We previously wrote about a recent case called Pavlov v. The New Zealand and Australian Lamb Company Limited, where an Ontario court awarded a relatively short-service employee significant damages for wrongful dismissal following his unlawful termination of employment. This was an important
Vulnerable Temporary Foreign Workers in Ontario – Workplace Harassment and Abuse
Across Canada, many companies who suffer from work shortages turn to hiring foreign workers as a means to address their labour needs. To do that, these companies rely on the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is overseen by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and
Long-term Disability Disputes – What Employees in Ontario Should Know
When Should I Speak with an Employment Lawyer about a Long-Term Disability Dispute? Sometimes, employees experience a medical condition that forces them to take a long medical leave of absence as a result of an injury or illness, which naturally causes significant concern and financial hardship. In
What is an Employee’s Wrongful Resignation in Ontario Employment Law?
Quiet Quitting During the past few months, there has been lots of talk about employees "quiet quitting" their jobs. Put simply, it refers to employees who only do the job that they’re being paid to do, without taking on any extra duties or participating in extracurriculars at work. In other words,
What Ontario Should Know Employers Electronic Monitoring Policies
One of the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was the accelerated trend toward remote working arrangements, where many employees work exclusively (or partly from home). This has led to a sea change in the labour landscape and employees' rights and responsibilities, where most companies' policies (and
What’s the Purpose of a Probation Period in an Employment Agreement?
Probation Periods in Employment Agreements As an employment lawyer, I regularly assist employees across Ontario in reviewing and negotiating employment agreements (sometimes called "employment contracts"), including when it comes to a probation period. One of the best decisions any employee can
To Be, or Not to Be? Should I be an Independent Contractor, or an Employee?
What's the Difference between an Employee and Independent Contractor? As an employment lawyer, I have been asked to assist many individuals who (I believe) were improperly classified by their employer as an "independent contractor". As is the case more often than not, most of these individuals are
How Much Severance Pay Should I Get if I’m Fired from My Job?
What Should I do if I'm Wrongfully Dismissed and Lose My Job? Most employees are unsure of what to do when their company terminates their employment. The prospect of not having a job or stable income is traumatic enough as it is. Yet, to complicate matters, most employers force employees to quickly