If you were wrongfully dismissed, offered an inadequate severance package, or subjected to workplace harassment or discrimination in Ontario, our employment lawyers are ready to review your situation — free and confidential.
Tell us what happened. We'll respond within 24 hours.
Your information is private and confidential. Submitting this form does not create a solicitor-client relationship.
Common Situations We Handle
Whether you were just let go, are facing a hostile workplace, or received a severance offer you're not sure about, we can help you understand your rights and options — at no cost to you.
If any of these apply to your situation, you may have a legal claim worth pursuing. Many employees accept far less than they are entitled to — or stay in harmful workplace situations — simply because they don't know their rights under Ontario law.
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Why This Happens
Ontario employers — and their legal teams — know that most employees don't understand the difference between their minimum ESA entitlements and their full common law entitlement to reasonable notice. The gap between the two is often significant.
When an employer hands you a termination letter and severance package, they are not offering you the maximum they owe you — they are offering you the minimum they think you'll accept. Without independent legal advice, many employees sign a release waiving all future claims without ever knowing what they were truly owed.
The same dynamic applies in workplace harassment and discrimination situations. Employees frequently suffer in silence, not realizing they have viable claims under the Ontario Human Rights Code or the Occupational Health and Safety Act, or not knowing where to start.
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How We Help
At Affinity Lawyers, our employment team handles the full spectrum of workplace legal matters — from the moment you receive a termination letter through negotiation, litigation, and resolution. We assess what you're actually entitled to under both the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and common law, and we pursue the full amount on your behalf.
A successful employment claim requires more than reciting facts. It requires strategic legal advice about timing, tactics, and evidence — knowing when to negotiate and when to litigate, understanding how the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario works, and anticipating the positions your former employer or insurer will take. We provide that strategic direction from the first call.
We also handle claims involving denied workplace accommodations, medical and parental leave violations, ESA enforcement, and compensation disputes — giving employees at every income level access to experienced legal representation.
Get My Free Employment Law ReviewCommon Employment Claims
Some employment claims involve clear-cut facts. Others — including constructive dismissal, poisoned work environment, and disability accommodation failures — are harder to establish without experienced legal guidance.
Termination without adequate notice or pay in lieu, and situations where employer conduct amounts to a forced resignation — entitling you to full wrongful dismissal damages.
Severance offers that meet only the ESA minimum — which is often a small fraction of what the employee is entitled to under common law reasonable notice standards.
Systematic harassment, bullying, and hostile work environments — claims under the Ontario Human Rights Code and Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Workplace discrimination based on protected grounds including race, disability, religion, sex, gender identity, age, and family status — pursued at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Recovery of unpaid wages, overtime pay, vacation pay, commissions, and bonus entitlements withheld in breach of the ESA or employment contract.
Employer failures to accommodate disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, and caregiving obligations — and violations of medical, parental, and sick leave entitlements.
Not sure whether your situation qualifies? That's exactly what the free consultation is for.
Why Affinity Lawyers
Affinity Lawyers combines strong employment law knowledge with practical understanding of how employers, HR teams, and insurance companies operate. That inside perspective helps us anticipate tactics, challenge unfair treatment, and protect your rights.
We understand how employers and their legal teams build termination packages — and we use that knowledge to challenge low offers and negotiate what you're actually owed.
Our legal team brings over a century of combined experience in employment and workplace law across Ontario — including wrongful dismissal, harassment, and ESA claims.
We have successfully represented thousands of employees and employers across Toronto and the GTA, including individuals who accepted inadequate packages before they knew better.
Strong employment claims are built on clear, well-organized evidence. We help clients document workplace misconduct, assemble termination histories, and present their case with maximum credibility.
Every day in Ontario, employees accept inadequate severance packages, endure workplace harassment, or walk away from valid legal claims — not because they lack rights, but because they don't know them. Getting legal advice costs nothing. Signing a release without it could cost you everything.
Our Employment Law Practice
Our employment lawyers handle the full range of workplace legal matters across Ontario, with particular depth in termination disputes, compensation recovery, and Human Rights Tribunal proceedings.
Past Results
We have recovered significant compensation for employees across Ontario whose rights were violated. Past results are illustrative and do not guarantee future outcomes.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique and results vary based on the specific facts and circumstances of each matter.
What to Watch Out For
Many termination and workplace disputes follow predictable patterns. Here are tactics we frequently see from employers — and how we respond. If any of this is happening to you, we can help protect your claim.
Employers present termination packages framed as "generous" that meet only the statutory ESA minimum — which for many employees represents a small fraction of their common law reasonable notice entitlement. Employees are given tight signing deadlines to discourage legal review.
Employers sometimes allege just cause for termination — which would eliminate notice and severance obligations — based on conduct that does not meet Ontario's high legal threshold. These allegations are frequently challenged and overturned through legal proceedings.
Employment contracts often contain termination clauses that purport to cap severance at the ESA minimum. Many of these clauses are legally unenforceable under Ontario case law — but employees often don't know this, and sign releases based on the invalid clause.
Employers or insurers may pressure employees on medical leave to return before they are medically cleared, or claim accommodation obligations have been met when they have not. Employees who comply may lose disability or accommodation-related claims.
Employers routinely exclude bonuses, commissions, and stock options from severance calculations, treating them as discretionary. Courts in Ontario have consistently required these amounts to be included in reasonable notice damages where they were part of total compensation.
In harassment and discrimination matters, employers sometimes respond to complaints with slow internal processes, repeated requests for information, or investigations that never conclude — hoping the employee will abandon their claim or accept an inadequate resolution under financial pressure.
Building a Strong Claim
A strong employment claim is built on more than the bare facts of termination or workplace misconduct. Here is what courts, tribunals, and opposing counsel look at when assessing the strength of your case — and how we help you build it.
Length of service, compensation level, title progression, and performance history directly determine common law reasonable notice entitlement.
The enforceability of any termination clause in your contract determines whether your employer can cap your notice — and many clauses fail on review.
In harassment and discrimination cases, contemporaneous records — emails, messages, incident logs — significantly strengthen your position before a tribunal or court.
Bonus, commission, stock options, RRSP contributions, and benefits form part of the compensation package that must be included in any severance calculation.
In harassment matters, an employer's failure to investigate, delayed response, or inadequate action can itself constitute a human rights violation and increases damages.
Strategy & Approach
Not every employment dispute should go to court. And not every employer will negotiate fairly without pressure. We review your specific situation and recommend the strategy that actually maximizes your outcome.
Many employment disputes — particularly wrongful dismissal and severance negotiations — resolve through direct legal negotiation without litigation. This approach is often faster and less costly.
When employers refuse to negotiate fairly, or where the claim involves serious human rights violations, litigation before Ontario Superior Court or the Human Rights Tribunal may be necessary.
We review your policy position, the employer's conduct, and the evidence to recommend the path that best protects your interests and maximizes your recovery — whether that means a demand letter, tribunal application, or lawsuit. We won't recommend litigation unless it's genuinely in your interest.
Trusted by Clients Across Toronto & GTA
"I had no idea my severance offer was so far below what I was actually entitled to. Affinity Lawyers reviewed my package and got me significantly more — without any upfront cost. I'm grateful I called before signing."
"Professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly efficient. The team handled everything with clarity and care, ensuring I felt informed and supported throughout the entire process."
"They made a complex situation feel straightforward and manageable. I was facing a workplace harassment situation I'd been dealing with for years and finally got real answers and real help."
How It Works
It's fast, free, and there's zero pressure to proceed.
Call us directly or submit the form below. We respond within 24 hours — often same day. There is no fee and no obligation to proceed.
During your consultation, our lawyers will review your termination package, employment contract, or workplace situation and explain exactly what your rights and options are under Ontario law.
If we can help, we will outline your options — negotiation, Human Rights Tribunal, or litigation — so you can move forward with confidence. If you choose to proceed, we get to work right away at no upfront cost for eligible matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you were wrongfully dismissed, offered an inadequate severance, experienced workplace harassment, or believe your employment rights were violated — don't wait. We'll review your situation, explain your options, and help you take the next step. Free and confidential.
Prefer to call? 905-738-2463 — or email us directly.
Contact us for a free consultation and case review. All information is kept strictly confidential.
Affinity Lawyers values your privacy and does not sell your personal information. Use of this form does not create a solicitor-client relationship, and confidential matters should be shared through secure, direct communication.
