Hena Singh & Stefan RosenbaumOn March 19, 2020, the Ontario government passed Bill 186 which amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) to add the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave to ensure that employees had a job protected leave if they were not able to work for COVID-19 related reasons (child care, personal medical reasons,…
Not all workers in Ontario are entitled to a severance package upon their dismissal. Are you? A person’s right to a severance will ultimately depend on the nature of their relationship with their employer. The law draws a distinction between employees and contractors. Years ago, it may have been accurate to say that only those who…
As Canadians prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming federal election, employees and employers alike should be aware of the specific legal entitlements that are in place to ensure that all workers have an opportunity to exercise their civic duty. All Canadian employees who are eligible to vote on polling day (a Canadian citizen…
Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, received Royal Assent on April 3, 2019, and the new legislation introduces some changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000. Most notable are the changes that Bill 66 has in respect to overtime. The 60 Hour Rule: Previously, employees were not permitted to work more than 60 hours per week. However, Bill 66…
Many people expect to receive financial compensation in the form of severance payments when their employment comes to an end. This expectation is based on a common but mistaken belief that workers are automatically entitled to severance payments. Some employment standards laws, such as Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000, do require employers to provide unconditional severance payments in…
It’s that time of year again! Holiday parties are in full swing. While the focus is on celebration and cheer, employers must keep in mind that without proper planning, the celebrations may result in legal liability. Aside from excessive drinking at work functions, the most common legal issue employers face is sexual harassment, an issue…
On November 27, 2017, Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. The Bill brings the most significant changes to the Employment Standards Act (the “ESA”) that we have seen in approximately two decades. Some of the changes come into effect as early as December 3, 2017, with the most significant amendments coming…
The majority of employees we meet at the Firm are unaware of their overtime entitlements. Many are shocked to learn that they unknowingly earned thousands of dollars in unpaid income. This is not entirely surprising given the many misconceptions about overtime. It is true that certain professions are not entitled to overtime. However, employees working…
Écoutez l’entrevue avec Me Cédric Lamarche au sujet de la discrimination raciale au travail sur les ondes de la radio Universitaire de Toronto, CIUT 89,5FM (Pot-Pourri Show): http://www.potpourrishow.com/02262017.mp3 Cédric représente et conseille les employés et les employeurs en matière du droit de l’emploi. Il comparaît régulièrement devant le Tribunal des droits de la personne de l’Ontario et peut…
During the course of employment, an employee may obtain access to confidential information regarding the employer’s business interests, including trade secrets and customer lists. As a result, and in order to protect itself from exploitation, an employer may require the employee to enter into a contract with provisions restricting the employee’s business activities at the end…