February 2024

Any injury on the job can be devastating, be it a slip and fall or a lost finger. For many employees, the pain is aggravated by the actions of their employers, who often fail to file the correct paperwork with WSIB, delaying the compensation or illegally punishing the injured employee for daring to get hurt by disciplining or terminating them for “unrelated reasons.” The law takes a very dim view of both of these actions, operating on the assumption that any discipline taken after a health and safety complaint is an illegal reprisal. An employer is required to show that…

“It depends” is a phrase that can be both frustrating and confusing. When seeking an answer, few things can be as irritating as being told, “It depends.” With some employers intentionally using the confusion over the difference between an employee and an independent contractor to strip workers of statutory protections and increase their profits, this is an ongoing issue. Many workers are unaware that there is a third category, dependent contractors. This third category is often difficult to determine. It relies on assessing all the factors in the employment relationship. For better or worse, some clarity has been added by…

Yes, and probably more than you think. For many employees, the first time they read their employment contract is when they are hired, and the second is when they are fired. It can be years or even decades between signing a document and parts of it becoming relevant, which can be daunting for many employees who need help with their rights. Adding to this is that Employment Law is usually rapidly changing, and something that may have been true a few years ago is now completely the opposite. This is why getting legal advice before signing anything upon termination is…