Blog
Common Reasons For Dismissal From the Workplace and How to Challenge Them
Putting aside company layoffs for a moment, there are two basic types of dismissal in the workplace: termination for cause and dismissal without cause. Regardless of the reasons for being fired given to you by your employer, if you've been dismissed from a workplace...
Business Sale: Understanding Your Rights After Your Employer Sells the Company
To a business owner, the sale of their business can be the well-deserved payout of a life's worth of blood, sweat and tears. For the employees and their families, however, even assurances of job security may not be enough to relieve feelings of uncertainty and worry...
What To Know About the Employment Equity Act in Canada
If you want a summary of the intent behind Canada's Employment Equity Act (EEA), you need not look any further than section 2 of the EEA, the "Purpose of Act" (last updated in 2017): "The purpose of this Act is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person...
Performance Improvement Plans in the Banking Industry
At face value, performance improvement plans (PIPs) are meant to be a tool that helps struggling employees meet specific performance-related goals. In the banking and finance industry, this commonly means meeting targets and sales quotas of various financial products....
Working Notice in Ontario
If an employer wants to end an employment contract without cause in Ontario, and the employee has worked with them for at least 90 days, the employee is entitled to a minimum amount of notice that their job is going to be ending on a specific date in the future (the...
The Employment Standards Act
Ontario's Employment Standards Act (ESA) is one of the main sources of employment laws in Ontario. For almost every worker in Ontario, it outlines their minimum rights in the workplace and covers most aspects of the employer-employee relationship. Learn about your...
Examples of Disability Discrimination
Despite the best intentions of the federal government and provincial legislators, disability discrimination is still causing too many Canadians to be excluded from the basic necessities of life. If you are facing unfair and discriminatory challenges at work, speak...
Understanding the Duty to Accommodate Laws in Canada
A duty to accommodate is an attempt to even the playing field in circumstances that inherently discriminate against a person based on grounds they have no control over and that are protected in several Canadian statutes. Protected (or prohibited) grounds typically...
What Qualifies for Long-Term Disability in Canada?
Long-term disability (LTD) benefits are paid out by insurance companies according to the policy purchased by a worker, their union/association or their employer, and each has specific rules regarding how you qualify for long-term disability benefits. The general rule...
How to Apply for Long-Term Disability
One of the many things the COVID-19 pandemic made crystal clear, if it wasn't already, is that our health is often out of our control. Be it mental or physical, illnesses and injuries are mostly unexpected and can completely disrupt our lives, especially conditions...
The Most Common Types of Disabling Conditions and How to Deal with Them
The latest numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that over 1 billion people around the world live with a disabling condition. The current world population is approximately 7.8 billion and is expected to reach 8 million this month. In other words, more...
What is the Accessible Canada Act and Who Does it Benefit?
On June 20, 2018, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-81 in Parliament, an Act intended to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040, known as the Accessible Canada Act. The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, and became law on July...
Workplace Sexual Harassment Laws in Canada
One in four women and 17% of men experienced sexual misconduct while in the workplace in Canada in 2020. Realistically, those numbers are probably higher. Employers are legally required to provide a safe, harassment-free workplace. Nobody should have to endure sexual...
$170,000 Awarded in HRTO Case Involving Sexual Assault
In April 2020, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “HRTO”) awarded $170,000 to a terminated employee that engaged in a sexual relationship with her supervisor. Compared to other decisions at the HRTO, this was a high award. But what led to the award? Let’s...
$170,000 Awarded in HRTO Case Involving Sexual Assault
In April 2020, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “HRTO”) awarded $170,000 to a terminated employee that engaged in a sexual relationship with her supervisor. Compared to other decisions at the HRTO, this was a high award. But what led to the award? Let’s...
Your Guide to COVID 19 & Employment Rights in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the course of history almost overnight. In a matter of days, governments were scrambling to figure out how to stop the spread and keep people safe, and business owners were left wondering how they were going to survive. With these...
COVID-19: Economic Measures for Employers and Employees
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the lives of Canadians, the government has introduced several measures to assist those in need, including both employers and employees. While many businesses have been forced to close, many employers and employees alike...
COVID-19 and Temporary Lay-Offs: What Can I Do?
Many Canadians are finding themselves out of job during the coronavirus pandemic. While many have been outright dismissed from their employment, some workers were told that the lay-off is temporary and that their employer expects to call them back. Here, we will...
COVID-19 and Temporary Layoffs: What Are Your Risks?
There are no shortage of newspaper articles, blogs, etc. commenting on the legality of temporary layoffs. Many are from law firms. A number of articles state that a lay off (even during unprecedented times like these) is a construction dismissal or termination. In...