After two or three decades of employment, you have been handed a severance package and shown the door – now what?
Severance packages and what that online reasonable notice calculator isn’t telling you
Blog Post
April 4, 2019
Read Time: 3 minutes
Changes to Labour Standards in Quebec – What Do You Need to Know?
Blog Post
February 21, 2019
Read Time: 3 minutes
What are the top five things you should know about the recent changes to labour standards in Quebec?
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: What Should I Do?
Blog Post
January 18, 2018
Read Time: 3 minutes
The sexual abuse allegations against film mogul Harvey Weinstein led to an outpouring of allegations against other powerful people in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. The workplace is an especially vulnerable place due to the obvious power imbalance between employees and their supervisors. If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, what are your legal rights?
Just Cause: When Is It Justified?
Blog Post
October 6, 2017
Read Time: 4 minutes
Much of the work of employment lawyers involves dealing with people who have been terminated. One type of termination is for cause. In general terms, this is when the employer dismisses an employee for having done something wrong. What does this mean for the employee? And what are the obligations of the employer?
Rejected Severance Packages: To Plead or Not to Plead, That is the Question
Blog Post
August 25, 2017
Read Time: 4 minutes
A recent decision from an Ottawa judge at the Superior Court of Justice has shed light on whether severance packages offered by employers at termination can later be referred to in court pleadings. It seems that the answer will usually (but not always) be “no”.
Have you taken the legal steps to protect your startup from disaster?
Blog Post
May 29, 2017
Read Time: 4 minutes
The best time to see a lawyer is when you don’t think you need one. Avoid the mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make and take the legal steps to protect your startup from disaster.
Working Notice and Limitation Periods: When Can I Sue?
Blog Post
May 11, 2017
Read Time: 3 minutes
If I am terminated with working notice and decide to work through that notice period, when can I file a claim for wrongful dismissal? A recent Ontario court case wrestled with this question, deciding that the deadline for employees to commence an action begins to run when their employer gives them “working notice.”
Is the Unofficial Reasonable Notice Cap Officially Gone?
Blog Post
February 22, 2017
Read Time: 3 minutes
If I am terminated without cause, what reasonable notice am I entitled to? Is there a maximum amount? Employees who have been terminated without cause often file a claim against their former employer. If the employee is successful in proving their claim, the court will then determine the length of notice that the employer should have provided to the employee.
The Spaghetti Method – When Allegations of Just Cause Don’t Stick
Blog Post
February 1, 2017
Read Time: 3 minutes
When deciding what arguments to put forward in a legal case, it is sometimes tempting to take the spaghetti method: throw all the arguments out there, and see what sticks. A recent decision of the Small Claims Court in Ottawa, Budge v Dickie Moore Rental Inc, demonstrates the danger of the “spaghetti method.”
Terminating Probationary Employees – What Standard Applies?
Blog Post
January 5, 2017
Read Time: 2 minutes
In my previous blog post, I explained how 2016 was a great year for employees. There was a notable case, however, that was decided in favour of employers. Below is a cautionary tale for probationary employees. The case of Nagribianko v Select Wine Merchants Ltd was heard by the Ontario Divisional Court, and dealt with… Read more »