September 9, 2016

Terminated Employee Entitled to Bonus Payments

An employee in Ontario was awarded bonus payments for the applicable reasonable notice period following a without cause termination despite the bonus plan’s express terms that personal and company objectives must be met and the employee must be actively employed.

July 22, 2016

What Constitutes a Sufficient Breach of Trust to Justify Dismissal?

Cause for dismissal may be found where an employee’s conduct constitutes a serious breach of the relationship of trust that exists between an employer and employee. In Patanguli v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2015 FCA 291, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a decision of the Public Service Labour Relations Board which found that […]

June 29, 2016

An Employee With a 14 Year Absence Reinstated With Full...

In May of 2016, in Fair v Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, 2012 HRTO 350, an Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a Human Rights Tribunal with important implications for employers in relation to the duty to accommodate and the jeopardy of reinstatement.

June 20, 2016

Labour Arbitration: When are Damages in Lieu of Reinstatement an...

In the context of a unionized work environment, it is generally the case that when an employee is found to be terminated without cause, the employee is ordered to be reinstated.

May 20, 2016

Employer Liable for Remainder of Fixed Term Employment Contract

A new decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal shows the potential downside of fixed term employment contracts for employers and the importance of proper drafting.

May 13, 2016

Beware of the One Month Per Year of Service “Rule”:...

There is no shortage of cases which confirm the perils of assuming that an employer’s liability for reasonable notice of termination will be capped at one month per year of employment.

Substantial Changes to Employment for Employee Returning from Maternity Leave...

Dealing with employees who take maternity and/or paternity leave and then return to the workplace can be challenging for employers. However, the ability of parents to take maternity and/or paternity leave, and return to their employment, is a legislated right.

March 24, 2016

The Enforceability of Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Clauses

The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench recently addressed the enforceability of restrictive covenants: Non-competition and non-solicitation clauses in Specialized Property Evaluation Control Services Ltd. V. Les Evaluations Marc Bourret Appraisals Inc., 2016

February 18, 2016

Beware of the One Month Per Year of Service “Rule”:...

There continues to be a seemingly never-ending stream of cases which confirm the perils of assuming that an employer’s liability for reasonable notice of termination will be capped at one month per year of employment.

February 5, 2016

Can’t Afford to Keep Them, Can’t Afford to Fire Them:...

Employee salaries and benefits can be some of the greatest costs borne by a business. As a result, when a company faces financial hardship, they will often terminate positions to reduce their costs.