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October 29, 2026
Protea LLP is honoured to be recognized in the Best Law Firms rankings, achieving Tier 1 status in Labour and Employment Law.
October 28, 2026
As Halloween approaches, many employers are decorating their workplaces with ghosts, skeletons, and other spooky visitors.
October 21, 2026
Workplace gossip may seem like a routine people-management issue, but employers should not assume it is harmless.
October 14, 2026
Good management is rarely about one difficult conversation. More often, it is the steady work of setting clear expectations, giving timely feedback and keeping reliable records.
October 7, 2026
Anyone who spends time reviewing grievances is accustomed to that tag “and all other applicable articles or statutes” scrawled at the end of the Nature of the Grievance section.
September 30, 2026
On September 21, 2026, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act. Among other measures, Bill C-39 proposes significant amendments to the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) intended to modernize federal labour relations and strengthen protections for workers.
September 24, 2026
Protea LLP is pleased to share its recognition in the Chambers Canada 2027 guide for Employment and Labour law. As Protea marks its first year as an established firm, this recognition is especially meaningful.
September 24, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to share that Jake Wagner has once again been recognized by Chambers in the Employment & Labour Category as an Associate to Watch.
September 24, 2026
Protea LLP is pleased to announce that Marc Rodrigue has been recognized by Chambers in the Employment & Labour Category.
September 24, 2026
Protea LLP is delighted to announce that Erin Porter has once again been ranked by Chambers in the Employment & Labour Category.
September 24, 2026
Protea LLP is pleased to share that Alix Herber has once again been recognized by Chambers in the Employment & Labour Category.
September 23, 2026
Gen Z workers, born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, are becoming a major force in the workforce. For employers, that shift brings a new management challenge: understanding where appropriate support ends and workplace boundaries begin.
September 16, 2026
Starting October 20, 2026, federally regulated employers will need to follow new “equal treatment” provisions under Part III of the Canada Labour Code. In practical terms, employers may need to take a closer look at how they set wage rates for full-time, part-time, p
September 14, 2026
Protea LLP is pleased to announce that Dalraj Singh Gill has joined the firm as an Associate, bringing a business-minded perspective to supporting employers on workplace law matters.
September 9, 2026
Every HR professional knows that terminating an employee is never anyone’s favourite task. Terminating fifty or more employees at the same time? That is when things start to feel less like routine workplace management and more like a complicated regulatory obstacle course.
September 3, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Jake Wagner has been recognized by The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™ in the Labour & Employment Law category.
September 3, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Erin Porter has once again been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada™ in the Health Care Law category.
September 3, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Alix Herber has once again been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada™ in the Labour & Employment Law category.
September 3, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Alix Herber has once again been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada™ in the Labour & Employment Law category.
September 2, 2026
As your labour and employment counsel, we understand that tariff-related cost pressures can quickly become workforce planning issues.
August 26, 2026
As employers prepare for the back-to-school period, childcare and eldercare obligations often move to the forefront of workplace accommodation discussions. A recent arbitration decision successfully argued by Protea’s Erin Porter.
August 19, 2026
A few weeks ago, we wrote about Silva v. Royal Bank of Canada (“Silva”), where the Court awarded Ms. Silva $1.9 million for loss of earnings, $250,000 in punitive damages, and $150,000 in aggravated damages.
August 12, 2026
Just as employers celebrated a restoration of balance in Baker (see our analysis here: Finally, Some Good News for Employers: Ontario Court of Appeal Brings Clarity and Sanity to Termination Clause Interpretation – Protea LLP).
August 10, 2026
For years, HR professionals and employer side counsel have been living in a state of low grade dread every time a termination clause crossed their desk.
August 5, 2026
“We didn’t fire them. They resigned.” Famous last words. Then comes the sequel nobody ordered: “Now they’re claiming constructive dismissal.”
July 29, 2026
A recent wrongful dismissal decision from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice is generating significant attention because of its exceptional damages award, exceeding $2.6 million. (Yes, you read that correctly).
July 15, 2026
Off-site events can support workplace culture, but they may also trigger statutory, policy, and investigation obligations for employers.
July 8, 2026
As summer vacation season gets underway, employers may be fielding more questions about vacation time and vacation pay.
June 30, 2026
Civil actions in Ontario can take a long time to reach trial. With the various procedural steps involved, months – and even years – can pass. But how long is too long?
June 24, 2026
As we head into the final weekend of Pride Month, it is a natural moment to pause and reflect on what these celebrations mean at work. Pride is, at its core, about the ability to live authentically, unapologetically, and without fear of discrimination.
June 17, 2026
The B.C. Court of Appeal has released a significant decision on remote work that all employers should have on their radar. In 2026 BCCA 199 (CanLII) | Cressey Construction Corporation v. Parolin | CanLII, the Court confirmed that a long‑standing, consistently approved remote‑work arrangement can become an enforceable term of employment, even without a written agreement.
June 10, 2026
When I started this “Dear Counsel” series, I quickly learned one thing: no workplace issue causes quite as much anxiety as termination. People worry about saying the wrong thing, doing too much (or too little), and whether one mistake could turn into a lawsuit.
June 3, 2026
In Friel v. HUB International Limited, 2026 ONCA 313, the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that even where equity is granted because of employment, disputes about that equity may live in a completely different contractual and jurisdictional box.
May 27, 2026
Role eliminations and reorganizing a workforce are daunting tasks. Restructurings are among the most challenging actions an employer can take. While often necessary for business continuity and long‑term viability, they require careful navigation of employment standards, human rights obligations, and practical risk considerations.
May 20, 2026
A recent arbitration decision, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital v. ONA (2026 CanLII 32982), provides welcome clarity for hospitals and other unionized employers struggling with premium pay claims tied to shift turn‑around rules.
May 13, 2026
I recently returned to private practice after spending five years as in house counsel at one of Canada’s largest private sector employers.
May 6, 2026
As we head into the summer season, students coast-to-coast are brushing up their resumes (or in some cases, ChatGPT is hard at work doing the drafting) for summer jobs, and employers (or their own AI assistants) are scanning for qualifications.
May 5, 2026
Protea LLP Welcomes Rachel Devon as Associate
April 29, 2026
When I started this “Dear Counsel” series, I quickly learned one thing: no workplace issue causes quite as much anxiety as termination. People worry about saying the wrong thing, doing too much (or too little), and whether one mistake could turn into a lawsuit.
April 22, 2026
Burland v. Precise ParkLink Inc. is a clear warning to employers: you can no longer rely on the mere existence of a wrongful dismissal action to shut down a human rights application.
April 15, 2026
A recent labour arbitration decision tackles the question many workplaces are facing: Can an employee be fully accommodated to work from home? Arbitrator Christopher Albertyn says ‘yes’, but in the narrowest of cases.
April 10, 2026
In unionized environments, employers and unions negotiate collective agreements using the full suite of bargaining tools available to them, including strikes and lockouts. In some sectors, however, strikes and lockouts are removed by legislation and replaced with interest arbitration – a process by which an arbitrator (or a panel of arbitrators) resolves outstanding issues and imposes final terms and conditions of the collective agreement.
April 1, 2026
By 2030, 1.2 billion women worldwide will be experiencing menopause. Many are in the workforce right now. Menopause is no longer a private issue – it’s a workplace reality. This means that menopause is no longer a taboo workplace topic.
March 25, 2026
When I started here at Protea LLP, I imagined days filled with reading case law and neatly drafting memos. And yes, there is some of that. But it turns out real workplaces come with real questions, the kind you cannot solve with a citation or a Latin phrase.
March 18, 2026
Workplace rules do not end at the office door. In Ontario, employer‑sponsored social events – whether holiday parties, team‑building outings, client receptions, or off‑site celebrations – may be treated as an extension of the workplace. If your organization planned, sanctioned, encouraged, or funded the event, office standards may extend beyond the typical 9-5.
March 17, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Marc Rodrigue has been recognized as a Lawyer to Watch in the 2026 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the Employment (Employer) category.
March 17, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Erin Porter has once again been recognized as a Leading Practitioner in the 2026 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the Employment (Employer) and Workplace Human Rights (Employer) categories. Read article
March 17, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Alix Herber has once again been recognized as a Leading Practitioner in the 2026 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the Employment (Employer) and Workplace Human Rights (Employer) categories.
March 17, 2026
Protea LLP is pleased to announce that three of its lawyers have been recognized in the 2026 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, one of the country’s most respected guides to leading legal practitioners.
March 4, 2026
Workplaces are feeling the strain of rising caregiving demands – from childcare gaps to the growing needs of aging parents. When these responsibilities collide with scheduling rules, attendance expectations, or operational requirements, employers must navigate not just practical challenges but a legal duty under the Human Rights Code.
February 25, 2026
With the Olympics at a close and Canada mourning the loss of that gold medal in both the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey finals, the recent decision in Adelman v IBM Canada Limited reminds us of the Court’s approach to incentive compensation during the notice period and provides a useful guideline for employers for when, inevitably, employees will go for the Gold!
February 18, 2026
In a recent decision, Toronto District School Board v Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, 2026 CanLII 1589 (ON LA) (“TDSB”), the arbitrator dismissed the TDSB’s motion to have the grievance dismissed for lack of jurisdiction given that the facts of the grievance were the same as those relied on to file a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (“WSIB”) claim. On its face, this decision seems contrary to the finding in Peel District School Board v OPSEU, Local 2100, 2022 CanLII 45221 (ON LA) (“Peel”) where Peel was successful in having the grievance dismissed because of a parallel WSIB claim.
February 11, 2026
This Saturday is Valentine’s Day, a date circled on everyone’s calendar for roses, chocolates, and romance. But what happens when the roses are delivered from the cubicle next door? Navigating workplace romances doesn’t need to be difficult for employers. Our workplaces have always been a place where people meet, get to know each other, and in some case, fall in love.
February 6, 2026
Protea LLP is proud to announce that Alix Herber has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer for 2026, an honour awarded to legal practitioners who are recognized and nominated by corporate counsel for exceptional client service, strategic insight, and industry-leading expertise.
February 4, 2026
A healthy workplace culture is more than a “nice to have”. In Canada, it’s a legal obligation – and ignoring it can cost employers far more than just productivity and employee morale. Toxicity fuels constructive dismissal claims, human rights complaints, OHSA investigations, reputational damage and public scrutiny that can spiral fast. Recent allegations such as those involving CBC North show how quickly internal cultural issues can escalate into both legal liability and public scrutiny.
January 28, 2026
The recent decision in Gauthier v. Ignace (Township), 2026 HRTO 48 provides guidance on whether employers can lawfully end long term disability (“LTD”) benefits at age 65.
January 21, 2026
Social media has blurred the line between personal life and the workplace. What employees post “off the clock” can now go viral in minutes and employers are increasingly left wondering whether they can step in when an online post crosses a line.
January 14, 2026
A recent decision by Arbitrator Michael Bendel reviews and interprets the meaning of “maximum” in determining how much summer vacation an employee can take under the respective parties’ collective agreement vacation provisions.
January 12, 2026
As we bid farewell to the Year of the Snake and welcome the Year of the Horse, this is an ideal moment for employers to shed outdated policies and contracts, ensure compliance with new legal requirements, and set strategic priorities for the year ahead. To support that process, we have identified five practical resolutions that will help employers reduce risk, strengthen compliance, and position their organizations for success in 2026.
January 7, 2026
Protea LLP Welcomes Gabrielle (Gabby) Lloyd as Associate
January 6, 2026
Protea LLP Welcomes Kyla Tabibzadeh as Associate
January 5, 2026
Protea LLP Welcomes Jake Wagner as Associate
January 2, 2026
Protea LLP Welcomes Anna‑Marie Hickson as Law Clerk and Legal Support Coordinator.
December 2, 2025
Three of Canada’s leading management labour, employment, and human rights lawyers have joined forces with experienced law firm leader, to launch Protea LLP, a boutique law firm dedicated to guiding employers through the evolving world of work with clarity, strategy, and impact.
