Coffee Badging in Canada: Understand the Trend & Your Employee Rights

What’s Coffee Badging?

“Coffee badging” is a modern workplace trend where employees, including those in Canada, show up to their office briefly for a coffee — or simply confirm their physical presence to their supervisor — before returning home to continue their work.

Amazon’s State of Hybrid Work 2023 report found:

• More than half (58%) of hybrid employees had participated in coffee badging.
• 8% of respondents were interested in trying coffee badging.

Can I be Punished for Coffee Badging on Office Days?

If your employment terms require you to be in the office for the entire day and that is the expectation, you are likely violating those terms by coffee badging.

• Example: If your hybrid employment contract specifies a minimum number of hours you must be in the office each day and you are not meeting this requirement, you could potentially face workplace discipline such as being written up or suspended with pay. Both Amazon and Dell have informed employees that they may be denied promotions if they do not fully comply with return-to-office policies.

To avoid potential discipline, it is important to review your employment contract and any employer policies regarding hybrid work to understand your obligations.

Can I be Fired for Coffee Badging?

Yes. Non-unionized workers in Canada can be fired or let go for coffee badging.

However, there is a major difference between being “let go” and being fired “for cause.” Canadians can be terminated for almost any reason as long as:

• They are provided full severance (which can be as much as 24 month’s pay).
• The reasons for the dismissal aren’t discriminatory.

The “High Bar” for Just Cause

If you were fired for coffee badging while still performing your duties satisfactorily, this would almost certainly be a termination without cause.

An employer claiming “just cause” (meaning they pay zero severance) faces a very high legal hurdle. To succeed, the employer must prove that your conduct was so egregious that the employment relationship is beyond repair.

A “for cause” dismissal is generally reserved for the most serious offences, such as:

• Theft or fraud
• Workplace violence
• Serious, repeated insubordination

My Boss Knows, But Doesn’t Care

There is a legal principle in Canada called “condonation.” If your employer knows you are coffee badging and does nothing to stop it — or if the workplace culture actively encourages “showing your face” briefly before heading home — they have effectively condoned the behaviour.

If an employer allows this behaviour to persist without discipline or warnings, they can’t suddenly turn around and use it as a reason to fire you “for cause.”

By overlooking the behaviour, the law views the employer as having accepted it as part of the working relationship.

For them to suddenly change their mind and claim “just cause,” they would first need to:

1. Announce a clear change in policy.
2. Provide a reasonable grace period for employees to comply.
3. Issue formal warnings if the behaviour continues.

When Coffee Badging can Justify a For-Cause Dismissal

Because the threshold is so high, a single instance is rarely enough to justify firing someone without severance pay.

For coffee badging to reach the level of “just cause,” an employer would typically need to show a “paper trail“:

• Clear Communication: They had a written policy regarding specific hours required in the office.
• Progressive Discipline: They warned you multiple times (verbally and in writing) that your specific behaviour was unacceptable.
• Willful Misconduct: You continued the behaviour despite these warnings, showing a deliberate intent to ignore company rules.

The Bottom Line: If your company has a “don’t ask, don’t tell” culture regarding office hours, or if they’ve never disciplined anyone for leaving early, their attempt to fire you “for cause” will likely fail.

Instead of Coffee Badging, Should I Just Resign?

No. If you voluntarily quit your job, you forfeit your right to a severance package.

In the event that your employer chooses to let you go because of coffee badging, for which you’ve had no prior discipline, you will likely be owed compensation.

Get Help Now

If your employer terminates your employment for coffee badging, you should immediately seek legal advice.

The experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can determine if the company “condoned” the behaviour and ensure you receive the severance package you are legally owed.

Call 1-855-821-5900 or book a consultation online to get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.