News from October 2026
18 articles, newest first.
Know your rights
Owen Sound RBW plant closing: what 360 workers are owed
TC Transcontinental is closing its RBW Graphics printing plant in Owen Sound at the end of January. The facts so far, the notice and severance pay the law sets for a closure this size, and the date to check before you quit for a new job.
Court decision
Replied "I accept"? Your severance deal may be final
An employee emailed that he accepted a severance offer, then sued instead of signing the release. An Ontario court held him to the email.
Court decision
WSIB said no? Your human rights claim may not be over
A worker's disability complaint was thrown out because the WSIB had already ruled. On September 28, Ontario's Divisional Court said that was plainly unreasonable and sent the case back.
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Stellantis strike vote: what it means for workers
Unifor's Stellantis members vote on October 17 and 18. What a yes vote does and doesn't do, your rights if a strike comes, and what the law says about the plan to sell the Brampton plant.
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Windsor Assembly idled again: your layoff rights
Stellantis is idling the Windsor Assembly Plant for three more weeks from October 19. The facts as reported, what the union agreement and Ontario law say, and when a temporary layoff stops being temporary.
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Stelco layoffs: the facts, the law and what to expect
Hundreds of Stelco workers are being laid off while Ottawa and the company argue over whether it is allowed. The facts as reported, what they mean in law, and what workers can expect.
Court decision
Employer can't pay? Another company may owe your severance
You won your case, but the company that hired you has nothing to pay with. Ontario's top court just confirmed that a second, closely tied company can be on the hook too.
Court decision
Head-hunted, then let go? What a court said about notice
A recruiter called, you left a good job, and a few years later the new employer let you go. Does being recruited add to your severance? An Ontario court just weighed it.
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Signed a non-compete? Ontario banned them in 2021
A clause in your contract says you can't work for a competitor. For most Ontario employees, the law has banned those agreements since October 25, 2021. Here are the two exceptions.
Court decision
Quit a commission job? You may not owe your draw back
Your old employer wants the difference between your draw and your commissions. An Ontario court just dismissed a $32,983 claim like that. Here is why.
Know your rights
Filing an ESA claim? It can cost you the right to sue
A Ministry of Labour claim for termination or severance pay shuts the door on a wrongful dismissal lawsuit, unless you withdraw it within two weeks. Know both numbers before you file.
Court decision
Fired for "time theft" after 17 years? A court said no
A supervisor was fired for fraud over a practice every supervisor before him had followed. An Ontario court awarded 19 months' notice, plus 14 more for the way he was fired.
Know your rights
A month per year of service? Courts say there's no such rule
"One month per year" is the severance rule everyone repeats. Ontario's Court of Appeal rejected it. Here's what courts weigh instead, and why your number can be very different.
Court decision
Paid as a contractor? You may still be owed notice
Self-employed on paper, cut off after years with one company? An Ontario court found a commission salesman was a dependent contractor owed 21 months' notice.
Court decision
Off sick for months? Your job isn't over, a court says
A long illness or injury doesn't end your job by itself. Ontario's Court of Appeal confirms the employer has to prove it, and upheld 22 months' notice after 17 years.
Know your rights
Your pay was cut. Can you quit and still get severance?
A big pay cut, a demotion or a forced move can count as a dismissal in Ontario, even if you're the one who resigns. Here's the test, and what can sink a claim.
Court decision
Fired? You have 2 years to sue, and the clock is running
An Ontario court just dismissed a wrongful dismissal claim filed more than two years after the firing. Suing in the wrong court first didn't stop the clock.
Court decision
Took a lower-paying job after being fired? It counts
Ontario's Court of Appeal ruled that pay from a new job, even a lesser one, comes off wrongful dismissal damages. But your employer has to prove better work was available.