Employment Law Show: Alberta & B.C. – S6 E10

Episode Summary

Are employment contracts good for employees? What are you owed if terminated after a short period? Employment Lawyer Lior Samfiru, Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP answers those questions and more on the Employment Law Show. 

LISTEN BELOW to Western Canada’s only radio show about your employment rights in the workplace, every Sunday at 4 p.m. PT on 980 CKNW in Vancouver, and 5 p.m. MT on 770 CHQR in Calgary and 640 CHED in Edmonton, as the show takes calls from listeners and provide vital answers to employees and employers.

Show Notes

• 3 things you should never do without contacting an employment lawyer first: Don’t contact the government (Employment Standards or The Labour Board) for advice. Don’t wait to be called back if you’ve been put on a temporary layoff. Don’t sign an employment contract with having it reviewed first.
• Lior discusses working notice and severance pay: Using the example of an employee who received 12 months working notice. The company encouraged them to apply to internal jobs. Lior explains why the working notice period didn’t count towards the total severance package.
• An employee works for a company with a vaccine mandate: They wonder if they are entitled to full severance if they are let go for being unvaccinated.
• A worker fired within the three month probation period: They called in to learn about their rights to severance during a probation period.
• A caller was fired after experiencing a workplace injury: This happened after two years with the employer. Lior explains severance for short term employees, and responds to a question about employee benefits.
• Are casual employees entitled to vacation and holiday pay? Lior provides this answer to a caller, and delves into the misclassification of independent contractors as employees.
• Change to an employment contract: After three years with a company, an employer wants to change an employee’s contract and commission structure. Lior explains if the individual has to accept the new terms. 
• Limitation periods on severance pay: Lior explains that individuals have two years to go after the correct severance pay that they are owed.

Need an employment lawyer?

• Pocket Employment Lawyer: Before you call a lawyer, use the Pocket Employment Lawyer to find out if you might have a case. 
• Severance Pay Calculator: Discover how much severance pay you should get when you lose your job, used successfully by nearly 2-million Canadians. 
• Watch our TV Shows: Get further clarity on your rights by watching our popular TV show episodes.