Employment Contract Lawyers
Signed Doesn't Mean Stuck
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Your partner on the path toYour partner toyour full severance.
A contract can quietly cost you money down the road. Many of these clauses fall apart. Mirza Law makes sure you keep what you're owed.
Do not sign anything.
One signature settles everything: your notice, your bonus, your benefits, your claim. Get the offer checked first. The review is free.
Your contract, annotated.
Dear Employee,
"Your entitlement on termination is limited to the minimums under the Employment Standards Act."
This is the clause that matters most, and the good news is that most are written badly enough that they don't hold up. When that happens, you're owed the full common law amount instead, often months more.
"You will serve a six (6) month probationary period."
Three months is the most the law lets an employer use without paying severance. Six is not enforceable. Past three months, you're owed termination pay like anyone else.
"For twelve (12) months after you leave, you will not work for a competitor."
Non-compete clauses are unenforceable for almost all employees in Ontario. They are written to scare you, not to bind you. In most cases you are free to take the next job.
"These terms take effect upon signing, in exchange for your continued employment."
If you already work here, continued employment is not enough on its own. They have to give you something real, a raise or a bonus, or the new terms may be worth nothing.
"By signing, you confirm you had the opportunity to obtain independent legal advice."
The opportunity is not the advice. That line is there to protect them, not you. Take the opportunity for real, before you sign, not after.
Sincerely,
Human Resources
"Signing something doesn't make it enforceable. Even a contract that limits your severance often falls apart when we challenge it."
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From offer
to what you're owed
Free review
Send your termination letter, your offer, and your employment contract. We read the fine print and work out what you're really owed, not just the legal minimum.
Negotiation
We send your employer the real number in writing, with the court cases that back it up. Most claims settle right here, with no courtroom. We push until the offer matches what you're owed.
Resolution
We check the fine print on the release, you sign, and your settlement lands in your bank account. This chapter closes and you move forward on your terms.
Amir Mirza
Managing Attorney
Licensed: 2017Employment contracts in Ontario, explained
Why a new contract can quietly cost you
A new contract often takes away rights you already have, usually by capping your severance. If you're already employed, your employer generally has to give you something real in return for signing, a raise or a bonus, not just “sign this.” And even then, the clause may not hold up. Don't sign a document that costs you money down the road without knowing what it does.
A severance cap isn't the final word, the wording is
Employers love clauses that limit your severance to the minimum, but a lot of them don't survive. Ontario courts read termination wording strictly, and if any part of it is written wrong, the whole limit can fall away, putting your full common-law severance back on the table. “The contract says so” isn't the end of it. The exact wording is.
No contract is good news
People worry that never signing a contract leaves them exposed. When it comes to being let go, the opposite is usually true. No clause limiting your severance means you're entitled to the full common-law amount, often far more than the minimum.
A contract can't drop you below the legal minimum
Overtime, vacation pay, and termination pay are guaranteed by law. A clause that tries to cut you below them is simply void, and a badly written clause like that can knock out the entire severance limit, putting your full entitlement back in play.
Non-competes and probation are mostly overblown
Two clauses that scare people more than they should:
After that, you're owed severance like anyone else, whatever the clause claims.
A deadline to sign is pressure, not law
A 48-hour deadline is a tactic, not a rule. You're allowed to take a contract away and have it reviewed before you sign anything, and you can't be punished or fired for refusing new terms. A document you'll live with for years is worth a day or two. The review is free, and we work on contingency.
Our Clients
Mirza Law has earned 4.8 stars on Google, and
is also top-rated by Best Lawyers Canada, TrustAnalytica, and others
I couldn't be happier with the legal representation I received from Mirza Law. Amir negotiated a significantly higher severance package from what I was initially offered. I’m very grateful for the outcome. He explained every step of the process and was responsive throughout my case.
I highly recommend Amir Mirza if your long-term disability insurance claim was denied and you are considering taking legal action. Amir provided me with several options and explained how the process works very thoroughly. He took the time to answer all of my questions and concerns and always responded in a timely manner. I appreciated his caring approach during a stressful time in my life and never felt pressured to pursue litigation when speaking with him.
Mirza Law was professional, responsive, and easy to work with. The team provided clear guidance throughout the process and made everything straightforward to understand. I appreciated their support and would recommend them to anyone looking for reliable legal assistance.
I can't say enough great things about my experience with this firm. Amir was incredibly helpful and secured a much better settlement than I was initially offered. Couldn't have asked for more. I would definitely recommend Mirza Law.
My wife's long term disability benefits were cut off after two years and the team at Mirza Law helped us to get them back. We were working with Amir who dealt with our insurance company directly. He took the time to explain the whole process and laid out our options so we always understood where things stood.
I reached out to this law firm after being denied by Manulife for my long term disability benefits. Amir is genuinely one of the kindest and caring lawyers I have ever met. He guided me through this very difficult period in my life. I understood each part of the process and never felt rushed.
I couldn't be happier with the legal representation I received from Mirza Law. Amir negotiated a significantly higher severance package from what I was initially offered. I’m very grateful for the outcome. He explained every step of the process and was responsive throughout my case.
I highly recommend Amir Mirza if your long-term disability insurance claim was denied and you are considering taking legal action. Amir provided me with several options and explained how the process works very thoroughly. He took the time to answer all of my questions and concerns and always responded in a timely manner. I appreciated his caring approach during a stressful time in my life and never felt pressured to pursue litigation when speaking with him.
Mirza Law was professional, responsive, and easy to work with. The team provided clear guidance throughout the process and made everything straightforward to understand. I appreciated their support and would recommend them to anyone looking for reliable legal assistance.
I can't say enough great things about my experience with this firm. Amir was incredibly helpful and secured a much better settlement than I was initially offered. Couldn't have asked for more. I would definitely recommend Mirza Law.
My wife's long term disability benefits were cut off after two years and the team at Mirza Law helped us to get them back. We were working with Amir who dealt with our insurance company directly. He took the time to explain the whole process and laid out our options so we always understood where things stood.
I reached out to this law firm after being denied by Manulife for my long term disability benefits. Amir is genuinely one of the kindest and caring lawyers I have ever met. He guided me through this very difficult period in my life. I understood each part of the process and never felt rushed.
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