Restaurants still ask job seekers to work unpaid trial shifts

People in the restaurant industry often refer to unpaid trial shifts as “stages,” borrowing the term long used to describe volunteers who often work free at top restaurants to gain experience. However, many in the industry feel the practice of using unpaid labour can be abused.

Are unpaid trial shifts legal?

Chantel Goldsmith is a Toronto Employment Lawyer and partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. She joined host Tasha Kheiriddin on Global News Radio 640 Toronto to discuss the rights of Canadian workers when employers ask them to work for free.