A purchaser looking to buy an existing business usually considers factors such as the potential target company’s market share, product or service offerings, goodwill, and overall profitability. But one factor that must not be forgotten is the employees. In particular, if the vendor’s workforce is unionized, there are significant labour relations consequences that flow from

The “common employer doctrine” recognizes that an employee can have a number of employers. The doctrine has the effect of preventing an organization from arranging its corporate structure in way that attempts to circumvent its legal obligations to its employees.

The common employer doctrine comes into play when an employee seeks damages for wrongful dismissal

Historically, it was well established at common law that the sale of a business severed the employment relationship between the business that was being sold and the employee. The rationale behind this common law principle was the protection of an individual’s autonomy. The courts rejected the idea that workers could be bought and sold. However,

The Ontario Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) recently announced that it is undertaking an enforcement blitz focusing on unpaid internships. Between now and December 31, 2015, employment standards officers from the MOL will be visiting workplaces that have internship programs to ensure compliance with the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA” or “the Act”).

In

Does your workplace have gender-neutral washrooms? Does your workplace have a dress code that  accommodates all forms of gender expression? These are just two of the questions raised by the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (“OHRC”) Policy on Preventing Discrimination because of Gender Identity and Gender Expression (the “Policy”). In the first post, we