MillerKnoll CEO tells staff worried about bonuses to ‘leave Pity City’

MillerKnoll’s CEO found herself in hot water after comments she made during a recent virtual town hall began making the rounds on social media.

In a clip from the 75-minute meeting, Andi Owen was asked how employees at the office furniture company should stay motivated if they don’t get a bonus.

While Owen began by calmly telling staff to “focus on the things you can control”, her tone shifted when she stressed the importance of “[getting] the damn $26-million.”

“Spend your time and effort thinking about the $26-million we need and not thinking about what you’re going to do if we don’t get a bonus,” Owen said.

Before ending the meeting, she told staff that, “I had an old boss who said to me one time, ‘you can visit Pity City, but you can’t live there.’ So people, leave Pity City. Let’s get it done.”

MillerKnoll hasn’t made a decision yet on bonus payouts for employees. The company’s fiscal year ends in May.

However, Owen’s comments come after she received a significant amount of compensation in 2022.

According to a proxy filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), she took home nearly $5-million, which included a $1.1-million salary, various stock options, and bonus pay.

MillerKnoll’s response

MillerKnoll was quick to defend Owen — claiming that the clip was taken out of context.

“Andi fiercely believes in this team and all we can accomplish together, and will not be dissuaded by a 90-second clip taken out of context and posted on social media,” a company spokesperson told CNN.

However, other news outlets, including Vice, reported that Owen apologized to staff in an internal email.

“I want to be transparent and empathetic, and as I continue to reflect on this instance, I feel terrible that my rallying cry seemed insensitive,” Owen said.

“What I’d hoped would energize the team to meet a challenge we’ve met many times before landed in a way that I did not intend and for that I am sorry.”

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WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru breaks down what non-unionized employees need to know about bonus payments on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Can my employer take away my bonus?

The short answer is no. Employers in Canada can’t make substantial adjustments to a non-unionized worker’s compensation without their consent.

Exceptions: There are some situations where your boss might be able to make modifications to the terms of your employment without breaching your rights:

• You signed an employment contract that gives the company the ability to alter your compensation
• Your employer gave you reasonable notice of the change

If entitlement to a bonus is a written or implied term of your employment, and your boss refuses to provide it, there is a very good chance that you can treat it as a constructive dismissal.

In this situation, the law allows you to quit your job and pursue full severance, which can be as much as 24 months’ pay.

LEARN MORE:
• How severance works for MillerKnoll employees

To figure out how much compensation you could be entitled to, use our firm’s Severance Pay Calculator. It has helped millions of Canadians determine how much severance they are owed.

If you believe that you have been constructively dismissed, don’t resign before speaking with an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

We can review your situation, assess your legal options, and help you secure the compensation you deserve.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Changes to your job in Ontario: Employee rights
• Job changed in Alberta? What employees need to know
• What to do when your job is changed in B.C.

Can my employer make me sign a new employment contract?

Your employer may ask you to sign a new employment contract that gives them the right to make changes to your job — including taking away your bonus.

In the event that you are provided with a new agreement, don’t sign anything before seeking legal counsel. Your boss can’t legally force you to accept it immediately or a few days after receiving it.

In most cases, employment contracts remove key protections that would otherwise be available to non-unionized employees in Canada.

Our firm can review the agreement and ensure that your workplace rights are properly protected.

LEARN MORE
• Starting a new job? Here’s how an employment contract could limit your rights
• ’60 days or more’: Is it an enforceable termination clause?
• Employment Law Show: 5 things to know about employment contracts

Validating a new agreement

In order to validate a new employment contract, employers in Canada must provide non-unionized workers with an additional “benefit”.

Potential benefits could include:

• A raise
• Extra vacation days
• More flexibility working remotely

If your company didn’t include an additional benefit in the new agreement, or you aren’t sure that one has been provided, don’t sign anything before contacting Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

SEE ALSO
• Pay raises: Rights for employees in Ontario
• Vacation Pay in Ontario: Your Rights

Can my employer punish me if I ask for my bonus?

Employers in Canada can’t punish or threaten to punish non-unionized workers for asserting their workplace rights.

• Example: You have received a bonus every year that you have worked for the company. However, you heard rumours that management won’t be providing bonus payments this year. If you ask your employer for your bonus, the company can’t demote you, suspend you, give you fewer shifts, or reduce your pay as punishment.

In provinces such as Alberta, it’s very likely that any disciplinary action would qualify as a reprisal under the Employment Standards Code (ESC).

If the punishment is severe enough, it could trigger a constructive dismissal — entitling you to full severance pay.

In the event that your boss disciplines you or threatens to discipline you for asserting your rights, contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP immediately.

SEE ALSO
• Employment Law Show: Reprisals at work in Canada
• Employment Law Show: How to handle a bad boss
• Employment Law Show: What your employer legally can’t do

My boss is pressuring me to quit after asking for my bonus, what should I do?

While your employer might be upset that you asked for your bonus, the company can’t pressure or force you to resign.

If your boss is influencing you to step down, document their attempts. Keep any letters, emails, or text messages that show how your employer is pressuring you to quit.

In some cases, the pressure from management can be so extreme that staff don’t feel they have any other option than to resign.

If you are ultimately forced to quit your job for any reason, speak with an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

In addition to a severance package, you could be owed compensation for any damages associated with the end of your employment.

LEARN MORE
• How to calculate severance pay
• Severance pay for provincially regulated employees
• Employment Law Show: Facts about forced resignations

Can my employer fire me if I ask for my bonus?

In Canada, non-unionized employees can be fired for any reason, as long as they are provided full severance pay and the reasons for their dismissal aren’t discriminatory. This is called a termination without cause.

However, it’s very unlikely that asking for your bonus would justify firing you for cause, which would mean no severance package or access to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

This type of dismissal is reserved for the most severe workplace offences, such as blatant disobedience, theft, or assault.

Not only would your employer have to prove progressive disciplinary measures were applied, but that a lesser punishment wouldn’t be acceptable, which is very difficult to do.

LEARN MORE
• Wrongful dismissal in Canada: Your rights
• Do I have to look for a new job after getting fired?
• Can I get my job back if I am fired?

Lost your job? Speak with an employment lawyer

If you are fired or let go after asking your boss for your bonus, or for any reason, contact the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. have helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.

We can review your situation, enforce your rights, and ensure that you receive the compensation you are legally entitled to.