Most people don’t care about the law of employment when their job is going smoothly. They get to work pay, have a good time, enjoy vacations, attend the odd frustrating meeting and then go on with their lives.
Legal issues usually surface during times when the normal routine of work ceases. A promise to promote disappears. A manager’s behaviour becomes more uncomfortable. A manager’s behavior gets increasingly uncomfortable. A letter to HR is likely to make the situation more difficult rather than improving. A long-running career could end abruptly, with a notice of expulsion. A lot of employees are amazed by the ease with which one problem within the workplace could lead to another.

If a Workplace Disput Doesn’t Have an Easy Name
Imagine an employee who is with the same employer for 7 years. After complaining about a supervisor’s unprofessional remarks the employee begins notice a change. Meetings take place without them. Assignments that are important to the company go unnoticed.
Is it a matter of the discrimination of harassment, retaliation or reprisal? There is a chance that there are multiple legal issues that may need to be considered. Someone experiencing workplace harassment Toronto shouldn’t assume that events occurring after a complaint are unrelated. When determining legal options, it is important to take into consideration the order of events as well as specific facts.
You can switch jobs without ending the job.
Employees may have a dispute with their employer and not have the employer say “You’re dismissed”. A significant salary cut, demotion or a significant change in the job description could leave an person wondering if the company has replaced the initial employment agreement with something fundamentally different.
This can raise concerns about constructive dismissal under Ontario law. A constructive termination decision is based on specific facts. There are a few exceptions. management decisions or workplace changes qualify. It is essential that employees considering quitting because of major changes don’t assume that they know what the law is.
The Questions You’ll Have to Answer After Losing Your Job
If an employment contract ends, the focus is often on money. The question “How much do I need to receive for severance?” may sound straightforward but the reality is not always universal. Employment contracts or applicable laws, duration of service, and compensation as well as other elements, may affect an employee’s rights.
Someone looking for a severance lawyer close to me could gain from having the termination package examined instead of focusing solely on the amount of weeks provided.
Unjustly dismissed Ontario isn’t just an issue where an employee feels that the termination was arbitrary. The legal review could also include determining whether or how the termination was fair, as well as the compensation amount paid and the notice provided.
Some employees are covered by a different legal system
The type of employer is an additional aspect that’s easy to forget. A lot of Ontario employees are governed primarily by provincial employment law. Certain industries are controlled by the federal government. People working in certain areas like railways, banking, telecommunications, and airports may have rights and procedures that are governed by federal law.
Employees who are unionized may face additional problems relating to representation, human rights, and the duty of fair representation. Understanding the legal framework that applies is therefore an important early part of understanding an employment dispute.
Employment Law is all about the relationship
HTW Law is a Toronto employment law firm that serves the Greater Toronto Area and handling provincial employment law throughout Ontario. Its practice includes constructive and wrongful dismissal of employees, severance from employment, workplace harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, reprisal, disability discrimination, HRTO and OLRB matters and human rights issues. The firm also assists in cases involving employees that are federally regulated across Canada.
It’s not always easy to classify workplace conflicts. Unrest over working conditions could lead to an accusation of harassment, a significant change in the employment status or even termination.
Understanding those events and their connections is as crucial to knowing what transpired on the day preceding the employee’s dismissal.
