Terminating employees online and employee rights

Interview Summary

A video of a  CEO of a mortgage company recently went viral for terminating 900 employees on a pre-recorded Zoom call. While the company was based in the United States, some Canadian employees are wondering whether or not there are rules to laying off employees in Canada. Can an employer terminate an employee over a video call?

Chris Justice, a Toronto employment lawyer and Associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP spoke with Daniel McIntyre on 630 CHED Mornings about employer obligations and employee rights if terminated.

Interview Notes

• Can an employer legally fire an employee over Zoom?
• Can an employer’s previous behaviour influence a potential wrongful dismissal suit?
• Does the manner in which an employee is terminated factor into severance pay and compensation?
• Do employers have to offer former employees more than their minimum severance entitlements?