Some legal employment advice - Canadian content

[veggieburger]

Ok, here’s an intentionally ambiguous scenario.

I work for a fairly large company. We run a very successful, independent office that operates under the logo, umbrella and corporate structure of the parent, but they do not pay our salaries. We do business within their parameters, they get an over-ride, life goes on. We are not considered a franchise. Recently they have decided to eliminate my position and move those duties in-house, back to the mother ship. That will cost our office more, and a corporate liaison of sorts will be assigned to us.

Thankfully, I will still have a job, but I will receive a pay cut from the owner of our office, and will be assigned new tasks. I could just have easily lost my job. My old position required schooling, which the head office paid for.

Question – considering the facts above, do you think the parent company owes me some sort of severance, or can they organize the structure of their offices at will since they don't actually pay my wages?

THANKS!

[FlashUNC]

Talk to a lawyer.

[fignon's barber]

You have to look at the contract you signed when you became employed. They owe you exactly what is stipulated in the document. Nothing more. Nothing less. I left corporate America in late 2015, and started my own distributorship, utilizing independent reps and inking contracts with suppliers. I think thoroughly before signing anything.

[icepick_trotsky]

Lawyer here: talk to a lawyer. Highly dependent upon your state and your employment agreement, if any.

[veggieburger]

Lawyer here: talk to a lawyer. Highly dependent upon your state and your employment agreement, if any.

Okay. Thanks Trotsky!
(province, not state fyi)
:banana:

[Black Dog]

Yep, find a lawyer that specializes in labour law. Is the parent company Canadian and if so located here in Ontario?

[veggieburger]

Yep, find a lawyer that specializes in labour law. Is the parent company Canadian and if so located here in Ontario?

Yep!

[Gsinill]

I was in a similar situation.
European company transferred me to the US.
I had a European contract from the mothership with 6 months severance guarantee.
US company laid me off, gave me 2 weeks.
When I reached out to a lawyer he gave me a 50:50 chance to win if I sued.
Since the initial 1h call with him and his assessment already cost me $700, he actually advised me against going to court since the lawyer fees would most likely be close to what I will get out of litigation, IF I won.
So I bit the bullet due to the the stupid US system where you have to pay your own legal fees even if you win.
If Canada is more like some European countries where whoever loses in court has to pay everybody's legal fees, I'd might give it a try...

[EDS]

Ok, here’s an intentionally ambiguous scenario.

I work for a fairly large company. We run a very successful, independent office that operates under the logo, umbrella and corporate structure of the parent, but they do not pay our salaries. We do business within their parameters, they get an over-ride, life goes on. We are not considered a franchise. Recently they have decided to eliminate my position and move those duties in-house, back to the mother ship. That will cost our office more, and a corporate liaison of sorts will be assigned to us.

Thankfully, I will still have a job, but I will receive a pay cut from the owner of our office, and will be assigned new tasks. I could just have easily lost my job. My old position required schooling, which the head office paid for.

Question – considering the facts above, do you think the parent company owes me some sort of severance, or can they organize the structure of their offices at will since they don't actually pay my wages?

THANKS!

Depends on your particular circumstances, company policy and Canadian law.

In the U.S., most people are at-will employees which means they can be terminated at any time, for any reason, without severance. If you have an employment agreement which entitles you to post-termination severance, that would be different. It would also be different if you were part of a union, for which certain rights would apply.