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Construction Employment Law: What Contractors and Workers Must Know in 2025
As construction projects grow in complexity, the industry remains one of North America's most regulated sectors. Contractors and workers must navigate evolving laws governing safety, wages, and disputes. In 2025, legislative shifts in the US and regulatory updates in Ontario are transforming operations—from jobsite compliance to subcontractor protocols. This guide details the essential legal changes and rights every stakeholder needs to know to ensure operational compliance t
Trudy Seeger
Nov 226 min read
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How Employers Can Use Safety Dave Cameras Without Violating Privacy Laws
Fleet safety technology, including advanced dashcams and telematics, offers critical advantages like reduced liability and accident evidence. However, deployment often outpaces the law. As cameras turn inward, business safety interests clash with employee privacy rights. The challenge lies not in installation, but in preventing legitimate monitoring from becoming illegal surveillance. This article outlines the legal frameworks and operational policies required to use fleet te
Ron Johnson
Nov 227 min read
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Cross-Border Employment Contracts: How Ontario Employers Can Protect Themselves When Hiring Remote Staff Abroad
The rapid shift to remote work enables Ontario employers to access global talent, yet it introduces complex legal challenges. Hiring overseas raises critical questions regarding applicable laws, payroll, and tax liabilities. Consequently, cross-border employment contracts have shifted from formalities to essential safeguards. This report analyzes key risks and protective measures for hiring abroad, guiding employers through jurisdictional definitions, tax exposure, and compli
juewen
Nov 2210 min read
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Can Your Employee Work from Dubai?
emote work now transcends borders, with many Ontario employees operating from the UAE. Crucially, Ontario employment law often follows them—a fact frequently missed by employers. These legal obligations persist during business travel, covering activities like booking Renty transportation for work or leisure. To mitigate risk, understanding this extraterritorial reach is key. This article details how Ontario statutes apply to workers in the UAE and the resulting compliance req
innamakovska
Nov 225 min read
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Overtime Rules and Wage Rights for Auto Garage Employees
Statutory employment standards mandate protections for all workers, including auto garage employees and daily-wage personnel (e.g., nannies, plumbers), guaranteeing fair wages, overtime pay, and a safe work environment. A well-drafted employment agreement is a critical instrument. It serves to protect both employer and employee by delineating clear expectations, duties, and compensation, thereby preventing disputes and ensuring full compliance with all legal obligations. Read
Eva Vergis
Nov 98 min read
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Is Lawyer Representation Mandatory: Small Claims v. Superior Court v. HRTO and OLRB?
In Ontario, businesses must choose proper legal venue. The accessible Small Claims Court is for claims up to $35,000; its process is simplified, companies can self-represent. The formal Superior Court of Justice handles serious, complex cases with no monetary limit, but almost always require corporations to be represented by a lawyer. Specialized Administrative Tribunals resolve specific human rights or labour issues, allowing companies to use a lawyer, an agent, or self-repr
Tony Wong
Sep 184 min read
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Payroll Compliance Under Ontario Employment Law: Employer Obligations and Common Pitfalls
This guide on Ontario payroll compliance outlines core obligations under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) such as adhering to the current minimum wage, calculating overtime pay, and managing vacation and public holiday entitlements. It also highlights common and costly pitfalls resulting in costly litigation and fines. Key recommendations include conducting regular self-audits, maintaining clear internal policies, and utilizing modern payroll software to ensure accuracy.
Ron Parker
Sep 45 min read
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A Guide for Remote IT Work in Dubai - An Ontario Perspective
Your rights in a remote IT career between Ontario and Dubai depend on your physical work location. From Ontario, you get robust provincial protections and higher termination pay. In Dubai, UAE Labour Law governs your work with different rules for contracts and severance. For a move to Dubai, severing Canadian tax residency and securing mandatory private health insurance are critical. Careful planning and expert legal/tax advice are vital to avoid costly pitfalls. Read On to L
innamakovska
Aug 116 min read
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Can Getting Charged with Stunt Driving Cost You Your Job in Ontario?
Off-duty behavior like stunt driving may seem like a personal mistake, but in certain employment settings, it can have professional consequences. The answer depends on several factors, including the nature of your role, the terms of your employment contract, and how your actions are perceived in relation to your employer’s reputation and workplace policies. This article explores the nuanced relationship between off-duty behavior and employment law consequences in Ontario.
ttasca499
Aug 46 min read
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AI Candidate Screening and Human Rights Compliance in Ontario
AI screening tools in Ontario, while efficient, pose significant discrimination risks under the Human Rights Code. Biased algorithms and "proxy discrimination"—where neutral data like postal codes correlates with protected grounds—can lead to illegal outcomes for which employers are liable for discrimination and human rights violations. OHRC advises proactive measures like impact assessments, bias audits, and meaningful human oversight. Read On to Learn More.
Tony Wong
Jul 2311 min read
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Understanding Employment Law for Office Cleaners: Ontario vs. Alberta
Ontario and Alberta's employment laws are increasingly diverging. Ontario is adopting proactive, prescriptive regulations (e.g., pay transparency, electronic monitoring, gig worker rights), while Alberta maintains a more flexible, market-oriented framework. This creates complex compliance challenges for multi-jurisdictional employers, making a "one-size-fits-all" national employment policy unfeasible. Read on to learn more about the similarities and differences.
Eva Vergis
Jul 227 min read
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The Salesperson Exemption in Employment Law: What Happens When Your Office is a Phone?
Ontario's Employment Standards Act (ESA) has complex salesperson exceptions. Exemptions depend on the actual working relationship, not just contracts. Misclassification risks severe penalties (back pay, fines, reputational damage) across tax, ESA, and safety regulations. Employers need proactive due diligence and expert advice; salespersons must understand their rights. Understanding both legislation and case law is key for compliance and fair treatment.

Trudy Seeger & Tony Wong
Jul 2212 min read
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Independent Contractors vs. Employees in the Ontario Construction Sector: Legal Risks and Best Practices
Understanding the distinction between employees and independent contractors is crucial in Ontario’s construction sector. Misclassification risks fines and legal challenges. Learn how to safeguard your business with role assessments, clear contracts, compliance practices, and expert partnerships. Make compliance your foundation for success.
Sophia Liĺy
Jul 225 min read
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Remote Workers and Constructive Dismissal: Are You Being Forced Out Online?
In Ontario, constructive dismissal occurs when an employer's significant, unapproved job changes force you to quit. For remote workers, a sudden return-to-office mandate can be a trigger, especially if working from home was a long-standing arrangement. Depending on your original agreement, you could be entitled to severance pay. Crucially, always seek legal advice before you resign to understand and protect your rights.
Hanna Kochehura
Jul 227 min read
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Employment Law Ultimate Guide for Business Owners and Employees
In Ontario, business law's architecture of corporate personality and contractual freedom is in constant tension with employment law's protective mandate. From M&A deals reshaped by successor rights to the piercing of the corporate veil for director liability and the creation of new worker categories, employment law consistently looks beyond form to substance. This analysis dissects this critical interplay, a must-read for navigating modern corporate risk.

Anna Duke & Tony Wong
Jul 2015 min read
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Essential Insights into Ontario Employment Law Trends For Employers (2024-2025)
Ontario employment law is rapidly evolving. "Working for Workers" Acts bring changes: AI disclosure, new leaves. Courts invalidate flawed termination clauses, increasing costs. Non-compliance, human rights violations, bad faith conduct are escalating. Investigations need trauma-informed approach; confidentiality is not absolute. Employers must audit, update policies, and adapt to mitigate risks in this dynamic legal environment.
Tony Wong
Jun 162 min read
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Contract Work, Disability, and the Problem No One Is Talking About
Ontario's gig economy offers perceived flexibility, yet masks profound legal precarity for disabled contractors. While stripped of ESA protections (minimum wage, WSIB, benefits), they are protected by the Human Rights Code, guaranteeing anti-discrimination and accommodation rights. Fluctuating gig income creates an "invisible disability tax" and a complex ODSP "benefits trap," eroding financial security. We discusses some of the pertinent issues revolving around these vulnera
Amy Wilson
Jun 155 min read
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Employment Contracts for Daily Workers: Why They Matter and What to Include
Domestic helpers, cleaners, gardeners, and plumbers form the backbone of our society, yet their employment rights and protections are often overlooked due to the absence of formal employment contracts in many cases, which can lead to misunderstandings, unpaid wages, and disputes over rights, which may result in lengthy and costly legal proceedings. Providing them with written contracts is an ethical obligation and a legal requirement that fosters trust, respect, and a positiv
Eva Vergis
May 195 min read
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Legal Differences in Car Detailing Employment: Calgary vs. Ontario
This article aims to provide a clear and concise guide for both employees and employers as they apply to auto detailers in Ontario and Alberta. Ontario's ESA provides a more robust framework of employee protections, particularly concerning overtime pay, mandated breaks, and termination notice. In contrast, Alberta's Code, while ostensibly similar, affords greater flexibility to employers, potentially leading to disparities in enforcement and worker outcomes.
Trudy Seeger
May 196 min read
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Do Employers Have to Accommodate Bicycle Commuters? Understanding Your Rights and Benefits
This article examines the emerging legal landscape surrounding employer obligations to employees who commute by bicycle, drawing upon relevant legislation and evolving best practices, and explores the potential legal risks employers face by failing to address the needs of cyclists, considering potential claims related to discrimination, occupational health and safety, and negligence. This article also examines strategies for employees to advocate for fair treatment and reason
dukeanna555
May 46 min read
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