In December 2024, the Court of Appeal for Ontario released its highly anticipated decision in Dufault v. Ignace (Township). The three-judge panel determined that the “for cause” termination clause contained in the employee’s...more
In De Castro v. Arista Homes Limited, 2024 ONSC 1035, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice (Court) held the termination provision in an employment contract was unenforceable because it defined “cause” more broadly than does...more
Two years ago in Waksdale v. Swegon North America Inc., 2020 ONCA 391, the Ontario Court of Appeal established the proper method for determining whether a termination clause in an employment agreement is enforceable. ...more
In Bryant v Parkland School Division, 2022 ABCA 220, the Court of Appeal for Alberta (ABCA) allowed an appeal from a summary dismissal by the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta (ABQB) in Bryant v Parkland School Division, 2021...more
The Alberta Court of Appeal recently reviewed the enforceability of a termination clause that purported to impose limits on employee termination entitlements. In Bryant v. Parkland School Division, the Court held that a...more
With hiring for next school year underway, now is the perfect time to review your employment contracts. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, you should make sure that your contracts work for, and not against, your...more
In Rutledge v. Canaan Construction Inc., 2020 ONSC 4246, Ontario’s Superior Court held, rather surprisingly, that a termination provision in an employment contract that has even a remote possibility of violating the...more
The Ontario Superior Court recently issued a decision in Sewell v. Provincial Fruit Co. Limited, 2020 ONSC 4406 (Sewell), applying the reasoning set forth in the Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) decision, Waksdale v. Swegon...more
As the old adage goes, "less is more." This might now be true for termination clauses in employment contracts after a recent decision from Ontario's top court. In Waksdale v Swegon North America Inc., 2020 ONCA 391...more
The recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal in Manthadi v. ASCO Manufacturing, 2020 ONCA 485, analyzed the common law approach to the calculation of reasonable notice when a vendor terminates a worker’s employment in...more
On June 16, 2020, the Court of Appeal for Ontario handed down a decision that will have a profound impact on the enforceability of termination provisions in Ontario employment agreements. In Waksdale v. Swegon North America,...more
Cormier v. 1772887 Ontario Limited (St. Joseph Communications) (“St. Joseph”), 2019 ONCA 965, is an appeal from a summary judgment motion arising from the wrongful dismissal claim of a contractor who worked for St. Joseph for...more
Picture this: Your company is in a highly competitive industry with several leading players heavily supported by major corporate investors and/or venture capital funds. The market is expected to generate potentially hundreds...more
In a recent working paper, researchers at UCLA and the University of Amsterdam determined that a single sexual harassment claim can cause more damage to a company’s reputation than financial misconduct or fraud. In this...more
This is the seventh instalment in our Top 10 Issues for Employers series. This issue addresses termination entitlements upon a “without cause” dismissal. OVERVIEW - Understanding an employee’s entitlements upon a...more
In Canada, termination clauses in employment agreements are critical tools that allow an employer to avoid providing reasonable notice of termination under the common law. Each year there are numerous court decisions on this...more
In Farnan v Sunderland Association Football Club [2015] EWHC 3759 (QB), the High Court considered whether breaches of confidentiality could amount to gross misconduct justifying dismissing an employee without notice....more