- Ontario – from $17.20 to $17.60
Avoiding Discrimination Claims: The Employer’s Guide to Compliant Hiring and Terminations
Hiring and terminating employees are two of the most critical decisions an employer can make. These moments define workplace culture, shape legal risk, and directly affect an organization’s reputation.
Unfortunately, they are also common sources of human rights complaints under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Whether due to a lack of awareness or rushed processes, employers often make avoidable mistakes that can lead to costly disputes. A proactive approach rooted in fairness and compliance can go a long way toward reducing liability.Continue Reading Avoiding Discrimination Claims: The Employer’s Guide to Compliant Hiring and Terminations
Don’t Use Severance as Leverage: Courts are Not Impressed
The Ontario Superior Court recently reminded employers that employment agreements aren’t optional – they’re enforceable.
In Timmins v. Artisan Cells, 2025 CanLII 2387, the employer ignored its own termination provisions and tried to use severance as leverage for a release. It backfired big time.Continue Reading Don’t Use Severance as Leverage: Courts are Not Impressed
Common Law Notice Periods for Short-Service “Executives”: Trends from 2023-2025
Determining appropriate common law notice periods for short-service employees remains one of the most debated topics in Ontario employment law. This is especially so when those employees are senior-ranking employees or executives. While long-service employees often expect generous notice periods, recent case law continues a long-evolving trend of courts willing to award significant notice to short-service employees. Continue Reading Common Law Notice Periods for Short-Service “Executives”: Trends from 2023-2025
Thinning the Herd: Terminations and Severance for Ontario Farms
Navigating Terminations and Severance Pay in Ontario’s Farming Sector
The farming sector in Ontario is unique in many ways, and employment laws reflect that. One area of concern for both farm owners and workers is how terminations and severance pay are handled under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”).
What Does the Farming Exemption Cover?
The farming exemption, as outlined in Ontario Regulation 285/01 under section 2(2), excludes farm workers from certain ESA provisions such as hours of work and overtime pay. These exemptions are designed to reflect the unique demands of agricultural work, which can be highly seasonal and subject to the unpredictability of weather and harvest cycles. However, these exemptions have their limits. Continue Reading Thinning the Herd: Terminations and Severance for Ontario Farms
Equal Pay for Equal Work – Everything You Need to Know About Pay Equity in Your Workplace
Learn about pay equity obligations for Ontario employers under the Pay Equity Act, including equal pay for work of equal value, applicable exemptions, and consequences for non-compliance.
Continue Reading Equal Pay for Equal Work – Everything You Need to Know About Pay Equity in Your Workplace
The Education Worker Strike: A Primer on Constitutionally-Protected Labour Laws
An Unprecedented Legislative Move
This week, Bill 28 was repealed and the collective bargaining model in Ontario stands. Why was it such a big legal deal?
The recent strike by education workers in Ontario made headlines for reasons beyond the usual disruption to parents’ and kids’ everyday lives. On October 30, 2022, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in Ontario gave notice to the province that the education workers it represents would strike in 5 days.
On November 3, the province responded by introducing Bill 28, which enacted the Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022, unilaterally imposing a new collective agreement, outlawing the impending strike, and invoking the “notwithstanding clause” in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to do so. This type of legislation is unprecedented.
Continue Reading The Education Worker Strike: A Primer on Constitutionally-Protected Labour Laws
Lessons in Managing an Aging Workforce: Terminations
It has been only a few weeks since Lisa LaFlamme, CTV National News’ former chief anchor and senior editor, shared on Twitter that Bell Media terminated her contract after over 30 years with the company. Her termination has since made international news due to allegations of age and gender discrimination. The company’s Vice President has announced a leave of absence and other employees have publicly raised concerns about a toxic work environment.
Age discrimination is likely to become a more common allegation against employers given the general demographics of our workforce. The proportion of working-age people in Canada who are between the ages of 55 and 64 is at an all-time high of 21.8%.
Continue Reading Lessons in Managing an Aging Workforce: Terminations
Free webinar: Barriers & Biases – Supporting Women Leaders
In this webinar, SpringLaw’s Lisa Stam and Danielle Murray will discuss how you can support women leaders in the workplace, common challenges women leaders face, and how employers can ensure equitable exits if needed.
Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Time: 10:30-11:00 am EST
Register today: Click here!Continue Reading Free webinar: Barriers & Biases – Supporting Women Leaders
The Deaths of George Floyd & Regis Korchinski-Paquet
Outraged protesters took to the streets across the US to demonstrate against the unnecessary loss of life and the complete lack of empathy shown by police officers for a Black man pleading to hold on to his life. George Floyd’s death could have been prevented if there were stricter policies limiting police use of force in Minneapolis. In Minneapolis police are allowed to use chokeholds and that’s how George Floyd was killed. A 30-year study examining police use of force shows that a ban on chokeholds and strangleholds results in 22% fewer police killings.
Continue Reading The Deaths of George Floyd & Regis Korchinski-Paquet