The economic upheaval that began with the arrival of COVID-19 has raised important questions about job security and employment insurance benefits for many Canadians. With the onset of the pandemic, temporary layoffs and job losses arrived quickly, which affected thousands of Canadian households.

When the pandemic hit, the demands at work changed overnight. What will change when the pandemic is finally behind us? Prior to 2020, few could have imagined how quickly, and how dramatically, a global event could upend our traditional way of doing things, especially when it comes to office life.

Even though it is a very common occurrence, an unexpected loss of employment is still a stressful and traumatic event. When faced with this kind of upheaval, most people are so focused on finding new employment that they don’t take the time to evaluate the situation and stand their ground if their employment rights have been violated.

In Ontario, when employees lose their jobs, they often aren’t sure how much compensation they are entitled to receive from their former employer. Because such events happen so rarely in a person’s career, it is unsurprising that most people aren’t familiar with the laws surrounding severance pay, termination pay and adequate notice for termination of employment.

As of June 30, 2021, Ontario will be moving into Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan. Despite this benchmark, many government restrictions remain in place and there is still uncertainty as to when a full reopening will happen.

The Ontario government has passed into law Bill 284, COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021. It amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) by requiring employers to provide employees with paid infectious disease emergency (IDEL) leave of up to $200/day for a maximum of 3 days of paid leave.

Since the onset of the pandemic, employers across Ontario have been forced to institute temporary layoffs for extended periods. In many cases, employees have been temporarily laid off for several months with no clear or immediate end date in sight.

When you’re in need of assistance, it’s always best practice to consult a professional. If you have an issue with the law related to an employment issue, it is generally wise to consult with an employment lawyer.

On January 28, 2021, Justice David Corbett of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice released a decision in Caplan v Atas, [2021] ONSC 670 (“Atas”) which recognized a new common law tort of internet harassment

The Waksdale decision marks a dramatic shift in the court’s approach to employment contracts. This is a positive result for employees seeking to set aside an unfavourable termination clause in an employment contract.

With the COVID-19 cases increasing, on January 12, 2021, the Ontario Government declared a second provincial emergency

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, Toronto Public Health (TPH) issued new measures to curb the spread of infection

Can I insist on working full time? If my employer does not agree to working full time, can I view this as evidence of wrongful dismissal and start legal action against my employer?

Despite the significant reduction in new COVID-19 cases, employees remain fearful that a return to work is unsafe due to concerns related to their daily commute to and from work.

Effective July 7, 2020, the City of Toronto Bylaw (Bill 511) has made masks mandatory in indoor spaces until at least September 30, 2020.

Despite some financial assistance from the provincial and federal governments including wage subsidies and access to credit, many businesses will

My employer has asked me to go back to work. I will be required to wear a mask but I have a medical condition that makes it very difficult to breathe

Despite the measures introduced by the federal and the Ontario governments, the sad reality is that some businesses may not survive the COVID-19 pandemic

As the Province of Ontario slowly re-opens the economy, businesses will resume operations and workers will be asked to return to work.

Widespread business closures across the Province have caused many employers to find ways to 'make ends meet', including instituting pay reductions.

Government Benefits and Subsidies for Individuals and Businesses during COVID-19. Your Questions answered.

We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about job security and income. We put together this brief Q&A to help

As the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic reverberate throughout the world, Ontario employers and businesses are facing some financial challenges.