Introduction This blog post provides a detailed overview of the development of employment law in Canada, with an emphasis on Ontario. It traces major legislative milestones, key judicial interpretations, and policy changes from pre-Confederation through to the present day. The evolution of employment law is examined in chronological and thematic segments: early employment laws of …
Employment Law
In Ontario, there are a number of measures to ensure protection of workers’ rights. In the event that workers exercise their rights, there are statutory measures that prohibit employers from punishing workers. These measures aim to ensure that workers not only have rights but are able to freely exercise them. Workers’ rights are granted under …
What is Pay Equity? Ontario’s Pay Equity Act states that the purpose of the act is to “redress systemic gender discrimination in compensation for work performed by employees in female job classes.” What does that mean, and how does it differ from the rules on “equal pay for equal work” that are found in the …
Think about preparing for a shift at work. The process of getting ready and going to work may involve putting on a uniform, driving or taking public transportation, styling your hair to look presentable, and any number of other tasks. If you were to get prepared to work, show up at work, and get sent …
On March 21, 2024, Ontario’s Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 received Royal Assent. Royal Assent is the last step in the process of how a bill becomes law in Ontario. What Statutes Does Bill 149 Impact? Bill 149 makes changes to the following statutes: Changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 Bill …
It is a common misconception that salaried employees are not entitled to overtime pay. Working as a salaried employee does not disqualify anyone from receiving overtime pay. In Ontario, the rules for overtime pay are outlined in the Employment Standards Act (ESA). What is Overtime Pay? The rule for overtime pay is found in section …
When an employer becomes bankrupt, the rights of its employees are impacted devastatingly. When a company goes bankrupt, of course, its employees will lose their job. To make matters worse, the employees will likely not receive any reasonable notice (i.e. common law severance) and, perhaps, the full extent of their yet unpaid wages. The Rules …
Employment Standards and Other Employment Law Legislation and Common Law When an employee works in Canada, they are protected by the employment law of their country and province. When an employee works in one province, but travels to another province or even another country for a short trip on a temporary business, again, they are …
Employees can sue their employer for various wrongs, most notably: Generally, employers are no different than any other kind of person (corporations are persons) and they can be sued in all the same ways anyone else can be sued. However, regarding personal injury, generally, an employee cannot sue their employer and instead must proceed to …
The cost of an employment lawyer depends on the type of matter and the experience of the lawyer. Minimal risk, commonplace matters like typical wrongful dismissals can be conducted via an accessible contingency fee arrangement, which means the client only pays a fee upon successful completion of the services and this is usually calculated as …