Employment lawyer on email terminations and rights to severance
Interview Summary
GoodLife Fitness recently laid off hundreds of employees in an email message many are saying was conducted in bad faith. GoodLife insists that employees who failed to respond to an early email survey have abandoned their jobs and are owed no severance. Is this legal? Can employees in this situation still pursue their entitlements?
Fiona Martyn, a Toronto employment lawyer and Associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP spoke with Kelly Cutrara on 640 Toronto to answer these questions and more.
Interview Notes
- Is termination through email correspondence considered alarming?
- Was the manner in which GoodLife Fitness terminated employees a tactic to prevent wrongful dismissal claims?
- What should employees do next if they have been told they have abandoned their jobs or voluntarily resigned?
About the Author
Fiona Martyn
Fiona Martyn is an Ontario employment lawyer and a senior associate with Samfiru Tumarkin LLP’s Labour and Employment Law practice group. She represents both employers and employees on various employment law matters including wrongful and constructive dismissal, severance agreements, employment agreements, and human rights in the workplace.
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