What Do Employment and Labour Lawyers Do?
During the course of their working lives, many Canadians find themselves in disputes with their employers. These disputes can range from arguments over vacation entitlements to serious matters like sexual harassment or racial discrimination. Whatever the circumstances, an experienced employment or labour lawyer, such as the ones found in our comprehensive employment lawyer directory, can help.
Below, you’ll find information about the kinds of services employment lawyers provide. But first, we’ll describe the difference between an employment lawyer and a labour lawyer:
In Canada, labour lawyers deal specifically with collective bargaining, organized labour, and unions. That means understanding the obligations that unions have to their members and members have to their unions, and helping resolve labour strikes and disputes within the organization. Employment lawyers deal with employer-employee relationships in non-unionized workplaces. This may include reviewing payment issues, resolving contract disputes, or filing or defending against discrimination claims. Some employment lawyers work on contingency – meaning they are paid a percentage of the money recovered for you – Others charge an hourly rate.
Contract Disputes
Employment lawyers spend a great deal of their time reviewing contracts and resolving contract disputes. This may include identifying clauses in a contract that are unfavourable to an employee, or seeking a resolution when an employer has breached a non-compete or confidentiality agreement.
Wage and Hours Lawsuits
When an employer fails to pay an employee a fair wage for the full amount of hours that he or she has worked, that employee may have grounds to initiate a lawsuit against his or her employer. An employment lawyer may also represent an employer in a lawsuit if the claims against the employer are frivolous.
Employment Discrimination and Harassment
Issues of harassment and discrimination are perhaps the most important part of an employment lawyer’s job. In Canada, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee for any one of a number of protected statuses, including age, race, sex, religion, and more. Likewise, it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a discrimination-free workplace.
The employer is also responsible for providing a workplace that does not include any form of sexual or physical harassment. If the employer fails to do this, an employee who has been harassed or discriminated against may be able to launch a lawsuit.
Other Areas of Expertise
In addition to these three key areas of expertise, employment lawyers may also deal with issues related to environmental compliance, health and safety standards, and more. Speak with a lawyer from our employment lawyer directory to learn more.
If you or someone you know is engaged in a dispute at work, consider browsing our employment lawyer directory for an experienced employment lawyer in your area. Another excellent resource to find top employment lawyers in Toronto is available here. Professional legal representation can ensure that you receive the compensation or resolution to which you are entitled.