Labour & Employment

Holiday bonuses (and gifts) are commonly appreciated, morale-boosting and an opportunity for employers to express gratitude to employees collectively at the end of the work year. However, if expectations are not met, they can also cause strife, conflict and, in some cases, litigation. Bonuses are not legislatively governed in Ontario; rather, they are considered a […]

In this case, a “construction” employee had signed an employment agreement purporting to minimize the employee’s entitlements upon termination to only those required by the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”). However, the Court held the employment contract to be invalid, thereby awarding common law reasonable notice to the employee. The fatal error by

Under Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act (“AODA”), there are some upcoming deadlines CKL businesses may need to be aware of: Accessible Websites Required for 2021 Particularly timely with so many of us working, shopping and generally living online is the obligation to make websites accessible. That is set to be in force on

I just returned to work. Can my boss tell me when I can take my vacation this year? Yes. Because the COVID-19 pandemic has made travel impossible or risky to one’s health, employers may face employee requests to delay vacation time. In this Insight, we help employers in Ontario understand their rights and obligations when faced

Employers operating in Ontario, Canada should be aware that Ontario’s minimum wage rate is set to increase on October 1, 2020. This increase affects not only the general minimum wage rate, but also the alternative minimum wage rates that apply in Ontario. Effective on October 1, 2020, all minimum wage rates are increasing as follows:

Employers with 10 or more employees in Ontario are required to preserve pay equity in accordance with the Ontario Pay Equity Act, RSO 1990, c P7 (“PEA”). Under Ontario’s laws, “pay equity” is different from “equal pay for equal work”. Under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), subject to certain exceptions, an employer cannot pay one employee at

In Ontario, temporary lay offs generally may be up to thirteen weeks, under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (Ontario) (“ESA”). If the person is not recalled, the employer faces risk that the employee would be deemed terminated under the ESA, even if both the employer and the employee wish to continue the employment relationship. During COVID’s special circumstances,

You and a few co-workers are out to dinner after a lengthy work week. During the event, your co-worker, who is also more senior than you and managerial, quietly says to you: “You will have to tell me if this is a misstep, but I’m crazy about you”. You tell your co-worker this comment is

At the end of this year (Jan. 1, 2021), employers that are federally regulated (banks, transportation, communication, etc.) must comply with the new “Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations (the “Regulations”). They extensively overhaul employer’s harassment-related duties and obligations and impose many new policy-related requirements. For example, the Regulations require employers to solicit feedback