Harassment in the workplace has been a hot topic within the media as of late. Significant allegations have arisen in Hollywood and elsewhere regarding abuse suffered by actors and vulnerable workers that have started a debate regarding the abuse of power that often occurs within the workplace. Workplace harassment is not new. It is an …
Harassment in the Workplace: What Can Employees Do? Read More »
Job abandonment is a defence employers attempt to use to refute allegations of wrongful dismissal. The circumstances that give rise to this often related to an employees’ inability to return to work due to harassment in the workplace, a poisoned work environment, family emergency or as a result of illness. But how long is too …
With new changes to legislation and employers ever-growing concerns for profits, employees now more than ever, need to know their rights. The question that will be examined further is whether temporary layoffs are permitted. The first and most crucial information to know is that employers DO NOT have an automatic right to temporarily layoff (“TLO”) …
What’s the minimum wage for federally regulated employees? Given the recent discussions around Ontario’s wage increase, a lot of people have been left asking how it might affect them, including federally regulated workers. We have previously defined who federally regulated workers are. And also Monkhouse Law provides access through access to information requests of the largest …
Automation is the repetition of a process. There are many software programs on the market that can be used to complete tasks that are routine in companies. Automation software becomes especially attractive when companies realize how much time can be saved when repetitive tasks can be assigned to machines. This frees up time that can …
Non-solicitations clauses or agreements are meant to protect the employer from having its customers, clients, suppliers, or other employees recruited/solicited by a departing employee. You may find one of these clauses in your employment contract and wonder how enforceable it may be, especially if you have brought in a significant amount of business for the …
Aside from the common employee-employer relationship that we are used to seeing in workplaces, sometimes an organization will hire an individual based on an independent contractor-principal relationship. An independent contractor is a self-employed worker hired to perform a specific type of work or task. The two relationships are treated very differently in law and it …
Many employees have accrued pension benefits over their tenure. However, employees may not be aware that if they are terminated prior to their retirement age, their pension policy and certain other factors may afford them a right to pension grow-in benefits under the Pension Benefits Act. This right entitles the eligible plan member to receive …
What kind of companies are federally regulated and what does that mean? Canada is a ‘double jurisdiction’ legal environment. That means that based on our federal system of government, employees working for different employers within the same province can be subject to different laws. For frequently asked questions regarding employment and COVID-19, please read What …
The Ontario Liberal government has tabled a bill based on the ‘Changing Workplaces Review’ report that has passed and will soon become law. Below we have highlighted some of the generally expected updates to the Employment Standards Act, 2000, which will affect many employers and employees. 1. Minimum wage increases – s. 23.1 Before: As …