Employment law

In Canada, both employers and employees have rights and obligations. Employers have the right to suspend or layoff employees while at the same time, employers must treat employees fairly. Employers are obliged to provide a safe and healthy work environment and to provide safety training where needed. Employers are generally expected to utilize accepted employee performance management techniques such as progressive discipline depending on the existence of circumstances of incompetence or misconduct. Employers may be obliged to give notice or payment in lieu of such notice when discharging an employee without cause.

Employees have an obligation to work, including a duty not to be absent or late without a reasonable excuse. Employees must obey the lawful instructions of an employer and must perform their duties in a competent manner. These terms can be implied in every contract of employment, and are obviously subject to additions, deletions or modifications by government legislation, contractual agreements, and the terms of collective bargaining agreements.