on your side.
A Straight Answer in Plain Language.
Every employment contract review at Bune Law starts with a clear, honest assessment of what the agreement actually says and what it means for you. If the terms are reasonable, you will hear that. If there are provisions worth addressing before you sign, you will hear that too — without sugarcoating and without inflated promises.
Thorough and holisitc analysis of your rights
An employment contract review is for anyone who receives a new offer of employment and wants to fully understand their rights and obligations. Our process involves reviewing the entire contract in advance, then discussing all concerns in detail, identifying any desired changes, and making you aware of what exactly you are (or are not) agreeing to. This includes a review of termination clauses for legality, any restrictive covenants, and a full assessment of the employment contract based on your situation.
Have a contract in hand? Get it reviewed by an employment contract lawyer at Bune Law before you sign anything.
Schedule a ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
There is no legal requirement to have an employment contract reviewed before signing, but it is worth doing. Termination clauses and restrictive covenants can have significant long-term consequences that are not always apparent on a first read. A contract review clarifies what you are agreeing to, identifies provisions that may warrant discussion, and ensures you are making an informed decision before the agreement becomes binding.
Yes, and the offer stage is the right time to do it. Many employees assume employment contracts are non-negotiable. In practice, termination clauses, bonus structures, and restrictive covenants are frequently open to discussion, particularly for more senior roles. Most employers expect some back and forth before a contract is finalized. Knowing which provisions are worth raising — and how to approach that conversation without affecting the offer — is where an employment contract lawyer can help.
The termination clause warrants the most attention. It determines what compensation you are entitled to if your employment ends and is typically drafted to limit severance to the statutory minimum under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 — which can be considerably less than what Ontario common law would otherwise provide. For an employee with several years of service, the difference can amount to months of additional compensation.
A signed contract is not necessarily the final word on what you are owed. Ontario courts scrutinize termination clauses carefully, and clauses that do not comply with the Employment Standards Act, 2000 may be set aside entirely — with entitlements assessed on a different basis as a result. Not every termination clause an employer relies on at dismissal will hold up under that scrutiny.
If you have been dismissed and are uncertain about your termination clause, visit our Severance Package Review page or our Wrongful Dismissal page for more information.
Yes, but enforceability depends on whether the employer provided fresh consideration — something of value beyond continued employment. Under Ontario law, asking an existing employee to sign a new or updated agreement without providing adequate consideration raises enforceability questions courts have scrutinized carefully. If you have been asked to sign a new employment contract mid-employment, a review can clarify what the agreement means and whether its terms are likely to hold up.
Speak With a Toronto Employment Contract Lawyer Before You Sign
The terms agreed to at the contract stage have a way of becoming very relevant long after the offer letter has been forgotten. The right time to understand what an employment contract means for your rights under Ontario law — and whether any provisions are worth addressing — is before you sign, not after a dispute has already arisen.
Sezar Bune is a Toronto employment contract lawyer who has represented both employees and employers throughout his career. He understands how employment contracts are drafted, what employers are protecting, and where provisions often do not hold up under Ontario law. Every employment contract review at Bune Law receives direct, senior-level attention from the first conversation through to the final review.
Whether you have just received a new offer, have been asked to sign a mid-employment agreement, or want to understand a contract you have already signed, Bune Law will give you a straight answer about where you stand. Bune Law serves employees in Toronto, North York, and throughout Ontario.
This page provides general information about Ontario employment law for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Every situation is different. Contact Bune Law to discuss the specific circumstances of your matter.
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