PRIVACY POLICY
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BIRD RICHARD
508-130 Albert St,
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5G4
T: 613-238-3772
F: 613-238-5955
DISCLAIMER
Before you send an e-mail to Bird Richard, please be aware that your communications with us through this message will not create a lawyer-client relationship with us. Do not send us any information that you or anyone else considers to be confidential or secret unless we have first agreed to be your lawyers in that matter. Any information you send us before we agree to be your lawyers cannot be protected from disclosure.
Digital Platform Workers’ Rights
/in Summer 2025 /by BirdRichardA digital platform is defined as an online platform that allows workers to choose to accept or decline digital platform work. Uber is a familiar example of a digital platform operator. The Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022, and its associated regulations, came into force on July 1, 2025. The Act imposed new obligations on […]
Notable Win for Employers – Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Enforceability of Unambiguous Termination Clause
/in Summer 2025 /by BirdRichardBertsch v. Datastealth Inc., 2025 ONCA 379, is a welcomed decision that stands out amid a long trend of increased judicial scrutiny of employment contracts. The Ontario Court of Appeal has confirmed the enforceability of a termination clause that limits an employee’s entitlements to the minimum standards under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”). The […]
Alberta Court Finds Return-to-Office Mandate was Constructive Dismissal for Employee who was Hired Prior to the Pandemic as a Remote Worker
/in Summer 2025 /by BirdRichardIn Nickles v. 628810 Alberta Ltd., 2025 ABKB 212, a judge of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench has ruled that an employer’s directive requiring an employee to return to the office constituted a constructive dismissal. Constructive dismissal arises when an employer unilaterally makes a significant change to a fundamental term of employment without the […]
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: IMPLICATIONS OF BAKER v. VAN DOLDERS FOR ONTARIO’S EMPLOYERS
/in Spring 2025 /by BirdRichardOntario employers should take note of the recent decision in Baker v. Van Dolders Home Team Inc., 2025 ONSC 952, which underscores the importance of carefully drafting termination clauses in employment contracts. This ruling from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, released on February 11, 2025, highlights the high legal standards to which employers are […]
NEW OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT REQUIREMENTS – CLEAN WASHROOM FACILITIES
/in Spring 2025 /by BirdRichardEffective July 1, 2025: A constructor or employer is required to ensure that any washroom facilities provided for worker use are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. The constructor or employer is also required to keep, maintain and make available records of the cleaning of washroom facilities. Effective January 1, 2026: Cleaning records must […]
NEW ONTARIO EMPLOYER OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO EMPLOYEES
/in Spring 2025 /by BirdRichardEffective July 1, 2025, Ontario employers with 25 or more employees will be required to provide the following information in writing to each new hire prior to their first day of work, or, if that is not feasible, as soon as reasonably possible thereafter: The employer’s legal name, along with any operating or business name […]
FEDERAL AND ONTARIO MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
/in Spring 2025 /by BirdRichardOn April 1, 2025, the federal government increased the federal minimum wage from $17.30 to $17.75 per hour. This $0.45/hour raise reflects a 2.4% increase, aligned with Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI). This increase will ensure salaries for workers in federally regulated private sectors are keeping pace with year-over-year cost of living increases. […]
MONETARY LIMIT FOR ONTARIO’S SMALL CLAIMS COURT WILL INCREASE FROM $35,000 TO $50,000
/in Spring 2025 /by BirdRichardThis is a significant development that will have wide-reaching implications for individuals and businesses seeking more affordable and efficient legal recourse. The jurisdictional ceiling for the Small Claims Court increased from $10,000 to $25,000 in 2010. A further increase to $35,000 in 2020 enhanced access to justice for a broader range of civil disputes. The […]
Ontario Divisional Court finds Private Group Chats can lead to Discipline in the Workplace
/in Winter 2025 /by BirdRichardOn April 2, 2024, the Ontario Divisional Court issued its decision in Metrolinx v. Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1587, a judicial review of an arbitration ruling by the Grievance Settlement Board (GSB). The case highlights that private group chats can give rise to workplace discipline and confirms that employers have a statutory obligation to investigate […]
Ontario Helping Workers Plan for Retirement
/in Winter 2025 /by BirdRichardOntario is implementing a permanent framework for target benefit pension plans to help workers prepare for retirement while supporting the sustainability of multi-employer pension plans. This framework, effective January 1, 2025, aims to encourage more employers to adopt these plans, enabling workers to build their retirement savings. Target benefit pension plans provide retirees with a […]