Ontario Employment Law

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

The recently enacted Working for Workers Six Act, 2024 (Bill 229) introduces numerous legislative updates that Ontario employers need to understand and incorporate into their workplace practices.

Bill 229 was passed into law in December 2024, meaning several provisions are already in effect, while others are set to roll out in 2025. Here, we break down the key components of Bill 229 and their practical implications for Ontario employers.Continue Reading Bill 229, Working for Workers Six Act: What Ontario Employers Need to Know

We’ve all heard of the magical work-life balance in Sweden, where companies have been experimenting with shorter workweeks for years. One attempt in Gothenburg saw municipal workers shift to a six-hour workday without losing pay. The results? Increased productivity, happier employees, and fewer sick days.

While not every business has embraced the change permanently, the experiment fueled the global conversation about reducing work hours. The four-day workweek has become one of the hottest workplace trends as organizations around the globe explore new ways to boost productivity, employee well-being, and retention. Continue Reading Working Hard or Hardly Working? Making the Four-Day Workweek Work for You

In an era of heightened political tensions, employees increasingly express their political beliefs at work. While engaging in discussions about societal issues can be healthy, these expressions sometimes lead to friction among colleagues and risk disrupting workplace harmony.

Employers in Ontario need to navigate this complex terrain carefully, balancing the rights of individuals to express their views with the need to maintain a respectful and productive environment.Continue Reading Managing Political Expression in Ontario Workplaces

As discussed in previous blog posts in our farming series, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) outlines farming exemptions, This allows certain employers flexibility under the ESA, particularly when it comes to hours of work, overtime, and rest periods.

The crux is that not every worker at every farm automatically falls under the ESA’s exemptions – there are important scenarios where this exemption may not apply. Farm owners and operators must understand the limits of these rules – failure to do so can lead to costly legal consequences.Continue Reading Look Out! When the Farming Exemption Does Not Apply

Are you an employer using fixed-term employment contracts and wondering how to avoid costly legal pitfalls?

Ontario’s recent Steele v. City of Barrie decision provides key insights on how to use FTECs effectively, minimizing risks like paying out full contracts or unintentionally creating indefinite-term employees. Here’s what you need to know. Continue Reading Navigating Fixed-Term Contract Risks: Essential Lessons for Ontario Employers

Many employers in Ontario are becoming aware, whether through news articles, or painful and costly first-hand experiences, that employees can be owed significant entitlements upon termination.

As we have explored in more detail in our previous blog posts, employers may owe terminated employees much more than was promised in the employment contract if a court determines that the contract’s termination clause isn’t legal. Continue Reading Please Come Back! Strategies for Navigating Termination Demands

Let’s say someone has applied for a job at your business, and the best way for you to assess their suitability for the job is not through reading their resume or conducting an interview, but by observing them while they actually do the job they have applied for.

So, you ask them to come in for one or two “trial shifts”, in lieu of an interview, to see if they’re a good fit. 

Does this “trial period” count as work, and does the candidate need to be paid? Recent changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) say yes. It’s true what they say: nothing in life is free. Continue Reading No Free Trials: Ontario Employees Need to be Paid for Trial Periods