Swearing at your boss: Termination for cause?

Can you be fired for swearing at your boss? Is swearing at work a fireable offence? Employment lawyer Alex Lucifero explains what an employee’s rights are when they are fired for swearing at their boss or employer.

Jim Little says he was fired as Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Senators because of a heated disagreement between him and team owner Eugene Melnyk. The former CEO, who had only served 54 days with the NHL team, claims he swore at Melnyk over the phone.

Alex Lucifero is an Ottawa employment lawyer and partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. He joined host Leslie Roberts on CTV Morning Live to explain if an employee can be fired for swearing, if that is a termination for cause, and if severance pay is owed.

Can I be fired for swearing at my boss?

It is never a good idea to swear at your boss, or engage in swearing at work. A general level of professionalism should be maintained in any workplace. This should be the rule regardless of the industry or the type of you are doing.

Your employer can fire you over your use of inappropriate or profane language. This applies to workers in Ontario, BC and Alberta. The company has the ability to terminate employment without cause in that situation. What your employer must do is provide you with a severance package upon termination. Severance pay in Ontario (and other Canadian jurisdictions, such as British Columbia and Alberta, where we represent clients) is based on factors that include age, length of employment and the position you were holding. If you are not given a full severance package, you can claim wrongful dismissal in Ottawa.