It is an all too common story. You prepared for the job interview. You got all of the questions right. All you have to do is sign on the bottom line and you do, because it is just a formality, isn't it? And you don't want to rock the boat before you even have your first day at work.

Something like the fictional sequence of events above will sound familiar to most people. It is very rare for employees to push back at the time of hire about the terms of their employment. However, you can expect that when an employer puts an employment contract in front of you, it is designed to protect the company's interests and not your own. The next time you have to consider signing an employment contract, watch out for these five key items.

The Ontario economy has been hit hard over the past several years. As such, many employers have sought ways to reduce workforce-associated costs. One common tactic has been to replace employees with contractors. Four significant and cost-limiting changes result when an independent contractor, rather than an employee, is engaged.