Lush employee layoffs: Employment lawyer with CBC Vancouver

Interview Summary

The cosmetic brand Lush has decided to lay off staff as it moves to shut down manufacturing operations in its Vancouver facilities and close down a woodshop in British Columbia. While the corporation has stated this will not mean any significant or immediate impact on stores, many Lush employees have sought legal advice.

Adrienne Wensel, a Vancouver employment lawyer and Associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, spoke with CBC Vancouver to discuss the layoffs and rights of former Lush employees.

Interview Notes

• Seeking legal advice from an employment lawyer: Wensel noted that several non-unionized Lush employees have reached out to Samfiru Tumarkin LLP to determine their severance entitlements.
• Terminations without cause: Employees can be let go without cause by their employers, Wensel explained. “A company is allowed to terminate employees without cause when it’s shutting down or restructuring operations, though they could get up to 24 months of severance pay, depending on various factors such as seniority and their position.”
• Severance obligations: Wensel reiterated the importance of employees receiving adequate severance pay. “The key question is whether the employees are given enough severance,” Wensel said. “I just really encourage people to seek out information to better understand what their legal rights might be. There can be a lot of money on the table.”

Related Resources

For further insights and discussions related to workplace harassment, explore the following resources:

• Severance pay in British Columbia
• Layoffs in Canada 2024