Employees

We assist employees with wrongful dismissal claims.

For decades, employees have trusted us to guide them through some of the most difficult moments in their careers. We combine strategic advocacy with practical advice so you’re positioned to obtain the best outcome possible in an efficient way. We provide clear guidance every step of the way so you know what to expect and can move forward with confidence.

Every dismissal is different – but our goal is always the same: to achieve the best possible outcome for you, efficiently and effectively.

We take the time to understand your circumstances, assess the strength of your claim and explain your legal options clearly. While this may include litigation, we are able to use other approaches including negotiation and mediation to resolve many disputes expediently, allowing you to move on to the next stage of your career.

We help employees understand and navigate employment contracts.

Employment contracts are not one-size-fits-all. What may look like boilerplate often contains terms that significantly impact your rights.

Whether you are reviewing an offer letter or an executive compensation package, we have the experience and insight required to flag risks and identify leverage points to help you approach negotiations with clarity and confidence. Our goal is to ensure the agreement you ultimately accept reflects your value and safeguards your interests from the outset.

We help employees who were terminated for cause.

Employers sometimes allege “just cause” to avoid paying severance. In non-unionized Canadian workplaces, the law sets an exceptionally high bar for a termination to qualify as termination for cause.

An employer’s assertion that a termination is for cause doesn’t make it true. In many cases, employees remain entitled to their full severance – and when employers make unfounded allegations, they may end up owing more.

We bring deep expertise to these situations: assessing the facts, testing the strength of the employer’s position, and challenging weak or bad-faith allegations. Our focus is on protecting your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.

We assist employees with constructive dismissal issues.

Constructive dismissal arises when an employer does not formally terminate an employee but instead fails to honour, or unilaterally changes, fundamental terms of the employment relationship—leaving the employee with no real choice but to resign. In law, this is treated the same as a termination.

Examples of changes that may amount to constructive dismissal include:

• Reducing compensation, hours, or benefits
• Changing hours or work location
• Demoting or changing an employee’s title with a corresponding loss of responsibilities
• Suspending or laying an employee off
• Ignoring complaints of harassment or bullying in the workplace

These situations can be difficult to recognize as they unfold, and whether a constructive dismissal has occurred is judged objectively based on the employer’s conduct – not simply the employee’s perception. Timely legal advice is critical: acting without it can jeopardize an employee’s rights and reduce potential entitlements.

We assess whether the changes meet the legal threshold, explain options, and recommend a clear path forward – whether that means negotiating improved terms, exiting with compensation, or pursuing litigation. Our role is to provide the clarity and strategy needed to protect an employee’s interests and secure the best possible outcome.

We help executives navigate compensation terms.

Executive employment agreements extend well beyond base salary, often encompassing performance bonuses, equity and stock options, long-term incentive plans, supplemental retirement benefits, and complex termination and change-of-control provisions.

We advise executives at all stages – from reviewing offers, to negotiating terms and interpreting existing agreements. Our work frequently includes:

• Reviewing and negotiating bonus, equity, and stock option provisions
• Interpreting benefits plan language and supplemental pension arrangements
• Advising on change-of-control protections and termination clauses
• Addressing disputes over incentive pay and deferred compensation
• Structuring exit packages to maximize value and protect entitlements

Executive compensation arrangements are complex and often highly customized. We bring clarity to the details, highlight risks and opportunities, and position you to negotiate or enforce your rights with confidence.

If litigation becomes necessary, our team has extensive experience advocating for its clients before courts and administrative tribunals.

We advise employees on workplace issues.

Our work extends beyond hiring and dismissal. We advise employees on the full spectrum of workplace issues as they arise, addressing problems early to prevent them from escalating.

We frequently assist employees with:

• Performance management
• Disciplinary action and workplace investigations
• Compensation, incentive, and bonus disputes
• Challenges with new management or reporting structures

We help employees with their employment standards rights.

Federal and provincial employment standards legislation sets out minimum rights for most employees – but employers do not always comply. When that happens, we advise employees on their entitlements and, where necessary, advocate to ensure those rights are enforced.

Some of the most common employment standards issues include:

• Unpaid overtime, wages and vacation pay
• Excessive hours of work
• Breaches of pregnancy and parental leave rights
• Misclassification of employees as independent contractors
• Termination and severance pay violations

We assist employees with human rights issues.

Federally and provincially regulated employees are protected by human rights legislation that prohibits discrimination, and requires employers to provide equal treatment and reasonable accommodation in the workplace. These protections apply across many grounds, including but not limited to race, ancestry, ethnic origin, colour, age, disability, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation and gender identity.

Our firm maintains a robust human rights practice and we are noted for our expertise in human rights issues. We frequently train and educate employers on human rights matters, but also support employees when their human rights are being violated or they are not being accommodated properly.

In many cases, the first step is not formal litigation but working toward a resolution with the employer – for example, ensuring accommodation of a disability or addressing sexual harassment concerns. Where negotiation is not possible or unsuccessful, we guide employees through the human rights process, simplifying what can otherwise be a lengthy and complex procedure. Our focus is on enforcing rights and securing meaningful remedies, whether through accommodation, negotiated settlement, or proceedings before a tribunal.