Request a
Consultation

Few workers get less sympathy than telecommuters. This is because they do not commute at all. However, from a legal perspective, although telecommuters or remote workers may be out of sight, they are not out of mind for employers.
They must be treated similar to any other employee, even if the nature of their “workplace” differs considerably. Often this does not occur. What are some of the legal disputes faced by Canadian employers and employees who work remotely?

I am returning to work after a year-long maternity leave, and my company is planning to lay off a significant number of employees in the next two months. I will probably lose my job.
I received a top-up of around $7,000 for my mat leave. I’m required to come back for six months, and if I don’t return of my own choice, I need to pay that back. If I’m fired, can the company still expect me to pay this back? Can they subtract it from my severance pay? And do severance packages always count as insurable time if I need to go on employment insurance?

Employees in Ontario celebrated the Ontario Government’s recent decision to add ‘Family Day’ as the ninth public holiday under the Employment Standards Act (ESA). But not so fast: despite its status as a statutory holiday, not all employees will receive the benefit of an additional day off work, or extra holiday pay if asked to work on that day. Many employers in Ontario are avoiding Family Day by relying on a section of the ESA that allows them to disregard it, if they were already providing a greater entitlement to their employees.