Top Mistakes Employees Make Before Speaking to an Employment Lawyer

Posted on by Brian Jacobson Posted in Resignation, Workplace Disputes, TerminationTagged , , ,

If you are looking for an employee lawyer in Surrey, Vancouver, or anywhere in British Columbia where our lawyers work, chances are something at work has already gone wrong. Maybe you were fired, pressured to resign, offered a severance package, demoted, harassed, or put on a sudden performance plan. In that moment, many employees make fast decisions that feel sensible but later damage their legal position.

The problem is that employment claims often turn on documents, timing, and what happened in the first few days after the dispute began. In British Columbia, different legal routes can have different deadlines, including a six-month deadline for many terminated employees to file an Employment Standards complaint, a one-year deadline for human rights complaints, and a basic two-year limitation period for many court claims.

That is why early advice matters. A good employee lawyer is not just there to file a lawsuit. … Continue reading

Can I Be Fired For What I Post on Social Media?

Posted on by David Goldberg Posted in Social Media, Wrongful Dismissal, Employee TerminationTagged , ,

When you’re frustrated with work, it’s tempting to fire off a tweet or Facebook rant and assume it’s “just my personal account”. From a legal perspective, though, social media posts can have very real consequences for your employment, and they can also end up as exhibits in Court.

The short answer to the question of can you be fired for your social media posts is: yes, in serious cases, but it’s not automatic.

Canadian law has long recognized that “off-duty” conduct can justify discipline or even dismissal if it has a real impact on the workplace. A commonly cited framework asks whether the conduct:

  • harms the employer’s reputation or product;
  • makes it difficult for others to work with the employee;
  • interferes with the employee’s ability to do their job; or
  • breaks the law or company policies in a way that reflects on the employer.

Social media can tick several of … Continue reading

Employee Disability Lawyers: How to Navigate Workplace Accommodation and Claims

Posted on by Ben Tarnow Posted in Duty to AccommodateTagged ,

Disability can affect anyone whether suddenly through an injury or gradually through illness. When health problems start interfering with work, employees often face two major challenges at the same time: protecting their job and protecting their income. That is where employee disability lawyers come in.

Employee disability lawyers help workers navigate workplace accommodation, disability benefits, and legal claims when employers or insurers fail to do what the law requires.

What is a Workplace Disability?

A disability is not limited to visible injuries or permanent conditions. In employment law, disability can include:

Disability is about how a condition affects your ability to function at work, not just what the diagnosis is.

Your Right

… Continue reading

The Importance of Employment Legal Representation for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses in BC

Posted on by Brian Jacobson Posted in Employment Contracts, Employment AgreementsTagged , ,

Running a small or medium-sized business in British Columbia means wearing a lot of hats. You’re handling sales, staff, suppliers, cash flow, and usually legal issues get pushed to the bottom of the list until there’s a crisis. Unfortunately, by the time a lawyer is called in, damage is often already done: a bad contract, an unexpected termination claim, a commercial lease that’s impossible to get out of, or a regulatory problem that threatens your license.

Proactive legal advice is one of the most cost-effective risk-management tools available to B.C. businesses. Here’s why it matters, and when it makes sense to pick up the phone.

Small and Medium Businesses Are the Most Exposed in Employment Law

Large corporations have in-house counsel. Small and medium businesses in B.C. usually don’t, yet they’re both subject to the same complex web of laws:

… Continue reading

How a Lawyer Helps You in Severance Negotiations

Posted on by Ben Tarnow Posted in Severance EntitlementsTagged , ,

When you lose your job, the severance package your employer first puts on the table is rarely the full story. Most people don’t know whether the offer in front of them is fair, what they’re truly entitled to under employment standards and the courts, or what rights they might be signing away. An employment lawyer steps in as your advocate and guide in that confusing moment. They can review your circumstances to assess what a fair severance really looks like for you. Just as importantly, they can handle the back-and-forth with your former employer, pushing for better terms, fixing unfair clauses, and protecting you from pressure tactics, so you’re not trying to negotiate against an HR department or corporate counsel on your own. In short, a lawyer helps turn a “take it or leave it” offer into a real negotiation.

An Employment Lawyer Can Explain What Severance You Are Actually

… Continue reading