Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining

Non-compliance can result in legal issues, making it crucial for businesses to seek legal advice on employment standards and worker rights.

From expanding protections for interns to new requirements around workplace harassment, occupational health and safety law now encompasses much more than rules to help prevent accidents at work.

Whether you have received a demand letter from a former employee or been served a Statement of Claim, wrongful dismissal cases can be a painful distraction from running your business. When faced with such claims, it is important to take them seriously and respond effectively.

Our lawyers are experienced with advising both federally- and provincially-regulated employers and navigating the specific requirements of the Ontario Labour Relations Act and the Canada Labour Code, as applicable.

Employee absenteeism can be a strain on your operations and a significant expense. If poorly handled the problem can grow worse, exposing your company to claims ranging from discrimination to constructive dismissal.

Drafting a clear and enforceable employment contract that properly protects your interests is one of the most important things that a business can do. Employment disputes often focus on the language used in an employment contract, and its content can come back years later to haunt employers.

Clearly-drafted workplace policies should be the cornerstone of employee management at any business. In addition to the benefit that accrues from voluntarily-implemented policies, Ontario law explicitly calls for the implementation of certain policies, such as the requirement to have an anti-harassment policy in place.

Our team has significant experience drafting accommodation and anti-harassment policies, as well as litigating these issues in both the courts and human rights tribunals. As such, we are well-positioned to provide advice in regard to navigating these challenges and ensuring a legally-compliant and productive workplace.

There a number of rules in Ontario that govern how a termination should take place. They can be complex and stem both from statute (being set out in the Employment Standards Act) or the common law (i.e. judge-made law). These rules operate in tandem to set the payment requirements that employers must meet.

We offer a number of strategic services to complement your internal HR functioning, including advice on best practices, drafting a wide range of documents (such as workplace policies and employment agreements) and responding to employee concerns or complaints.