An employment lawyer in the Ottawa-area assists individuals and organisations with legal issues arising in the workplace under Ontario law (and where applicable, federal law). On the employee side, this includes reviewing contracts, suing for wrongful dismissal, claims for unpaid wages or severance, workplace harassment/discrimination, and constructive dismissal issues. On the employer side, it includes drafting and reviewing employment agreements, advising on terminations and layoffs, ensuring policy compliance (for example, with the Employment Standards Act, human-rights legislation, health & safety law), and defending claims or representing in tribunals or court.
The lawyer serves as your advisor, advocate and strategist — assessing risk, crafting a plan, and working to reach a practical resolution or litigation if needed.
You should reach out as soon as you encounter a significant employment-law event or concern. Examples include:
- You’ve received notice of termination without cause and you’re uncertain what you’re owed.
- Your employer is demanding you sign a release or severance agreement which you’re wondering about.
- You suspect you’re being constructively dismissed (because your job duties, compensation or hours were changed significantly).
- You’re facing workplace harassment, discrimination or an accommodation dispute.
- You’re an employer about to implement a termination, layoff, new employment agreement, non-competition clause, or policy change.
Early consultation is beneficial — it allows you to properly understand your rights or obligations, preserve evidence, avoid inadvertently signing away rights, and deploy proactive strategies rather than reactive ones.
In Ontario, non-unionized employees dismissed without cause are owed reasonable notice of termination (or pay in lieu thereof). The statutory minimums under the ESA apply only as a floor; common-law notice often pushes the entitlements higher depending on factors such as length of service, age, position, and the ability to find equivalent employment.
A “wrongful dismissal” claim is made where the employer fails to provide the appropriate notice or pay in lieu, or where a termination clause is invalid and the employee is left under-compensated.
Depending on the case, you may also have rights to recover unpaid bonuses, commissions, benefits, vacation pay, and in certain extreme cases, damages for bad-faith termination (though such claims are less common).
Time-limits apply: you generally have two years from the termination date to issue a civil lawsuit for wrongful dismissal.
Because the law is nuanced, consulting with a lawyer to calculate your entitlement and validate any termination clause is strongly recommended.
Workplace harassment or discrimination — including on the basis of race, gender, disability, age, family status, or through bullying/hostile environment — can trigger various legal remedies. An employment lawyer can:
- Assess your factual scenario to determine whether it falls under the Ontario Human Rights Code or other legislation/regulation.
- Advise you on internal steps: how to document incidents, report to HR or management, preserve evidence, and interact with employer investigations (or even lead one).
- Advise on the risk of employer reprisal, your rights to accommodation (for example for disability or family status), and your legal options if the employer breaches those duties.
- Represent you in making a human-rights application or in litigation if negotiation fails.
- Assist employers in responding to harassment claims: advising on investigations, policy drafting, training, and defending claims or mitigating exposure.
Harassment/discrimination claims often overlap with other employment-law issues (termination, severance, disability accommodation) so coordinated counsel is valuable.
Yes — reviewing an employment contract prior to signing (or even after) is highly advisable. Why? Because contracts often contain key terms that affect your rights at the end of employment: termination clauses, pay-in-lieu provisions, non-competition or non-solicitation covenants, bonus entitlements, commissions, benefits, or change-of-control provisions. A skilled lawyer can identify unfavourable or ambiguous terms, advise on negotiation or amendments, and assess whether a termination clause is enforceable or likely to be challenged.
In many cases, inadequate contract terms reduce the compensation you receive at termination — so investing legal time early can pay dividends later.
Legal fees in employment law vary considerably depending on complexity, the lawyer’s experience, the billing structure (hourly, flat fee, contingency) and whether the matter goes to litigation. Typical ranges in Ontario include hourly rates of ≈ $300-$800 per hour.
Some firms offer contingency-fee models (you only pay if you recover) for wrongful dismissal/severance cases.
It’s common for legal fees in employment cases to range from a few thousand dollars (for negotiation or contract review) to tens of thousands (where litigation is protracted).
As an employee, you should discuss fee structure upfront: what is included, what disbursements apply, whether you are responsible for any costs if you lose, and whether a limited-scope or flat-fee arrangement might apply. As an employer, understanding cost-drivers (lawyer hourly rate, tribunal/court work, discovery requirements) will help budget accordingly.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer: resolution time depends on the nature of the dispute (contract review vs full wrongful dismissal litigation), whether the matter settles early or proceeds to court/tribunal, the availability of evidence/witnesses and the complexity of legal issues (for example, discrimination, human rights, multi-jurisdictional issues).
Contract reviews or severance negotiations often can be resolved within weeks to months if both sides engage constructively.
Wrongful dismissal or constructive dismissal claims that proceed to litigation may take 12 months or more (including preparation, negotiation, discovery, motions and possibly trial). Many matters settle earlier.
The key to timely resolution is early legal engagement, clear documentation, realistic assessment of settlement vs litigation, and engagement with the opposing party in good faith. We can provide a tailored estimate for your specific matter when we review the facts.
We welcome your enquiry — whether you’re an employee looking for advocacy or an employer seeking proactive counsel. Let’s work together to ensure your employment-law matter is handled with expertise, empathy and a strategy aligned with your goals.