It is typical in any wrongful dismissal claim for an employee to challenge a termination clause relied on by an employer in an employment contract as illegal and unenforceable. If they succeed, the employee would likely be entitled to significantly more financial compensation as part of a severance
Ontario Human Rights Complaints – HRTO or Union Grievance
In a recent decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) held that it has concurrent jurisdiction to resolve complaints of discrimination and harassment that arise in a unionized workplace, even if they otherwise fall within the scope of a collective bargaining agreement ("CBA") governed by
Are You an Employer in Ontario? Find Out Why Employment Contracts Are Your Best Friend
For any business, having procedures in place to ensure cost-effective operations is obvious. However, one important area many companies overlook involves how they manage their workforce - specifically, having an employment contract in place. The most important reason for employers to have an
Short-Service Employee Entitled to Long Notice Period – Severance Packages
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