Author: Stacey R. Ball

It is important for federal regulated employers to be aware of the newly introduced administrative monetary penalties under Part IV of the Canada Labour Code (“Code”). The changes came into force on January 1, 2021 and have served as a financial deterrent to the issue of frequent non-compliance by some employers.

In this blog, we will introduce to you what are these changes and their impacts on federally regulated employers.

 Monetary Penalty System to Deter Non-Compliance

The new administrative monetary penalties work as a penalty system to address concerns of frequent non-compliance with the Code and related regulations.

a) Fines

As part of the enforcement and compliance mechanism, any federal regulated employers that violate Part II (Occupational Health and Safety) and Part III (Standard Hours, Wages, Vacations and Holidays) of the Code will be subject to administrative monetary penalties up to $250,000.

b) The Add-Up Effect

Further, if the issuance of an administrative monetary penalty does not help to deter the non-compliance of the employer, the Labour Program reserves the right to issue a new penalty for the violation each day. In this way, the total amount of the penalties can add up quickly.

c) Personal Liabilities

It is stipulated that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the regulations will be liable to the administrative monetary penalty.

In the event of the violation committed by a corporation, any of the corporation’s officers, directors, or persons exercising managerial or supervisory functions will be personally liable for the penalty if they “directed, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission of the violation”.

d) No Due Diligence Defence

A person who is named in the violation can no longer use due diligence defence to exonerate them of this penalty. They cannot argue that they exercised due diligence to prevent the violations or they reasonably and honestly believed in the existence of facts that, if true, would exonerate them.

e) Public Naming of Violators

The Labour Program will make public the name of the employer, the details of the violation as well as the monetary amount imposed, once an employer has received an administrative monetary penalty. This could bring a substantial negative impact on the reputation of the employer.

The Review and Appeal Process

An employer who is found to be in violation of the Code can request a review of the penalty, the facts of the violation or both within thirty (30) days of receiving a notice of violation. They can make such a request to the Head of Compliance and Enforcement. The notice could be confirmed, amended or overturned. The employer could further appeal the review decision to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). The CIRB decision is final.

Federal regulated employers could face significant fines and risk tainting their reputations if they ignore the newly introduced administrative monetary penalties under the Code. These employers should be make sure that they have complied with the requirements of the Code.

If as a federally regulated employer, you have allegedly contravened the Code, Top Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey Ball can help you explore your legal options. Please contact our office at 416-921-7997 extension 227.

The severity of the Covid-19 pandemic has exerted a huge impact on the Canadian economy, forcing employers to scale down their business and reduce operational costs. Therefore, lots of employees are terminated, laid off or put on a temporary layoff by the employer. In this blog, we attempt to answer some common questions in regard to these issues.

FAQ about Layoff, Temporary Layoff and Termination During

Q: Can my employer lay me off temporarily due to the Covid-19?

You could be temporarily laid off by your employer only if the employment contract has specifically addressed this possibility and you have agreed to this term. Absent such a term, you may have a claim for constructive dismissal on the basis that you are laid off without an agreement to allow your employer to specifically do so.

A constructive dismissal is where an employer makes a substantial change to the terms of an employee’s employment without the employee’s consent or demonstrates an intention to no longer be bound by the terms of the employment contract so that the employee has the option of treating his or her employment as having been terminated.

It is important to note that as of March 21, 2020, employees cannot claim constructive dismissal based on the Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) for temporary cuts to their pay or hours of work because of COVID-19, according to Regulation 228/20 issued by the Ontario government on March 29, 2020. These employees are deemed to be on “emergency leave”. On December 17, 2020, the Ontario Government amended Regulation 228/20 by extending the “COVID-19 Period” to July 3, 2021. In other words, employees who experience a temporary layoff due to COVID-19 will be on a deemed emergency leave until July 3, 2021.

Since the Regulation only deals with constrictive dismissal claims under the Employment Standards Act but not the common law, it may not necessarily bar employees from bringing common law constructive dismissal claims to the court. If you are experiencing constructive dismissal issues in connection to your temporary layoff, it is advisable to seek legal advice from an experienced employment lawyer.

Q: If I agree to have a temporary layoff during the Covid-19, does that mean my employer can lay me off again in the future?

If you agree to a temporary layoff without a contract term allowing the employer to specifically do so, you should make it clear in writing to your employer that you are doing so only in response to this specific situation. You must confirm that you are not agreeing to have a layoff as a term of your employment contract.

In this way, once your employer puts you on a temporary layoff again in future after recalling you back to work from this Covid-19 related layoff, you can refuse to accept this. You can consider the layoff as a constructive dismissal and claim a severance package from your employer.

Q: Can I get any severance pay if I am terminated by my employer during the Covid-19 pandemic?

It depends on your specific fact scenarios.

Termination Without Cause

In Ontario, an employer is entitled to terminate any employee at any time for any reason that is not discriminatory. However, it must provide notice or pay in lieu of notice of termination. This is what we call termination without cause. Examples of termination without cause due to the Covid-19 includes, inter alia, lack of work, reorganization, redundancy of work force.

If you are terminated without case, you are entitled to termination/severance pay determined by either your Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) minimums or common law reasonable notice. In most cases, a terminated employee could receive a much greater severance package under common law than the minimum standards under the ESA. Common law severance pay is available to any employee, as long as they are not terminated for just cause and as long as they are not subject to a valid termination clause that replaces the common law entitlements.

The common law severance package that an employer should pay to a terminated employee depends on a number of factors. Relevant factors include, inter alia, length of service, age, salary, the position the employee held within the company, whether the employee was actively recruited and the general economy. There is no easy calculation to determine the amount of severance that an employee will receive at common law. Therefore, it is advisable to consult an experienced employment lawyer about this.

Termination for Cause

In the case of termination for cause, it means that an employer may not have to provide with an employee with common law severance.

It is a high bar to terminate someone with cause. Generally, there must be some serious misconduct that harms the employment relationship, such as theft, violence, fraud rising to the level of gross misconduct. The reason for the high bar is that in the event of willful misconduct, an employee will not receive any termination or severance pay.

If you are an employee who has been fired for cause, you should absolutely reach out to a lawyer to review the circumstances of your dismissal.  You may have a case for wrongful dismissal.

Q: Can I refuse to return if I am recalled back to work after a temporary layoff?

When you are recalled back to work after a temporary layoff, it is expected that you should return to work unless you have a legitimate ground to refuse so.

For example, if you refuse to return because of your illness or childcare responsibilities arising from school closures, you have the right to do so. Your employer has an obligation to accommodate you. Any failure would amount to a breach of the prohibited grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Employers also have an obligation to provide a safe work environment free from dangers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. If you refuse to return to work because of work health and safety concerns such as lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), you are also entitled to say no to your employer.

However, if you simply refuse to return to work without any legitimate reasons, your employer could treat your refusal to return to work as a resignation. In that case, you will not be able to claim any termination or severance pay.

Employment issues in relation to layoff, temporary layoff or termination can be quite complicated. It is advisable to seek professional help from an experienced employment lawyer. If you are experiencing any employment law issues due to the Covid-19, Top Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can help you determine your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997, extension 227.

The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped the traditional working styles and reimagined the roles of offices in the work environment. In addition, the pandemic has also exerted huge impact on the Canadian economy, causing substantial job losses and making others in jeopardy.

In this blog, we would like to answer some of the questions in regard to your employment rights during the Covid-19 to help you better understand your situation in the current employment market.

REFUSAL TO WORK BECAUSE OF COVID-19 CONCERNS

Q: Can my employer fire me if I refuse to go to work because of Covid-19 concerns?

Employers are entitled to expect that their employees will continue to perform their work unless there is a legitimate reason to show why they cannot. Normally, your employer can expect you to come to work if your workplace remains open and your employer is following the government’s guidelines for a safe workplace. It is simply not enough for you to say that you want to stay home because of the Covid-19.

If you do not have Covid-19 while your workplace remains open, your employer could terminate you for not coming to work. Your refusal to work can be perceived as resignation by your employer if the workplace is deemed safe. In these case, you will not be entitled to severance pay.

However, there are situations that you can stay home. You can ask for an unpaid leave of absence from work (“Infectious Disease Emergency Leave”). This will prevent you from being terminated if

• You are sick with Covid-19
• You are caring for a family member who has contracted the disease
• You have been ordered to quarantine or isolate
• You are in isolation, self-isolation or quarantine because of information or directions from a doctor or nurse, a public health official, Telehealth Ontario, a municipal council, the Ontario government, the Canadian government, or a board of health.

Q: I have underlying medical conditions and a compromised immune system. Can my employer let me go if I refuse to go back to work due to Covid-19 concerns?

If you have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes or chronic pulmonary disease, you are at greater risk of contracting Covid-19 if you return to your workplace. Under these circumstances, you have two options:

• You can either take the unpaid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave; Or
• You can ask your employer for accommodation, such as working from home.

 If you are planning to take the infectious disease emergency leave, you should notify your employer of this as soon as possible. However, it is not necessary for you to give your employer a doctor’s note. If you employer asks for reasonable proof, you can simply provide them with some details about why you need to leave.

If you have a weakened immune system because of underlying medical conditions, there is a higher risk for you to contract Covid-19 at the workplace. If your employer still forces you to come to work in the office, this amounts to discrimination. According to Ontario Human Rights Code, employers cannot discriminate against employees on a number of enumerated grounds, including disability. To avoid this situation from happening, the employer has a duty to offer different working conditions to accommodate you. This could include working from home or working at different hours.

WORKING FROM HOME

Q: If my employer does not allow me to work from home, what should I do?

If your employer has followed all the necessary government’s guidelines and the workplace is deemed as safe, you are obliged to attend the workplace. Any refusal to work on your part could be considered as resignation by your employer.

However, if you have certain family obligations such as caring for your children who stay at home, your employer has the obligation to accommodate you to the extent of undue hardship. If your employer does not allow you to work from home, it would amount to the breach of Ontario Human Rights Code (“Code”) on the basis of family status.

If you have underlying medical conditions or a weakened immune system, your employer has the same obligation to accommodate you. It should allow you to work from home. Otherwise, it could be perceived as discrimination on the basis of disability under the Code.

Q: Can my employer be allowed to only choose certain staff to work from home?

Yes, employers are allowed to only choose certain staff to work from home, as long as they are not discriminatory in choosing who can or cannot work remotely.

SELF ISOLATION AND ACCOMODATION

Q: Does my employer have to pay me if I have contracted Covid-19 or am in quarantine?

No, your employer does not have a duty to pay you if you have contracted Covid-19 or are in quarantine. However, if you are still able to continue to perform your work duties by working remotely, you are then entitled to your usual pay and benefits.

Q: Can my employer ask me if I have tested positive for Covid-19 and share that information with other employees?

An employer generally does not have the right to disclose any employee’s confidential medical information to others. It is a breach of Ontario Human Rights Code (“Code”) on the basis of disability once the employer does that.

However, it is allowed under the Code if your employer asks you this question to determine whether you are fit for work and fulfill its obligation to create a safe work environment. However, if your employer discloses any identifying information to other employees without any urgent health and safety justification to do so, it will amount to a breach of the prohibited ground of disability under the Code. Therefore, it is advisable for employers to disclose that an unnamed employee has tested positive for Covid-19 once they find that someone in its workforce has contracted Covid-19.

If you are experiencing any employment law issues in connection to the Covid-19, Top Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can help you determine your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997, extension 227.

A Guidance on How to Recall Employees to Work from a Temporary Layoff

With the community transmission of Covid-19 cases slowing down and vaccination program gradually rolling out, more and more businesses are starting to consider whether they should recall part or all of their employees back to work after a temporary layoff. In this blog, we would like to answer some common questions in connection to this issue.

Q: What is a recall?

Recall refers to a process that employers bring back to work those employees after a temporary layoff. The relevant statutory provisions in the Employment Standards Act, the layoff clauses in the employment contract (if any) or applicable company policies usually govern the process.

Q: when should an employer start recalling employees back to work?

It depends on each employer’s specific situation. They should fully consider their business needs before proceeding to recall their employees back to work. Employers need to consider whether there is enough work for the recalled employees to do. They also need to fully assess whether they can observe the recommended government health guidelines so that they can offer their employees a safe work environment. In addition, employers should also fully consider the changes to the statutory temporary layoff provisions in the Employment Standards Act (the “ESA”) before they make a decision about recalling their employees back to work.

While the temporary layoff provisions normally restrict the amount of time an employee can have for a temporary layoff before being considered as terminated by their employer, the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave amendment to the ESA changed this. In this way, employees who experience a temporary layoff due to Covid-19 will be on a deemed emergency leave until July 3, 2021. During this period, employees are barred from bringing constructive dismissal claims under the ESA. However, they can still bring common law constructive dismissal claims to the court.

Q: Do employers have to recall longest-serving employees first?

No. Employers are generally free to recall employers in its preferred order as long as it does not do so in a discriminatory way. However, when deciding the order or whether to recall some employees back to work, employers should fully consider its implications to make sure that it will not be a breach of Ontario Human Rights Code on the basis of the prohibited grounds such as age or family status.

Q: How much notice should an employer give in advance before recalling employees back to work?

Absent any employment agreement or company policy stating the minimum recall period, employers need to provide a reasonable notice of recall before bringing the laid off employees back to work. What constitutes a reasonable notice varies. It is assessed on a case-to-case basis. However, the recall notice at a minimum should include the date that employees are expected to return and the location where employees report to work.

Q: What should an employer do if an employee does not respond to the recall notice?

If an employee fails to respond to the recall notice, the employer should take reasonable steps to make sure that the recall notice has been actually received. The employer could simply send multiple notices or try to use a different communication mode. If the employee still does not respond after the multiple attempts to reach them, the employer could consider sending a final recall notice, stating that any failure to respond to this notice by a certain date could be construed as resigning or in the alternative abandoning their employment.

Q: Can an employee refuse to return if he or she is recalled back to work after a temporary layoff?

When employees are recalled back to work after a temporary layoff, it is expected that they should return to work unless they have a legitimate ground to refuse so. For example, if an employee refuse to return because of their illnesses or childcare responsibilities arising from school closures, they have the right to do so.  Employers have an obligation to accommodate them. Any failure would amount to a breach of the prohibited grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Employers also have an obligation to provide a safe work environment free from dangers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. If an employee refuses to return to work because of work health and safety concerns such as lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), they are also entitled to say no to the employer. However, if an employee simply refuses to return to work without any legitimate reasons, the employer could treat the refusal to return to work as a resignation. In that case, the employee will not be able to claim any termination or severance pay.

Q: What other issues should an employer fully consider when recalling its employees back to work after a temporary layoff?

Employers have an obligation to take reasonable steps to make sure that the work environment is safe from hazard. When an employee has reasonable grounds to believe that the work environment is unsafe, they can refuse to attend for work even after answering the recall notice. Therefore, it is essential for an employer to fully investigate the work place hazard and observe the government health guidelines before recalling its employees back to work after a temporary layoff.

In addition, employers should also accommodate those employees who are unable to return to work because of having contracted Covid-19 or experiencing underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus. It is the same case with those employees who cannot make it to work because of child care responsibilities due to the closure of daycare centres and educational institutions. Employers should consider allowing these employees to work remotely if situations permit. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, employers have a duty to accommodate these employees to the extent of undue hardship. It is strongly recommended that employers should consult a legal counsel before taking any adverse actions against the employee who fails to report to work based on the above-mentioned reasons.

If you are experiencing any issues in connection to employee recall after a temporary layoff, Top Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can help you determine your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997, extension 227.

Illegal Interview Questions

Employers can hire a job applicant according to their personal preferences. However, when it comes to asking questions during the job interview, they should be more careful. In this blog, we will explore the topic of illegal questions during a job interview. Employers should avoid raising any personal questions that could be interpreted as discriminatory, such as “Are you married? Do you have any children? Where do you come from?”. These questions are considered inappropriate and prohibited by the Canadian Human Rights Act or provincial human rights legislation.

According to the Canadian federal and provincial human rights legislation, employers should refrain from asking candidates any person questions in connection to

• Age
• Colour
• Gender identity or expression
• Sexual orientation
• Race
• National or ethnic origin
• Citizenship
• Marital or family status
• Religion, or creed
• Mental or physical disability
• Pardoned offences
• Receipt of Public Assistance

Employers should familiarize themselves with the prohibited grounds of discrimination in the relevant human rights legislation. They should focus on asking questions that aims to reveal a job applicant’s potential to perform job duties well rather than probing into these personal questions that may be construed as discriminatory.

 Case in Point-Kartuzova v HMA Pharmacy Ltd

In the decision of Kartuzova v HMA Pharmacy Ltd., 2012 HRTO, 328, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled that asking a job applicant personal questions such as family, marital status, financial situation and how she came to Canada could amount to discrimination and thus violate the Human Rights Code.

In this case, Ms. Kartuzova applied for a position as a pharmacy technician. She was asked by the employer these personal questions during the interview, which she felt pressured to answer. The interview ended abruptly and she did not get the job. The Tribunal noted that this behaviour runs contrary to section 5 of the Code, which reads that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination. It ordered the employer to pay Ms. Kartuzova $496.13 as monetary compensation for lost income and $4,000 for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect.

Take Away for Job Applicants

If you are a job applicant who come across these personal questions during the interview, you could choose to deflect these questions or even refuse to answer them.  If you perceive that these questions are ill intended and reveal the employer’s discriminatory hiring policy, it is advisable for you to consult a lawyer for legal advice, once you decide to pursue further actions

Take Away for Employers

Employers should create a hiring process that aims to assess each candidate’s ability to perform essential job duties. They should structure interviews in a way that promotes diversity and focus on objective criteria. Employers could use multi-person panels to conduct interviews and acquaint its staff with discriminatory grounds so that these questions would not pop up during the interview. Besides, they should ask all job applicants the same questions during the interview process to maintain fairness.

Whether you are a job applicant or an employer, top Toronto employment lawyer Stacey Ball can help you explore your legal options if you have any questions regarding illegal interview questions during hiring process. Please contact our office at 416-921-7997 extension 227.

About Infectious Disease Emergency Leave

 Employees are entitled to take infectious disease emergency leave if they are not performing job duties because of the reasons in connections to a designated infectious disease. In this blog article, we would like to answer some questions about this leave given the rampant nature of the infectious Covid-19.

Q: What is an Infectious Disease Emergency Leave?

The infectious disease emergency leave refers to an unpaid, job-protected leave. This leave is available to all employees covered by the Employment Standards Act.

So far, the only disease that entitles you to take infectious disease emergency leave is Covid-19. Even though it was on March 19, 2020 that the Employment Standards Act was amended to include infectious disease emergency leave, it is retroactive to January 25, 2020. This leave will end on July 3, 2021.

Q: Who are Eligible for Infectious Disease Emergency Leave?

Employees can take infectious disease emergency leave if they will not be performing duties of their positions due to the following reasons:

• The employee is under individual medical investigation, supervision, or treatment in connection to a designated infectious disease, whether this happens in Ontario, or another province, territory or country;
• The employee is in quarantine, isolation or is subject to a control measure implemented as a result of information or directions related to a designated infectious disease issued bya public health officer, a physician or a nurse, Telehealth Ontario, a board of health, a municipal council in Ontario or the Government of Ontario or Canada;
• The employee is under direction given by their employer in response to the concern that this employee might expose other individuals in the workplace to a designated infectious disease;
• The employee is providing care or support to individuals because of a matter in a matter related to a designated infectious disease. The list of individuals is very wide, which could include family members such the employee’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, in-laws as well as any person who considers the employee to be like a family member;
• The employee is directly affected by travel restrictions in connection to a designated infectious disease and thus cannot be reasonably expected to travel back to Ontario;
• The employee is following a Covid-19 related order issued under section 22 or 35 of the Health Promotion and Protection Act;
• The employee is subject to an order that related to Covid-19 under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to Covid-19) Act, 2020.

Q: How long is an Employee Entitled to the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave?

There is no limit as to the length that an employee can be entitled to for the infectious disease emergency leave. Employees are entitled to take this leave as long as the event that triggers the entitlement to the leave lasts. Once the triggering event is over, the employee needs to go back to work.

Q: What Rights does an Employee Have during the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave?

• Employees who take this leave are entitled to the same rights enjoyed by the employees who take pregnancy or parental leave.
• Employers cannot threaten, fire or penalize an employee in any way if an employee is planning to take an infectious disease emergency leave.
• Employers may require the employee to produce evidence reasonable in the circumstances to prove that they are eligible for this leave. However, during this leave, employers cannot ask for a doctor’s note.

Q: What Benefits does an Employee Have during the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave?

• Employees are entitled to continue taking part in the benefit plans that their employer offer such as pension plans, life insurance plans, accidental death plans, extended health plans and dental plans.
• Employees must continue to pay their share of the premiums on these plans. The employer must continue to pay its share of the premiums for any of these above-mentioned plans unless the employee notifies the employer in writing that they will not continue to pay their share.
• Under this infectious disease emergency leave, the regular rules around constructive dismissal and temporary layoff in the Employment Standards Act are suspended. However, common law rules still apply.

If you need any legal advice in connection to the infectious disease emergency leave, Top Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can advise you on your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997, extension 227

Taking Clients From Former Employers

It is common for employers to restrict their employees’ ability to work for a competitor or solicit their clients once the employment relationship breaks down. In this blog, we illustrate a few key points on how to restrict a departing employee from taking clients from business.

 Use Restrictive Covenants Clauses in the Employment Contract

While the courts seek to protect the employers right to its clients, departing employees are also protected in terms of maintaining their career. Employees holding non-managerial and who are not “key employees” crucial to your business are allowed to make their services available to former clients.

However, restrictive covenants could be drafted into the employment contract to show exactly what a departing employee can or cannot do. Our blog article, What You Should Know About Non-Solicitation and Non-Competition Clauses, fully discusses such restrictive covenants clauses in the employment context with their usage and enforceability.

Fiduciaries and Common Law Duty of Good Faith and Fidelity

Employees who have significant responsibility and are “key employees” may be considered fiduciaries and as such, are under a strict duty to act solely in the best interests of their employer, even when exiting the company. Even if there is no contract, these employees cannot actively solicit clients of former employers. There exists at common law a duty of good faith and fidelity that protects the confidential information of organizations that may be used by competing businesses when employees switch between companies.

a. Post-Employment Fiduciary Obligations

Fiduciaries obligations continue after employment has ended and do not cease merely because of resignation or dismissal by the employer. It is stated that fiduciary obligation was a larger more exacting duty than simply the duty to respect the former employer’s trade secrets and the confidentiality of its customer lists. While ordinary employees only have a duty to respect trade secrets and not property such as customer lists, the fiduciary has a duty not to direct solicit the former employer’s customers for a reasonable period of time. As a general rule, when it comes to former clients, a fiduciary must wait until they come to him or her of their own initiative. A breach of fiduciary obligation after termination of the employment relationship will be actionable even if the employer has not suffered damages

b. A Case in Point

 In the case of Computer Enhancement v J.C. Options, 2016 ONSC 452, two former employees were ordered to pay their employer $132,581 in damages for breach of contract and fiduciary duties. In this case, the employees resigned and began soliciting clients of the employer. The court held that both employees, one who was a junior salesperson and the other who was a “key employee” with fiduciary responsibilities breached their common law duty to not solicit clients of the employer.

Unless the employee is found to be a key employee with a fiduciary duty, solicitation may occur if there is no contractual clause limiting such action.  Ultimately the case reveals the importance of requiring salespersons to sign employment agreements with enforceable non-solicitation or non-competition clauses and shows the importance of keeping track of lost revenue when former employees have solicited your clients.

In determining whether an employee is a fiduciary, the court will analyze the employee’s position and go beyond mere job titles. This is a complex matter. It is strongly suggested that you should seek legal advice in this aspect. If you come across any legal issue in connection to the solicitation of clients from previous employers, Top Toronto employment lawyer Stacey Ball can help you explore your legal options. Please contact our office at 416-921-7997 extension 227.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) stipulates that employers have a duty to protect their employees from health and safety hazards at workplace. In addition, the employees have the right to raise to their employer their concerns regarding such hazards. If an employer punishes an employee for asking about their rights under the OHSA or complaining about health and safety concerns, it will be an unlawful reprisal and the employer may be sanctioned as a result. Especially during the COVID-19 period, it is important for employees to understand their rights under the OHSA and available remedies if they are reprised by their employer.

Complaint to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB)

According to section 50 of the OHSA, an employer is prohibited from punishing its employee for raising health and safety concerns at work. If an employee has been adversely affected such as being disciplined, intimidated, denied a bonus or benefit, transferred, terminated, or discriminated against in any way for raising a health and safety issue, the employee may be able to bring a complaint to the OLRB.

An Extra Step for Unionized Workers

Generally, if the employee is a member of a union, they should talk to the union representative first. Then the union can decide how to tackle the employee’s issue. If an complaint is necessary, the union representative may be able to help with filing the complaint.

After Filing the Complaint

After the employee makes a complaint to the OLRB, they will first need to work with a Labour Relations Officer to see if they can reach a mutually agreed solution with their employer. If this fails, the employee may then go to consultation or hearing.

A consultation is less formal than a hearing. During the consultation, the Vice-Chair will ask questions about the incident. Then the Vice-Chair makes decisions at the OLRB.

On the other hand, for a hearing, the complainant will be able to make statements, bring witnesses, and question the employer’s witnesses.

Documentation and Witnesses

Evidence plays an important role in consultations and hearings. The complainant can present documents such as the employment contract, their correspondence with their employer and pictures reflecting unsafe conditions at work. The complainant can also bring witnesses to tell the Board what they heard and saw about the incident.

Before the hearing or consultation, the complainant should review their claim and consider what are the important facts that they should focus on, and how their documentation and witnesses can corroborate those facts.

Additional Matter to be Mindful About

The hearing process can be complicated and thus difficult to navigate. It should be noted that although the OLRB does not charge a fee for the hearing, if a complainant loses, they may have to pay the employer back for what they spent on this process. This could include their lawyer’s fees, which can be expensive.

Therefore, especially for non-unionized employees, it is advisable that they consult a lawyer before filing a complaint to the OLRB. If you are experiencing workplace reprisal issues, Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can help you determine your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997, extension 227.

From outright discrimination to workplace bullying, employees can be harassed in a number of ways at work. It is important to understand what constitutes harassment and how to handle it if it ever happens to you.

Types Of Harassment

Workplace harassment occurs when a person engages in a number of vexatious and unwelcome comment or conduct towards another person at work. Workplace harassment takes on a variety of forms. It includes but is not limited to insults and slurs, offensive comments or unwanted jokes, physical bullying or aggressive behaviours, and sexual harassment.

A person of any gender can be the victim of the sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in the workplace is not limited to spoken words and physical behaviours such as touching or staring in a suggestive manner. Obscene images, emails and videos sent to a co-worker are also considered as a form of sexual harassment, which creates a toxic work environment.

Steps To Address The Issue

If you think that you are a victim of workplace harassment, you could follow the steps to resolve the issue:

a. Confront the Perpetrator of the Harassment

If you feel comfortable in doing so, the first step to stop harassment is to confront the perpetrator. As the victim is supposed to prove that the conduct was uninvited and unwelcome, it will strengthen your case if you openly tell the harasser to stop their behaviours when they continue to behave inappropriately. However, if you fear for your own safety, it is not wise to confront your harasser directly.

b. Keep a Written Record of the Incident

It is always a good idea to keep a written record of the incident. You should try to write down the details of what happened during the incident rather than document your own personal feelings. You should make notes of when and where you were harassed, what was said or done, any witnesses at the scene, any injuries you had and any steps you took to fix the problem.

c. Report the Incident to Your Employer

Almost every employer in Ontario has to follow the rules in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, RSO 1990 (OHSA) and establish a workplace harassment policy. You should follow the steps in the workplace harassment policy. The policy should give you various options to report the harassment, including the steps of how to file an internal complaint. You can talk with your supervisor or someone in the Human Resources Department about the incident. If you are a unionized employee, you may contact your union. You should explain to them what has happened and ask for help in getting the behaviour to stop. The OHSA protects you from punishment for complaining about the harassment to your employer.

d. Making a Complaint to the Ministry of Labour (MOL)

If your employer fails to ensure that an appropriate investigation is conducted on the incident, you can make a complaint to the Ministry of Labour (MOL). The MOL will send an inspector to your workplace to see whether the way of dealing with harassments by your employer is good enough. It is important to note that MOL inspectors cannot make a decision about your case nor order compensation or other remedies. They can only look to see whether your employer complies with the OHSA. If not, they can order your employer to make, post or change the workplace harassment policy.

e. Making a Complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal

The Ontario Human Rights Code, RSO 1990 prohibits any discrimination or harassment based on a protected ground, such as race, colour, creed, place of origin, sex, ethnic origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, record of offences, age, disability, religion, ancestry, marital status and family status. If you are experiencing any harassment related to the above protected grounds, you can make a complaint to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.

You employer has a duty to create a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. If you have to leave your job or have been fired because of harassment, it is advisable for you to consult a lawyer to get to know your legal rights. Toronto employment lawyer, Stacey ball can help you determine your legal options. Please call us at 416-921-7997 extension 227.