COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on the Ontario workforce. While many employees contracted COVID-19 and recovered within a few weeks, some individuals still suffer from symptoms months later. According to the federal government, individuals who are still experiencing physical or psychological symptoms more than twelve weeks after initially contracting the virus are suffering from […]
Many workers are thinking of making a career change or leaving secure employment, and one recent Bloomberg article explores the numerous benefits of changing your career every decade. Below, we discuss the drawbacks of doing so from an employment law perspective, especially if you are considering leaving a secure job without your next position already […]
by BRAM A. LECKER, B.A., LLB. BARRISTER & SOLICITOR It’s another morning at work. Through the elevator door that needs an oil, past that infernal clock that runs too slow, the faint smell of bitter coffee and carpet freshener wafting in from the kitchen, where the muffled laughter of office banter begins to overcome the […]
On June 2, 2022, Ontario’s “right to disconnect” law came into effect, a first in Canadian employment law. On the surface, this law requires employers to develop a policy allowing employees the right to disconnect outside of standard office hours. However, a closer look reveals that below the surface, this law does not provide employees […]
Dependent contractors are a common, but rarely acknowledged worker of the business world. Whether working as a door-to-door salesman or via a numbered company, these workers always have two things in common: most of their income is derived from one contract and the nature of their business arrangements is precarious. For many small and medium-size […]
Can your employer terminate you without cause? The short answer is yes, employers in Ontario have the right to terminate an employee on a “without cause” basis. However, there are limits: an employer cannot terminate an employee as retaliation or for discriminatory reasons per the Ontario Human Rights Code. If this happens, the termination is […]
While the jury is still out on whether or not the COVID-19 crisis is over, one thing is certain – people are working again. Unemployment is finally dipping below pre-pandemic levels, and with new jobs come new contracts. A lot of people’s eyes gloss over when it comes to contracts, but they’re the most important […]
With COVID-19 cases on the rise, employees across the country are wondering if their jobs could, once again, be at risk. Given how uncertain the situation is right now, employers may opt to “Infectious Disease Emergency Lay-off” (“IDEL”) employees and recall them once restrictions loosen in the future. Prior to the pandemic, a temporary layoff […]
As the years go by, the reality and expectation to accommodate work over personal life has become more normal. In the case of Hilton v. Norampac Inc (2003), represented by the Principal of Lecker & Associates Bram Lecker, the court reviewed facts regarding child care commitments that interfered with employment. Michael Hilton, the plaintiff, worked […]
Dependent contractors/agents are common in the business world. As a group, Dependent Commissioned Agents (DCAs) make their income in commissions generated from the sales of a commercial enterprise’s products or services. Whether engaged as door-to-door salespeople or as owners of incorporated sales agencies, DCAs have two things in common: economic dependency and minimum security in […]