“Arbitrary Decisions”: Companies Criticized for Increasing In-Office Work

What’s Happening?

Major employers, including Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, and Ford Motor Company, are being criticized for planning to increase in-office work in the fall.

“The decision makers are just making decisions, like the banks, everybody comes back, or the Government of Canada, three days…it seems like very arbitrary decisions as opposed to doing the hard work necessary,” Linda Duxbury, chancellor’s professor of management at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, told The Canadian Press.

“[However, they’re] not just on a whim going, well, hey, I’m going to really make everybody who works for me mad by making people come back in for five days. There’s something triggering it.”

Duxbury added that it’s quite difficult for companies to properly measure the impact return-to-office (RTO) mandates have on productivity.

• SEE ALSO: Return-to-Office Mandates a “Power Grab”, Study Claims

Can I be Forced to Return to the Office?

Non-unionized employees in Canada can’t be forced to return to the office if they’ve been working remotely for an extended period of time and that arrangement has become permanent.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia (BC).

📺 WATCH: Everything You Need to Know About Return-to-Office Mandates in Canada

If remote work has become a consistent and accepted part of your job, a demand to return to the office may be considered a constructive dismissal — a significant change to your employment that could entitle you to full severance (up to 24 months’ pay).

In the event that your company is attempting to alter the current amount of time you have to work from the office, if at all, contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

We can determine if your employer is legally able to do this, or if it violates your employment rights.

Workplace Issue? Contact Us

Since 2007, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.

Whether you’re in Ontario, Alberta, or BC, our lawyers can review your situation, enforce your rights, and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.