reasonable notice of termination
Failure to repeat termination clause after multiple promotions voids clause
In McKercher v Stantec Architecture (2019 SKQB 100), Justice Elson had a situation where at the time of his hiring as a staff architect, the plaintiff signed an enforceable contract limiting his notice to a maximum of 3 months.
Common law reasonable notice of termination for independent contractors?
In the recent decision in Cormier v 1772887 Ontario Limited, an Ontario Superior Court judge stated that in some circumstances it would be reasonable to consider an employee’s years of service as an independent contractor in calculating his or her common law reasonable notice period.
Mass termination and working notice requirements clarified by Ontario Court of Appeal
A recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal has clarified employers’ notice obligations in the event of business closure, particularly with respect to mass termination notice requirements under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) and “working notice” more broadly.
Wrongful dismissal update: Recent case is a cause for concern
It is increasingly difficult for employment lawyers to assess an employer’s potential legal liability in connection with an employee termination.
Amberber v. IBM Canada Limited: Termination clause fails to rebut employee’s entitlement to reasonable notice
A recent summary judgment motion before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Amberber v. IBM Canada Limited, serves as an important reminder to employers of the need to draft contractual termination clauses with a high degree of clarity, or risk unanticipated liability in the event of a without cause dismissal.
The fork in the road: after-acquired cause for dismissal
In Canada, employers can dismiss employees in one of two ways: with cause or without cause. If an employer dismisses an employee without cause, and then later discovers that they had been stealing from the company for years, can they now allege just cause for dismissal?
Probationary period clause gets employer into hot water
Including a probationary period clause in an employment contract is not a good idea unless your organization is prepared to assess the suitability of the employee during the probationary period. Failure to do so can result in your organization being ordered to provide a probationary employee with common law reasonable notice of termination. This blog discusses one such case.
Employees must give reasonable notice before quitting
While we often help employees who did not receive reasonable notice of termination from their employer, it is often forgotten that employees also owe a similar duty to provide notice to the employer before resigning. This common law duty was the subject of the recent case of Consbec Inc. v Walker. In this case, the BC Court of Appeal reaffirmed the existence of the duty owed by employees to the employer.
Termination clauses: Importance of clear language
In recent years, there have been many decisions on the enforceability and interpretation of termination clauses in employment contracts—which employers and their legal counsel read with both interest and apprehension. The Nova Scotia Supreme Court has now weighed in on the debate.
Employment standards: Risks of paying employees “under the table”
Before hiring your first employee, an employer needs to educate itself on the various requirements under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (and other legislation such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (the “WSIA”) and Occupational Health and Safety Act) and the nuances associated with termination of an employee’s employment. Although there will be some upfront costs associated with record keeping, registering for insurance pursuant to the WSIA and learning about employment legislation, the benefits of such proactivity will pay off in the future when issues inevitably arise, even if you only have one or two employees.
Ontario Court of Appeal rules that dependent contractors are entitled to reasonable notice
In its recent decision in Keenan v. Canac Kitchens, the Court of Appeal for Ontario confirmed that dependent contractors are entitled to reasonable notice of employment termination. The required notice period can extend to years, and such as in this case, amount to 26 months.
Employment contracts may need to be amended because of a recent Court of Appeal decision
Bonus plans in employment contracts are a great way to motivate, reward and retain employees. Many of these bonus plans have built–in conditions that must be met before these bonuses are paid out. For example, an employee must be actively employed at the time the bonus is paid. Increasingly, the courts are being asked to determine whether these conditions have to be met and whether a bonus is owing. A recent decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal will come as a surprise to many of you.
Reasonable notice required of both employers and employees – Superior Court of Ontario
In the recent decision of Gagnon & Associates Inc. the Court reminds us that both employers and employees have the obligation to provide reasonable notice of intention to terminate the employment relationship.
Beware of the one month per year of service “rule”, part 5
I have written several times about cases which significantly depart from the so-called one month per year of service rule. There continues to be a seemingly never-ending stream of cases which confirm the perils of assuming that an employer’s liability for reasonable notice of termination will be capped at one month per year of employment.
A brave new world? – Probably not but employers sometimes have to deal with 26 months’ notice and “dependant contractors”
The Ontario Court of Appeal has further shattered the “24 month maximum” myth. In Keenan v. Canac Kitchens Ltd., the Court of Appeal upheld a Trial Judge’s finding that two long service workers were “dependent contractors” and therefore entitled to 26 months’ reasonable notice on termination.
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