Ontario
3 lawyers whose firms cover employment work in Hamilton. Each lawyer was checked on their provincial law society's public directory before being listed — check again before you hire, as people move firms. Browsing Lawvoo is free.
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Ed Canning · Partner, Employment Law · Employment · Hamilton
1 King Street West, 10th Floor, Hamilton, ON L8P 1A4
Has practised employment law in Hamilton for over three decades, acting for employers and employees on wrongful dismissal, employment contracts, employment standards and human rights matters. He wrote an employment law column in the Hamilton Spectator for 30 years. The firm also covers family law, real estate, wills and estates, and personal injury.
Paul A. Ramacieri · Partner, Immigration · Employment · Hamilton
1 Hunter Street East, Suite 200, Hamilton, ON L8N 3W1
Partner who practises only Canadian and United States immigration law, advising individuals and companies on work permits, visas, permanent residence and citizenship. He is also admitted to practise in New York. The firm also covers employment law, real estate, and wills, trusts and estate planning.
Erin Guyitt · Partner, Real Estate · Employment · Hamilton
1 James Street South, 14th Floor, Hamilton, ON L8P 4R5
Real estate partner whose practice covers residential real estate, commercial and development real estate, and banking and secured transactions, including subdivision and condominium projects in Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area. The firm also covers family law, employment law, wills and estates, and personal injury.
Wrongful dismissal and severance, unpaid wages, workplace harassment and human rights at work. Most Ontario workers are covered by the Employment Standards Act, 2000; banks, airlines, telecoms and other federally regulated employers come under the Canada Labour Code instead.
An Employment Standards Act claim to the Ministry of Labour must generally be filed within two years. In most cases a court claim can't be filed more than two years after the dismissal. A human rights application must be filed within one year of the last incident. If your employer is federally regulated (a bank, airline or telecom company, for example), an unjust dismissal complaint under the Canada Labour Code must be filed within 90 days.
You have to choose: you can't file a claim with the Ministry and also sue in court over the same issue, and if you file a claim and change your mind you have two weeks to withdraw it. The Ministry enforces the minimums in the Employment Standards Act. A court can award 'reasonable notice', which is often more — so get advice before you file or sign a release.
The Employment Standards Act sets minimums: notice of termination of one to eight weeks depending on your length of service, plus severance pay if you have five or more years' service and your employer's payroll is at least $2.5 million. Unless your contract validly limits you to those minimums, a court may award more based on your age, role, length of service and how long it should take to find similar work.
Ministry of Labour claims and Human Rights Tribunal applications are filed online. Lawsuits go to the Superior Court of Justice, or to its Small Claims Court branch for claims up to $50,000 — for Hamilton, see the court list on our Hamilton page.
To practise law in Ontario a lawyer must be licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, which also licenses paralegals. You can look up anyone in the Law Society's public Lawyer and Paralegal Directory, which shows their status and any discipline history. Each lawyer on these pages was checked in that directory before being listed, but people move firms, so check again before you hire. Complaints about a lawyer go to the Law Society.
Listings are provided for information only and are not legal advice or a recommendation. Always check a lawyer in the Law Society of Ontario's Lawyer and Paralegal Directory before hiring them. Looking for a different area? Browse all practice areas.