tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79167671205304318522024-03-17T23:02:53.810-04:00Labour PainsAn employment law blog.<br>
Sean Bawden, Partner, Kelly Santini LLP. <br>
sbawden@kellysantini.com | 613.238.6321
Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.comBlogger465125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-6917333374452710102024-02-24T10:10:00.002-05:002024-02-25T07:58:54.477-05:00Employers Do Not Have the Right to Terminate Employees "At Any Time"<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApLxLfE2BsQqUvbRUkeAnoz6KiBFdDEL_rW3e4-Hs9QdEHfogsbhhnXRQ67F0JtLGrwoH9HV-Bvw8CcN-RnKORgf_92feA6vopOcvTg33f8A1YbMwxJdWzJvY0eICH6EFn5_9RI69m7Vx9xWemwN7FsghXzNHodLdL_-rH8w-QKtc1Fkx6mZEcQKvxCzu/s1024/K%20v%20ESA.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApLxLfE2BsQqUvbRUkeAnoz6KiBFdDEL_rW3e4-Hs9QdEHfogsbhhnXRQ67F0JtLGrwoH9HV-Bvw8CcN-RnKORgf_92feA6vopOcvTg33f8A1YbMwxJdWzJvY0eICH6EFn5_9RI69m7Vx9xWemwN7FsghXzNHodLdL_-rH8w-QKtc1Fkx6mZEcQKvxCzu/s400/K%20v%20ESA.png"></a></div>
<p>Do Ontario employers have the right to terminate an employee’s employment “at any time” and in their “sole discretion”?
<p>In <a href="https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:60ccc451-6b12-4326-ad98-6907cd19e51d" target="_blank"><em><b>Dufault v. The Corporation of the Township of Ignace</b>, 2024 ONSC 1029, the Honourable Madam Justice H. M Pierce of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice sitting at Thunder Bay held that they do not.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2024/02/default-v-ignace-ONSC.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-73424041369816945192024-01-04T14:11:00.004-05:002024-01-04T14:11:49.587-05:00No Implied Term in Employment for Layoff for COVID State of Emergency<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBi7s0AiEiBKNoxGqhUu0Ww66T2cMcz5j3yWC5htNfFkGxnRjSFCpi60nUd-76Z-6oDMqTvfJj4KNQjQw6fzw1xxxhMyFkroQ0zLKg1o1SOuVtl1WtEj0X-rxz3Wfy1gmszi0OhZyEKlz2pUablSMOYazPdGiQuw-edw615yt1RM4VKZVXvR5u-pIYuL5/s2121/iStock-1219632024.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBi7s0AiEiBKNoxGqhUu0Ww66T2cMcz5j3yWC5htNfFkGxnRjSFCpi60nUd-76Z-6oDMqTvfJj4KNQjQw6fzw1xxxhMyFkroQ0zLKg1o1SOuVtl1WtEj0X-rxz3Wfy1gmszi0OhZyEKlz2pUablSMOYazPdGiQuw-edw615yt1RM4VKZVXvR5u-pIYuL5/s600/iStock-1219632024.jpg"></a></div>
<p>By now one might have thought that the issue of whether an employer had the legal right to layoff an employee in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic would have been resolved. And yet in the case of <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2023/2023onsc7170/2023onsc7170.html"><b><i>Webb v. SDT North America</i></b>, 2023 ONSC 7170</a>, heard June 12, 2023, with further written submissions delivered September 8, 2023, and September 29, 2023, with reasons for decision released on December 19, 2023, the court was once again asked the question of whether a “COVID layoff” constituted as dismissal.
</p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2024/01/2023ONSC7170.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-42626817352008894602023-12-16T12:08:00.000-05:002023-12-16T12:08:05.661-05:00Redefining My Narrative: Collaborating with ChatGPT to Craft My Legal Journey
<p>I asked ChatGPT 4 to read my existing bios and then ask me 20 questions, here is what it produced:</p>
<p>As an experienced trial lawyer and a trusted advisor in employment law and commercial disputes, my career has been a journey of growth and adaptation. My time as the Director of Litigation & Employment for a publicly listed corporation was pivotal, where I focused on preventing disputes and advocating globally for my clients.</p>
<p>In private practice, my expertise spans all aspects of employment law, including wrongful dismissal, workplace harassment, and human rights. I've counseled clients through mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions, always aiming for quick and favorable resolutions.</p>
<p>I have appeared before numerous courts and administrative boards, including the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and managed litigation before foreign bodies like the United States District Court and the British Columbia Supreme Court. My work extends to international tribunals like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.</p>
<p>As the publisher of "Labour Pains," I take pride in the blog's recognition and its influence on employment law, including its citation by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The blog's induction into the Canadian Law Blog Hall of Fame is a testament to its impact.</p>
<p>My educational background from York University and the University of Ottawa laid the foundation for my legal career, and my calling to the Ontario Bar in 2008 marked the beginning of my professional journey.</p>
<p>My approach to law is knowledge-led, focusing on the current state and objectives of the law, and advocating for necessary changes. I am driven by the belief in being open to change, as life and career paths are non-linear.</p>
<p>Outside my professional life, I'm inquisitive, constantly seeking to learn more about the world. This thirst for knowledge keeps me balanced and makes me a more effective advocate.</p>
<p>As I look to the future, I aim to expand my adjudicative work and consider the possibility of a judicial appointment. My journey in law is one of continuous learning, adaptability, and a commitment to justice and fairness.</p>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-5728293136645541762023-11-25T08:49:00.003-05:002023-11-25T08:49:30.928-05:00I Asked ChatGPT to Summarize the Court’s Decision in Bardal v Globe and Mail. This is What Happened.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxentMxM2oW25V5MuPW3o1KKoadHcgVb5IptayA1jYGbvqfFKjfz1cG-YEc25VRLNiqwQdIRjZ8U3UNbTKeLZX9Tp7rcYkfLGhIL1wjsqJmJNU_OdK5-_ZQnxn-F3WPfpxuzianoo9U8H99JpcHrZ9GUbffyFOjFS7Ot2G2MqPt0UUn4rYEUsWZEL2GzM/s2207/iStock-1479076658.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="2207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxentMxM2oW25V5MuPW3o1KKoadHcgVb5IptayA1jYGbvqfFKjfz1cG-YEc25VRLNiqwQdIRjZ8U3UNbTKeLZX9Tp7rcYkfLGhIL1wjsqJmJNU_OdK5-_ZQnxn-F3WPfpxuzianoo9U8H99JpcHrZ9GUbffyFOjFS7Ot2G2MqPt0UUn4rYEUsWZEL2GzM/s600/iStock-1479076658.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Unless one has been living under a rock, it would be hard to have missed the discussion concerning <a href="https://openai.com/gpt-3/" target="_blank">ChatGPT</a>.
<p>But until recently, I had not experimented with it. Two days ago, I finally gave in and gave it a shot. After playing around with it, I decided to see what would happen if I tried to use it to summarize a court decision for this blog.
<p>I elected to start with a well-known and short decision: The 1960 decision of the Ontario High Court in <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhc/doc/1960/1960canlii294/1960canlii294.html"><em><b>Bardal v. Globe</b>, 1960 CanLII 294 (ON SC).
<P>Here is what happened.
</P></em></a></p></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/11/ChatGPT35-Bardal.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.693259799999993-34.602037550252049 143.6817402 90 64.931740200000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-82844214727101429612023-10-15T10:05:00.001-04:002023-10-15T10:05:21.030-04:00Province of Ontario Grants Province’s Publicly Assisted Post-Secondary Institutions Unfettered Discretion to Address Sexual Misconduct; Bans NDAs<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb9S27_tJge8CEnaeU_pcsuOYHkZsCU1sBTrF1Ls55tHySg3XQk86HzqQYsHfRljO7W7BSYwwNmxpYr7jnbJ42vdeE8QWUoI2cq9hKetT-Q9ssfXqjy1_PZvIdVSqPec5KbcEnsi9T23Q23qwLQQAU7tL3a4jz2ltUgUmPR44GjXKl69rPzYWmwyNusZA/s2121/iStock-1328479448.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjb9S27_tJge8CEnaeU_pcsuOYHkZsCU1sBTrF1Ls55tHySg3XQk86HzqQYsHfRljO7W7BSYwwNmxpYr7jnbJ42vdeE8QWUoI2cq9hKetT-Q9ssfXqjy1_PZvIdVSqPec5KbcEnsi9T23Q23qwLQQAU7tL3a4jz2ltUgUmPR44GjXKl69rPzYWmwyNusZA/s600/iStock-1328479448.jpg"></a></div>
<p>If an employee of one of Ontario’ publicly-assisted universities or colleges of applied arts and technology commits an act of sexual misconduct toward a student of an institution, what penalty should or must apply?
<p>Owing to a recent change in the <a href=" https://canlii.ca/t/562b2" target="_blank"><em>Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act</em></a>, the answer is entirely within the hands of the institution with some very serious consequences, including permanent exclusion from being re-employed by the dismissing institution.
<p>Moreover, the law provides that, subject to the rights of the student to request otherwise, an agreement between an institution and any person, including a collective agreement or an agreement settling existing or contemplated litigation, <b>shall not contain</b> any term that, directly or indirectly, prohibits the institution or any person related to the institution from disclosing that an allegation or complaint has been made that an employee of the institution committed an act of sexual misconduct toward a student of the institution.
<p>Additionally, the law provides that the new rules apply despite “any contrary term in an employment contract or collective agreement, or any contrary rule or principle of common law or equity” specifically including, but not limited to subsection 48 (17) of the <em>Labour Relations Act, 1995</em> and subsection 14 (17) of the <em>Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 2008</em>.
</p></p></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/10/Bill-26-2022.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-75444512865544452692023-10-14T10:00:00.001-04:002023-10-14T10:04:04.300-04:00Illegal Termination Provision Buried in Confidentiality Clause Voids Otherwise Valid Termination Clause<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wDwqwbU9MD978G4txVnMVnVXk43VuV7tM6h0unwUnuLYUFvKN9rRBFakZHSU-Pa4hHP5GXQCP8Qx5PthTqoFqbzprFEVy49ZL29U0yB54SLAQ-SN8lTi6wGhzt4USdpJK3Hl40y90ZaQ4P7g2-xi7BPHv6YhvYWdqrVsv7t-l2zz4mSBy2fnPHzetmaT/s2119/iStock-484744315.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="2119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wDwqwbU9MD978G4txVnMVnVXk43VuV7tM6h0unwUnuLYUFvKN9rRBFakZHSU-Pa4hHP5GXQCP8Qx5PthTqoFqbzprFEVy49ZL29U0yB54SLAQ-SN8lTi6wGhzt4USdpJK3Hl40y90ZaQ4P7g2-xi7BPHv6YhvYWdqrVsv7t-l2zz4mSBy2fnPHzetmaT/s600/iStock-484744315.jpg"></a></div>
<p>If an employment contract contains language that purports to allow the employer to terminate an employee for cause- and such language contravenes Ontario’s <em>Employment Standards Act</em>- does it matter where such language appears within the contract?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jrhjl" target="_blank"><em><b>Henderson v. Slavkin et al.</b>, 2022 ONSC 2964, Justice Carole J. Brown of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice rightly found that it does not matter where within the employment contract the offending language is found- if the language is illegal, then it voids the whole of the termination provision.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/10/Henderson-v-Slavkin.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-45852422957809424222023-07-27T08:05:00.000-04:002023-07-27T08:05:02.695-04:00The Test for Reprisal Under Section 50 of OHSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6iySBbGzj6_T3XJzl8woAPz4kWYsrr3KQK2xUP7gLqucfK8fK_h0yCrnojZZIxzbJwyNa8crwkFNP5bt2n7QKK0HZZsOJG0Xk5jJyrAwOak0lZzWiIcUexJizS0qcZvycX0jhEQlU8B0AxuJA4OuWOQcqEKzZf7dDPgK32nf7o_993b4fhG-Tfo_RWoY/s2121/iStock-1333421896.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6iySBbGzj6_T3XJzl8woAPz4kWYsrr3KQK2xUP7gLqucfK8fK_h0yCrnojZZIxzbJwyNa8crwkFNP5bt2n7QKK0HZZsOJG0Xk5jJyrAwOak0lZzWiIcUexJizS0qcZvycX0jhEQlU8B0AxuJA4OuWOQcqEKzZf7dDPgK32nf7o_993b4fhG-Tfo_RWoY/s400/iStock-1333421896.jpg"></a></div>
<p>If you have been terminated after raising health and safety concerns to your employer, you may feel that your termination was a reprisal.
<p>You may also consider bringing a complaint to the Ontario Labour Relations Board, but how will the Board decide your case? When and how does a termination become a reprisal under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act?
<div style="text-align: center;"><p>A guest post by <a href="https://www.kellysantini.com/team/henry-bertoia" target="_blank">Henry Bertoia</a>.
</p></div></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/07/the-test-for-reprisal-under-section-50.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-58444692734241729502023-07-13T09:40:00.000-04:002023-07-13T09:40:10.202-04:00Overtime Claim Not Limited to Statutory Timeline if One Elects to Proceed Via Civil Claim: Alberta Court of King’s Bench<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigB6dd1574AgRmkHGFBWH0D5mZ9Li4dvT7UCIS6lqOeJ1WYKjgbnzThBHwEiJLTUu-o6GeWBZZ4rCC4_hZiW4Z6tAaaf37Kpdk0a7_fJwOX3chYqNqI4kljOnLaXPh4z8QFPiJMjAjw5QkQE5i2tsBSyCJvnTHvPyFHL3jt0PIhsouuVH1Yoz2R-EAIcrY/s2048/iStock-506181864.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigB6dd1574AgRmkHGFBWH0D5mZ9Li4dvT7UCIS6lqOeJ1WYKjgbnzThBHwEiJLTUu-o6GeWBZZ4rCC4_hZiW4Z6tAaaf37Kpdk0a7_fJwOX3chYqNqI4kljOnLaXPh4z8QFPiJMjAjw5QkQE5i2tsBSyCJvnTHvPyFHL3jt0PIhsouuVH1Yoz2R-EAIcrY/s600/iStock-506181864.jpg"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><p>A guest post by Sheldon McRae, Student-at-Law
<p>If your employer has failed to pay you for overtime, is there a limitation period that may prohibit you from recovering what you’re owed? If so, can it be varied?
<p> In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jw3qq" target="_blank"><em><b> Scheffler v Mourits Trucking Ltd </b>, 2023 ABKB 139 Justice John S. Little of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench determined that a plaintiff could claim unpaid overtime wages in a civil suit, despite portions of their claim being statutorily barred from recovery by a limitation period in Alberta’s <em>Employment Standards Code</em>.
</em></a></p></p></p></div><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/07/ABKB-overtime-civil-claims.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-79537946284474449102023-07-08T15:52:00.001-04:002023-07-08T15:52:46.046-04:00Termination for Failure to Respect Workplace Rules Regarding Decorum When Expressing Health and Safety Concerns NOT Reprisal says Labour Relations Board <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRjjdpaUjkRgrCDVnfaeX_ZofW3-BVx-6eaLi0P__1_8kvO9xISYPElKg_xnT6DZpfJ5MG_G-L6Oa4yrvfOsGHH20B3RSxFBBX-kUkBDbR9ELMDJJytTiiRS7a1oSepKLysjpMboAlBtTrhhsfpmLPQjfUlxuH9vl7DBL82f2166eJJ1c3NSVqme_UleD/s2194/iStock-465381160.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRjjdpaUjkRgrCDVnfaeX_ZofW3-BVx-6eaLi0P__1_8kvO9xISYPElKg_xnT6DZpfJ5MG_G-L6Oa4yrvfOsGHH20B3RSxFBBX-kUkBDbR9ELMDJJytTiiRS7a1oSepKLysjpMboAlBtTrhhsfpmLPQjfUlxuH9vl7DBL82f2166eJJ1c3NSVqme_UleD/s600/iStock-465381160.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Sometimes it is not so much what you say, but rather how you say it that matters.
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jmds2" target="_blank"><em><b>Derya Marquardt v Rasmussen Starr Ruddy LLP</b>, 2022 CanLII 9123 (ON LRB), the Ontario Labour Relations Board held that an employer’s decision to deem the employment relationship at an end was prompted by the manner in which the employee communicated her concerns and her insubordination, and not by the fact that she was seeking compliance with or exercising rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/07/OHSA-s50-RSR.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-60448244494242670612023-07-06T18:54:00.003-04:002023-07-07T07:17:48.909-04:00Mandatory Fun? Can your employer force you to take your vacation time in July?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8ibRcylMZXpLf0MDwlhel641WIHYKlp8uDz7SQCUG5T9xAGjirz0DuWeo9jMkLbZrD9_8fyWhmim57BCkw7mMje7S8wdeFSzXUZwqRWduRH8IjQB2iGmtDqnAn6pE8dOnvCcgT6XPvUeeXDxQoOZBwsjjkeGHkxL_bxI1ZQSuJzAXfKCTBpBmuBNnmZ3/s2121/iStock-1141409903.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8ibRcylMZXpLf0MDwlhel641WIHYKlp8uDz7SQCUG5T9xAGjirz0DuWeo9jMkLbZrD9_8fyWhmim57BCkw7mMje7S8wdeFSzXUZwqRWduRH8IjQB2iGmtDqnAn6pE8dOnvCcgT6XPvUeeXDxQoOZBwsjjkeGHkxL_bxI1ZQSuJzAXfKCTBpBmuBNnmZ3/s600/iStock-1141409903.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Can your employer force you to take your vacation time in July?
<div style="text-align: center;"><p>A guest post by <a href="https://www.kellysantini.com/team/blake-bochinski" target="_blank">Blake Bochinski</a>
<p>For many employees, vacation time is essential for maintaining a work-life balance to relax and spend time with their loved ones. As such, employees typically do not need to be forced into taking a vacation. However, there may be circumstances where an employer wants to mandate when employees take their vacation.
</p></p></div></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/07/ESA-s35-timing-of-vacation.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-52135475508772881122023-06-23T10:20:00.007-04:002023-09-25T19:05:51.610-04:00How to Efficiently Get Your Wrongful Dismissal Case Through the Ontario Superior Court of Justice<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht7r-u2NYExZolT2F1mNhfmoVNvphVlcEokbk3mc3hok0OkK28ATNn-GtR88HPRds8wjrbW-VCrL2Kh6v4Zvcev5hTFAkAt_NYNKfhgN4cxfCSvc7kJ7qRl3ABSrxu252h7V9-P1PYJhlVEsEM1DuJynKkbyq7-whIGplEU1y1XXmkLlaaXZc1wC_6pXQ/s2121/iStock-862229992.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht7r-u2NYExZolT2F1mNhfmoVNvphVlcEokbk3mc3hok0OkK28ATNn-GtR88HPRds8wjrbW-VCrL2Kh6v4Zvcev5hTFAkAt_NYNKfhgN4cxfCSvc7kJ7qRl3ABSrxu252h7V9-P1PYJhlVEsEM1DuJynKkbyq7-whIGplEU1y1XXmkLlaaXZc1wC_6pXQ/s600/iStock-862229992.jpg"></a></div>
<p>On July 6, 2022, the applicant commenced employment with her employer pursuant to the terms of a one-year fixed-term contract agreement. Sometime before the end of that one-year term, the employer terminated the contract.
<p>On March 27, 2023, the employee caused the Ontario Superior Court of Justice sitting at Hamilton to issue an Application against the employer for damages equal to the balance of the contract.
<p>The employee’s application was heard less than three months later and on June 21, before the contract was even set to expire, she had her decision.
<p>For those critical of the pace at which some litigation can move, the claim stands as proof that with proper advocacy things can get done.
</p></p></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/06/A2J-Kopyl-ONSC.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com1Nepean, ON K2E 7N4, Canada45.3521088 -75.708587917.041874963821158 -110.8648379 73.662342636178849 -40.5523379tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-19147182469993855792023-04-23T09:41:00.001-04:002023-07-07T07:19:49.799-04:00Court of Appeal Clarifies Test for Condonation of Layoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIX5OFNknibhOSs5SqhXCTN2bwURVD21Qf5Qslaeei_3Fgs2s9X2FEkhCOyAKLY1jw11iww-9r2hWrqInnkgBocOqp6oOEB-ck2xyUbdb7N9ictqKMn_LbORHS2RTh2pRlgBaKJeMIZsmJTCsa8nEkzgTN4ZVeNU0D4wKlK90g3hZssjCjU7UlIdyYQ/s2121/iStock-1219632024.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIX5OFNknibhOSs5SqhXCTN2bwURVD21Qf5Qslaeei_3Fgs2s9X2FEkhCOyAKLY1jw11iww-9r2hWrqInnkgBocOqp6oOEB-ck2xyUbdb7N9ictqKMn_LbORHS2RTh2pRlgBaKJeMIZsmJTCsa8nEkzgTN4ZVeNU0D4wKlK90g3hZssjCjU7UlIdyYQ/s600/iStock-1219632024.jpg"></a></div>
<p>If an employee does not immediately object to being laid off, or “furloughed,” does that mean that the employee has agreed to or condoned such action?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jwn0b" target="_blank"><em><b>Pham v. Qualified Metal Fabricators Ltd.</b>, 2023 ONCA 255 (CanLII), the Court of Appeal for Ontario held that an employer cannot infer consent to a layoff from mere silence.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/04/Layoff-Condonation-Pham-ONCA.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-26343265482851868322023-04-22T13:22:00.000-04:002023-04-22T13:22:18.903-04:00Report of Workplace Harassment Investigator Shielded by Qualified Privilege<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUk9O_ozmh3TZ3JG4nGSvKk-i7nEMCUsi5bUbOC5C0GF4Z6qFG_QujUG2-KZV6Q4oDfFtsj6Cwl2KvEw6bV4raXwXe8OyagBxafFmYNPNaIuaj0Xi00Xl91ne0nRgHW1_XC09CQSHYjn-J8JnGS_lMagx8tU5DCkEba4nLyHZUNrRlF0l9Pa-GXRGaA/s2121/iStock-1125446616.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUk9O_ozmh3TZ3JG4nGSvKk-i7nEMCUsi5bUbOC5C0GF4Z6qFG_QujUG2-KZV6Q4oDfFtsj6Cwl2KvEw6bV4raXwXe8OyagBxafFmYNPNaIuaj0Xi00Xl91ne0nRgHW1_XC09CQSHYjn-J8JnGS_lMagx8tU5DCkEba4nLyHZUNrRlF0l9Pa-GXRGaA/s600/iStock-1125446616.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Is the report of an investigator hired to investigate allegations of workplace harassment shielded by the doctrine of qualified privilege?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jvd59" target="_blank"><em><b>Safavi-Naini v. Rubin Thomlinson LLP</b>, 2023 ONCA 86 (CanLII), the Court of Appeal for Ontario confirmed that it is.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/04/investigation-report-qualified-privilege.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-6783333391600035892023-04-02T10:39:00.000-04:002023-04-02T10:39:39.951-04:00Ontario Labour Relations Board Orders Employer to Turn Over Workplace Investigator’s Entire Report to Ministry Inspector<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUT2z-S5UaIDdHIUn3dCE2wH-kFeGg9RMOY-4-Hf5P_XAfCs1gCKUkZHaQJ9kqB5RqOLw587_jQqXUwuTfaY1d03fH3v3RtIok8-RkgmuGJBKWJiKW5juyinb32YtpEpwu8YsqtfJEbscOP8ksa_7G5kQPEwFTzvW62zPQQg_bj5HaP_EyF5F1kPJpg/s2123/iStock-468153365.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="2123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUT2z-S5UaIDdHIUn3dCE2wH-kFeGg9RMOY-4-Hf5P_XAfCs1gCKUkZHaQJ9kqB5RqOLw587_jQqXUwuTfaY1d03fH3v3RtIok8-RkgmuGJBKWJiKW5juyinb32YtpEpwu8YsqtfJEbscOP8ksa_7G5kQPEwFTzvW62zPQQg_bj5HaP_EyF5F1kPJpg/s600/iStock-468153365.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Does an “inspector” appointed by the Ontario Ministry of Labour pursuant to the provisions of Ontario’s <em>Occupational Health and Safety Act</em> have the right to receive and review the entire, unredacted copy of an independent workplace harassment investigator’s report?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/j4pzm" target="_blank"><em><b>Wal-Mart Canada Logistics ULC v Gail Stewart</b>, 2020 CanLII 2070 (ON LRB), the Ontario Labour Relations Board held that she does.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/04/OHSA-inspector-report-review.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-18896988505925445602023-03-26T14:08:00.000-04:002023-03-26T14:08:15.669-04:00Labour Board Refuses to Appoint Alternate Workplace Harassment Investigator<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEWAvaAuByMCyQ8PRHbP51M158BWP4NJaGuycO4fdmwLI9are3JOq-eqUXtbBtS8pzCgQUaIwTxQ39jzYMALFXTYWp2ipZ-s2BPickt-Y53TeEbJW2OpF20ESQJo-yYJfxisEOhDxCC5kasdolTC7fP1buhoHh_oikOh86sbpclToRL4yrwBJOpZ31w/s2121/iStock-1027461516.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEWAvaAuByMCyQ8PRHbP51M158BWP4NJaGuycO4fdmwLI9are3JOq-eqUXtbBtS8pzCgQUaIwTxQ39jzYMALFXTYWp2ipZ-s2BPickt-Y53TeEbJW2OpF20ESQJo-yYJfxisEOhDxCC5kasdolTC7fP1buhoHh_oikOh86sbpclToRL4yrwBJOpZ31w/s600/iStock-1027461516.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Can a worker complaining of workplace harassment who pre-emptively refuses to participate in the resulting investigation because she believes the investigator is unsuitable, ask the Ontario Labour Relations Board to appoint an investigator of the Board’s choosing instead?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jvth9" target="_blank"><em><b>Erin MacKenzie v Orkestra SCS Inc.</b>, 2023 CanLII 13891 (ON LRB), the OLRB refused to appoint its own investigator.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/03/OLRB-OHSA-55.3.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-40578626781649691222023-03-12T10:10:00.000-04:002023-03-12T10:10:05.535-04:00Employee Ordered to Repay Employer for “Time Theft”<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrX5uji-D24WiT3nysF-5PGGP8qRmlh1uI3HqdV1aNLfuy_6pFflZSBOs2DXcdLkH93GbImM_jZ-MHMn4JB66LgyefzOsYwzsL-WKx8fEBb_6gBaSL17_sV8FCyDYJIwhSSlSwp9y3BDO-3vMARUc8ujaOXwaYJn16XNjqfd99p6QW5ehuhnaLvtR9A/s2434/iStock-1263530734.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="2434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrX5uji-D24WiT3nysF-5PGGP8qRmlh1uI3HqdV1aNLfuy_6pFflZSBOs2DXcdLkH93GbImM_jZ-MHMn4JB66LgyefzOsYwzsL-WKx8fEBb_6gBaSL17_sV8FCyDYJIwhSSlSwp9y3BDO-3vMARUc8ujaOXwaYJn16XNjqfd99p6QW5ehuhnaLvtR9A/s600/iStock-1263530734.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Can an employee be made to repay her employer for hours for which she was paid but did no actual work?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jv1tx" target="_blank"><em><b>Besse v. Reach CPA Inc</b>, 2023 BCCRT 27 (CanLII), the British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal said yes.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/03/time-theft-BCCRT.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-66659962880624991212023-03-11T09:44:00.000-05:002023-03-11T09:44:50.588-05:00Employee’s Surreptitious Recording of Termination Meeting Leads to Award of Aggravated Damages<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfTpQJzQxW6KkeU6D5KXs8iX099NKoabiT6GYjdKRRgSYmPG4OrsbUXxtyaTOJCu9tYB1Us6_4Q1MxcgC0uhoOl5X4lodiuq6SHIOqxo4PKVbjnwQntlafW0BfC2RjkrLgSpq4Q0zAsVgm8m5YC8kkOa7lDeSdZAEO4UsX7GtlcwDpIO3zK2gxdqHWA/s2121/iStock-1449367808.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfTpQJzQxW6KkeU6D5KXs8iX099NKoabiT6GYjdKRRgSYmPG4OrsbUXxtyaTOJCu9tYB1Us6_4Q1MxcgC0uhoOl5X4lodiuq6SHIOqxo4PKVbjnwQntlafW0BfC2RjkrLgSpq4Q0zAsVgm8m5YC8kkOa7lDeSdZAEO4UsX7GtlcwDpIO3zK2gxdqHWA/s600/iStock-1449367808.jpg"></a></div>
<p>“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Almost everyone has heard the “Miranda” warning.
<p>While those rights come out of the United States and are mostly intended to apply in the criminal context, as the case of <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jvsvj" target="_blank"><em><b>Teljeur v. Aurora Hotel Group</b>, 2023 ONSC 1324 (CanLII) demonstrates, such warning can also be sage in the employment law context.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/03/surreptitious-recording-ag-damages-ONSC.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-20662683966652439582023-03-05T11:22:00.001-05:002023-03-07T07:37:54.823-05:00“Changed Substratum” Doctrine voids Executive’s Contractual Entitlement to One Year’s Severance: ONCA<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizun7UZM30f0hGjh496Tn-kiuZ7aKIreMUyxqqCxhTehk8VrGyonthEqdBlE_SOBI3E4YV3rrNnyzudTK1BouuJXjDVSAh3Pqk9mxNSeN16tz4e_KfENKtFbjAfI3xOAFTzs2TctRpJIhV4LeejqX2T8ZMxaekjXFKXtfH_FeNt5LyC3hF9zRtaM5C8Q/s1823/iStock-529049487.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="1823" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizun7UZM30f0hGjh496Tn-kiuZ7aKIreMUyxqqCxhTehk8VrGyonthEqdBlE_SOBI3E4YV3rrNnyzudTK1BouuJXjDVSAh3Pqk9mxNSeN16tz4e_KfENKtFbjAfI3xOAFTzs2TctRpJIhV4LeejqX2T8ZMxaekjXFKXtfH_FeNt5LyC3hF9zRtaM5C8Q/s600/iStock-529049487.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Can substantial increases to one’s job responsibilities void what would otherwise be a binding termination provision in an employment contract?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jvtb1" target="_blank"><em><b>Celestini v. Shoplogix Inc.</b>, 2023 ONCA 131, the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld the use of the “changed substratum” doctrine to void an otherwise legal, and some might even argue generous, contractual termination provision.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/03/Changed-Substratum-Shoplogix-ONCA.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-19589229944133492012023-02-25T10:18:00.000-05:002023-02-25T10:18:44.552-05:00Just Cause Not Yet a Lost Cause. Deliberate Destruction of Company Property Proper Basis for Summary Dismissal: ONSC<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVByFezTbHUWvn4U9Bd1drGIKR-u4nzBwZhzl_sib3phJ6NABhnHwlS-DuVQmgpoMPiFmtZPTEBk1B_wD__GVO_KRosjbWl3sSkP_BbwTOqPVK70T47Vf-2_LnfxKPD-WLB03iEWSNoQkLfxpJ2D7GjYXJ9M00VmthweiozSE3-UdjHI_lDbJERMi9Q/s2004/iStock-118986833.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="2004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVByFezTbHUWvn4U9Bd1drGIKR-u4nzBwZhzl_sib3phJ6NABhnHwlS-DuVQmgpoMPiFmtZPTEBk1B_wD__GVO_KRosjbWl3sSkP_BbwTOqPVK70T47Vf-2_LnfxKPD-WLB03iEWSNoQkLfxpJ2D7GjYXJ9M00VmthweiozSE3-UdjHI_lDbJERMi9Q/s600/iStock-118986833.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Is the intentional destruction of company property cause for termination of employment without notice? Does it meet the higher burden of statutory “wilful misconduct”?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jvfvs" target="_blank"><em><b>Park v. Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.</b>, 2023 ONSC 1013 (CanLII), a decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice sitting at Ottawa, the Honourable Madam Justice Robyn M. Ryan Bell held that summary dismissal was warranted.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2023/02/Park-v-Costco-ONSC.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-11643920779273737742022-12-11T10:41:00.000-05:002022-12-11T10:41:49.603-05:00The Trumping of Hope. The Court of Appeal for Ontario’s Merciless Approach to Contract Interpretation in Employment Law<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uVV7T0WIxskq8RD_QYf5ATd4zlsfoKWUbKXpEnMaVB9kdaBHgmJCNaBSo_5U9wvVG6_DbowIAEBldP43AlpxY77i3YysUTqenFeZd7Oq7KwKgB16hVfhoBRk6TznRa59ZCgIHL1KeRh4DcgAQc9sxeh6-RhYNKKJVC5URdg1JWZwddr8cZAVAzR7AA/s830/21obama1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="670" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uVV7T0WIxskq8RD_QYf5ATd4zlsfoKWUbKXpEnMaVB9kdaBHgmJCNaBSo_5U9wvVG6_DbowIAEBldP43AlpxY77i3YysUTqenFeZd7Oq7KwKgB16hVfhoBRk6TznRa59ZCgIHL1KeRh4DcgAQc9sxeh6-RhYNKKJVC5URdg1JWZwddr8cZAVAzR7AA/s600/21obama1.jpg"></a></div>
<p>On September 16, 2021, I published a post titled <a href="/2021/09/hope-for-ontarios-employer-bar-onscs.html" target="_blank">“Hope for Ontario's Employer Bar: The ONSC's Decision in Rahman v. Cannon Design Architecture Inc.”</a> The artwork I selected for that post was the iconic “HOPE” poster used in 2008 by the Obama campaign when the then-US Senator was running for President.
<P>“Hope” was an appropriate word to describe the employer bar’s reaction to the Superior Court’s decision in <em>Rahman</em>. In that case, Justice Sean F. Dunphy of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice had held that an employee’s sophistication and the fact that she had retained independent legal advice were factors in the determination of whether a contractual termination provision ought to be enforced as written.
<P>Justice Dunphy further held, following the approach more commonly employed in British Columbia (see my commentary in my post <a href="/2020/08/employment-law-isnt-real.html" target="_blank">Employment Law Isn't Real</a>) that, “Every contract – including this one – must be interpreted with a view to giving expression to the mutual intention of the parties as expressed in the words used by them.”
<P>The employee in the <em>Rahman</em> case appealed Justice Dunphy’s decision to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
<p>And, just as “Hope” left Washington on January 20, 2017, hope for the employer’s bar was “trumped” when the Court of Appeal released its decision in <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jpnjp" target="_blank"><em><b>Rahman v. Cannon Design Architecture Inc.</b>, 2022 ONCA 451 (CanLII).
</em></a></p></P></P></P></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/12/Rahman-ONCA.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-16747391518133885752022-12-03T13:55:00.001-05:002022-12-03T13:55:16.547-05:00“Discretionary” Bonuses Contain Implied Term that the Discretion Will be Exercised in a Fair and Reasonable Manner: ONCA<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxgBZLIgBFxnz04SS8wxHwSBAWKJQ01O2_qPmFByXJaemKniozwU6wb-svkYL0C5QbKyLcsBn1udUAoWG6_TffD8jf75VhjShmuTZPUEnCufolxsFhjmLEjoGj8mRJX_xz46HKThCZ8Wk2Fjlm6sORva1MJjkJm7q_BRa-EwfpRMu43Q-uKd0X6XwRQ/s2119/iStock-649726244.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="2119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxgBZLIgBFxnz04SS8wxHwSBAWKJQ01O2_qPmFByXJaemKniozwU6wb-svkYL0C5QbKyLcsBn1udUAoWG6_TffD8jf75VhjShmuTZPUEnCufolxsFhjmLEjoGj8mRJX_xz46HKThCZ8Wk2Fjlm6sORva1MJjkJm7q_BRa-EwfpRMu43Q-uKd0X6XwRQ/s600/iStock-649726244.jpg"></a></div>
<p>If a company describes an employee’s bonus payment as being “discretionary”, with the allocation of bonuses to employees being “purely subjective” and completely bereft of any calculations, does that mean that the company can do whatever it wants in respect of such bonus?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jrmzm" target="_blank"><em><b>Bowen v. JC Clark Ltd.</b>, 2022 ONCA 614 (CanLII), the Court of Appeal for Ontario (Feldman, George and Copeland JJ.A.) held that “Where an employment agreement provides for a discretionary bonus, there is an implied term that the discretion will be exercised in a fair and reasonable manner.”
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/12/discretionary-bonuses-contain-implied.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-19023820131173083872022-11-30T07:30:00.000-05:002022-11-30T07:30:45.703-05:00Lawyers Owe No Duty to Complainants When Acting as Workplace Investigator: ONSC<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRw9f0LuNWo0gKx7PZya81phaS3g0MzAGyQSi-IWIXTq-Iw8AlfCyjiKrNYJYeH8tvz93Sm1FaNf4j6FIOtI7_KkZMnJr7JBf4mqbX6wdn9djQ2ITNORYiHMMbK-HmM31LWpenK3k9vfsBHnl6VJmOsX32L5U5spv9F1KIpBOFx7aT0IhBiyl1XYLDA/s2176/iStock-1410190259.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="2176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRw9f0LuNWo0gKx7PZya81phaS3g0MzAGyQSi-IWIXTq-Iw8AlfCyjiKrNYJYeH8tvz93Sm1FaNf4j6FIOtI7_KkZMnJr7JBf4mqbX6wdn9djQ2ITNORYiHMMbK-HmM31LWpenK3k9vfsBHnl6VJmOsX32L5U5spv9F1KIpBOFx7aT0IhBiyl1XYLDA/s600/iStock-1410190259.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Does a lawyer acting as a workplace investigator owe a duty of care to the complainant in the workplace harassment case?
<p>In <a href="http://bit.ly/3gGsQa7" target="_blank"><em><b>Mezikhovych v. Kokosis</b>, 2022 ONSC 6480, Justice Howard Leibovich of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice held, on a motion for summary judgement, that they do not.
</em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/11/lawyers-owe-no-duty-to-complainants.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.693259799999993-1.6201265655776069 -146.0057598 90 -5.3807597999999928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-58015396317106971832022-11-26T13:04:00.003-05:002022-11-26T13:04:50.650-05:00“Lowered Expectations” – Catchy Sketch Comedy Jingle, Bad Legal Principal<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitV9om5YhPmcE1lDcXHGQnV0E6Hm3orMr303wf6R7fgzVT5yhud5w7-TvCqy-v1iKaG7PGAhQ3oomOnhX_Cj3Si0lu0BtxBUfoVK5BkP4rr1v44-xQfmJhm8f5reVbdXQirveM_hj8zYPVNkNjHS5lrHId4P2danG0cttURK_uzwnVMilO9gp7p2kHw/s1010/lowered.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitV9om5YhPmcE1lDcXHGQnV0E6Hm3orMr303wf6R7fgzVT5yhud5w7-TvCqy-v1iKaG7PGAhQ3oomOnhX_Cj3Si0lu0BtxBUfoVK5BkP4rr1v44-xQfmJhm8f5reVbdXQirveM_hj8zYPVNkNjHS5lrHId4P2danG0cttURK_uzwnVMilO9gp7p2kHw/s600/lowered.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Those of us of a certain age will remember a sketch comedy television series originally inspired by Mad magazine that aired on Fox from 1995 to 2009 called “<em>MADtv</em>”. Among the recurring sketches on MADtv was a segment called “Lowered Expectations”, which spoofed dating videos.
<p>The title “Lowered Expectations” poses a relevant employment law question: Does a dismissed employee have a legal duty to mitigate her damages by searching for a lesser paying job after a reasonable period of time has passed looking for a more comparable position?
<p>Just as it is true that no one should have to lower their expectations in looking for love, in <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jspth" target="_blank"><em><b>Lake v. La Presse</b>, 2022 ONCA 742 (CanLII), the Court of Appeal for Ontario (van Rensburg, Pardu and Copeland JJ.A.) held that a motion judge had erred in principle when she accepted that, in mitigation, after a reasonable period of attempting to find similar employment, a dismissed employee must begin searching for a lesser paying job.
<p>Sorry if you now have the theme song stuck in your head.
</p></em></a></p></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/11/lowered--expectations-lake-ONCA.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-84805463051279466382022-11-26T09:13:00.005-05:002022-11-26T09:18:49.969-05:00Court Relies on Wage Surveys to Impute Income<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11UrL9qTajOnpDTS2MCIOhHKIEBzmrcYr2B_OjqW4IVPLmfktX8BywfPRQ_txx8GK2plPd9xIE0cKlkDO7OnTAjRNkEPGHnbbriI0fH7M-KbiSMdjQdOzDwMw34kWKqzsuZhDaUiGDb1FZ8XHe4LClKirQS8jyNjtQP1-XbIr4dxaPQv3gswuMCimJw/s1648/iStock_000019942906Medium.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="600" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11UrL9qTajOnpDTS2MCIOhHKIEBzmrcYr2B_OjqW4IVPLmfktX8BywfPRQ_txx8GK2plPd9xIE0cKlkDO7OnTAjRNkEPGHnbbriI0fH7M-KbiSMdjQdOzDwMw34kWKqzsuZhDaUiGDb1FZ8XHe4LClKirQS8jyNjtQP1-XbIr4dxaPQv3gswuMCimJw/s600/iStock_000019942906Medium.jpg"></a></div>
<p>Can the court rely on wage surveys to impute income to someone who has refused to provide evidence of his actual earnings?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jrzgr" target="_blank"><em><b>Lewis v. Willis</b>, 2022 ONCJ 421 (CanLII), a family law decision of Justice Stanley B. Sherr of the Ontario Court of Justice held that it could.
<P>The case may have implications in employment law cases, where dismissed employees fail or refuse to provide evidence of their mitigation income.
</P></em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/11/wage-surveys-impute-income.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916767120530431852.post-78343472987557356282022-10-09T10:10:00.001-04:002022-10-09T11:18:39.206-04:00Do You Have a Second to Talk About Secondments?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkfEFUIVw4ANY18o-BhtTYYRnVCJFvmw0JQnsEHZwJ4vrnEMyScD87hNvbdl3dlrYITvabGrz8t6N_XJsIpKW4Ceg0Jq-aNLtdVbfxEWK9oRD6znT8OiEhLn4apO07UU87JyemRzyC7BYUMezj15-v2KpG-W4BFhKVgPpdMnI2PxWsucHnAoAvBDL_g/s1890/iStock-510355715.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="1586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkfEFUIVw4ANY18o-BhtTYYRnVCJFvmw0JQnsEHZwJ4vrnEMyScD87hNvbdl3dlrYITvabGrz8t6N_XJsIpKW4Ceg0Jq-aNLtdVbfxEWK9oRD6znT8OiEhLn4apO07UU87JyemRzyC7BYUMezj15-v2KpG-W4BFhKVgPpdMnI2PxWsucHnAoAvBDL_g/s600/iStock-510355715.jpg"></a></div>
<p>What is the effect of the termination of a secondment agreement if an employee expressly remains an employee of his original employer?
<p>In <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/jm05q" target="_blank"><em><b>Nader v. University Health Network</b>, 2022 ONSC 447 (CanLII), the dismissed employee attempted to argue that the effect of the termination of both his secondment agreement and his employment was that he was entitled to wrongful dismissal damages from both the entity to which he had been seconded and his original employer.
<P>Justice William Black of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice disagreed.
</P></em></a></p></p><a href="https://www.ottawaemploymentlaw.com/2022/10/secondments-Nader-UHN-ONSC.html#more"></a>Sean Bawdenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12478582658843470140noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON K2P 2P7, Canada45.4195416 -75.69325979999999317.109307763821157 -110.84950979999999 73.729775436178841 -40.537009799999993