Practice Area: Employment Law

Ontario’s Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 Receives Royal Assent

· 3 min read

On October 28, 2024, Ontario’s Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 (Bill 190) received Royal Assent. Bill 190 amends several statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. In this FTR Now, we review key amendments of particular interest to employers.

Hicks Morley Ranked Canada’s Top Law Firm in Labour & Employment for 2025 by The Globe and Mail

Hicks Morley is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms in The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business for the fourth year in a row. The firm is ranked in the areas of Labour & Employment and Human Rights. The firm once again took the top spot in labour and employment, receiving more recommendations than any other labour and employment firm in the country.

Ontario Court Upholds Termination Clause Excluding Employee’s Common Law Entitlements, Ends Employee’s Lawsuit Against Former Employer

· 2 min read

In the recent decision of Bertsch v. Datastealth Inc., the Ontario Superior Court of Justice upheld the enforceability of a termination clause in an employment agreement that limited the plaintiff’s entitlement to only the minimum standards under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). The Court held the clause was valid and enforceable and consequently dismissed…

Request for Volunteer to Remove Rainbow Sticker from Name Badge Not Discriminatory, Says Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

· 3 min read

In an important decision for employers, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) confirmed that distinction does not necessarily amount to discrimination. In Zanette v. Ottawa Chamber Music Society, the Tribunal held that the Ottawa Chamber Music Society’s request that a volunteer usher (Zanette) remove a rainbow sticker from his name badge did not constitute…

Reminder to Employers: Ontario to Increase Minimum Wage Effective October 1, 2024

· 1 min read

A reminder to employers that the Ontario government will increase the general minimum wage to $17.20 an hour (from $16.55 an hour) effective October 1, 2024. This minimum wage applies to most employees. The minimum wage for the following groups also increases on October 1, 2024: If you have any questions about your obligations in connection…

SDRCC Rules That Maltreatment and Abuse Warrant Lifetime Ban On Working With Athletes

· 5 min read

Addressing complaints of the maltreatment and abuse of athletes continues to be a developing and hot-button issue in Canadian law. The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) recently released its June 27, 2024 decision in Elvira Saadi v Gymnastics Canada (GymCan), which upheld the original decision of a disciplinary panel of Gymnastics Canada (GymCan)…

Stevie (Stephanie) Gellatly

Stevie advises employers on a variety of matters related to labour relations, employment law and human rights.