In the case of Dunsmuir v. Royal Group, Inc., the Ontario Court of Appeal recently upheld the cause termination of a Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of a publicly-traded company for breach of fiduciary duty. The employee had commenced a claim against the employer for wrongful dismissal and sought approximately $6.6 million in damages….
Tag: Cause
Ontario Court Finds Investment Firm Liable for Defamation in a Notice Of Termination Filed with IIROC and Orders Correction
The Ontario Superior Court has found that an investment firm defamed one of its former traders when it filed a Notice of Termination (NOT) with the securities regulator indicating the trader’s employment had been terminated for failing to follow trading policies and engaging in unauthorized trading. The Court concluded that there was no cause for…
Court Disapproves of Employee’s Surreptitious Recordings of Meetings with Employer
In Hart v Parrish & Heimbecker, a trial judge recently upheld the dismissal of a 42-year old Merchandising Manager (Plaintiff) with 15 of years service, for a series of separate incidents that he had with peers and subordinates. The Plaintiff had engaged in inappropriate conduct which included repeatedly yelling at employees, displaying excessive anger and…
Disclosure of Disability Post-Termination Won’t Negate Dismissal for Cause
Is an employer obligated to set aside the termination of an employee if the employee subsequently discloses a disability? The Ontario Court of Appeal has seemingly answered this question in the case of Bellehumeur v. Windsor Factory Supply Ltd. and provided clarity to employers regarding their ability to discipline inappropriate workplace conduct perpetrated by employees who suffer…
12th Annual Current Issues in Employment Law: Developments in Supreme Court of Canada Doctrines
Topic Defining Just Cause Since McKinley
Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Malicious Prosecution Finding Against Municipality, Reduces Punitive Damages
In a cautionary tale for employers, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has upheld a lower court decision which found a Township guilty of malicious prosecution in its actions relating to a dismissed employee. The quantum of punitive damages awarded is also a stark reminder that employee terminations must be conducted in a fair and…
Court of Appeal Upholds Termination of Employee for Driving Company Vehicle While Intoxicated
In Dziecielski v. Lighting Dimensions, the Court of Appeal for Ontario recently upheld an employer’s decision to terminate a long-service employee with an otherwise clean disciplinary record for driving a company vehicle while intoxicated. While driving, the employee had been involved in a car accident and was criminally charged. The lower court had examined the…
Is Drinking and Driving Cause for Dismissal?
In some circumstances, yes. In the recent decision of Dziecielski v. Lighting Dimensions Inc., the employee drove a company vehicle while intoxicated. He was returning to the workplace from a customer visit and a lunch where he drank four beers, when he was involved in a car accident which destroyed the vehicle and left him…
Proportionate Approach Necessary to Determine Whether Just Cause Exists
The Court of Appeal for Ontario recently confirmed that a proportionate approach must be taken in determining whether a single incident of misconduct by a long-serving employee with a relatively unblemished work record should result in dismissal for cause. In Plester v. PolyOne Canada, the plaintiff failed to lock out a machine prior to working…
Court of Appeal Upholds Finding that One Health and Safety Violation Did Not Constitute Just Cause for Termination
In its recent decision Plester v. PolyOne Canada Inc., the Court of Appeal for Ontario found that one violation of a health and safety rule did not constitute just cause for the termination of a long term supervisory employee. The plaintiff was employed as a line supervisor and had worked for the employer for 17…