Employment rights when attending Vancouver job fairs
Vancouver job fairs are a fantastic way to connect with potential employers, explore new career opportunities and secure your next position. Whether you’re looking at the Vancouver listing on JobFairX, searching for Career Fair Canada, or looking for listings on platforms like Eventbrite, it is important to understand your employment rights in BC before diving into a new role. As a non-union employee, you should know your rights related to severance pay, employment contracts and more as you navigate your job search.
1. Understand severance pay in British Columbia
If you have recently lost your job and are now looking for a job at a Vancouver job fair, it is important to know that you are likely to entitled to severance pay from your previous employer. In BC, severance pay is a right for non-union employees and you may be owed compensation even if you are actively looking for your next position.
Severance pay after job loss
When you lose your job in British Columbia, your employer must provide you with a severance package that compensates you for the loss of your position. This applies regardless of whether your employer claims financial hardship or whether you have already started looking for a new job. If you were fired for cause, you may still be owed severance. Severance pay aims to cover the gap between jobs and help you make a smooth transition, providing financial security during this period. Severance pay and EI cannot be collected at the same time.
The amount of compensation you are owed depends on several factors, including your seniority, age, position and ability to find similar work. Full severance packages are often much higher than the provincial Employment Standards Act (ESA) minimums, which typically amount to up to 24 months of salary.
LEARN MORE
• How a Vancouver labor lawyer can help
• Job Notice: Definitive Guide for Employees
You may be owed additional compensation depending on the reason you lost your job. For example, it is illegal to fire someone in BC on discriminatory grounds.
Use BC’s severance pay calculator to get a basic understanding of how much compensation you’re owed. Then contact an employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP to start the process ensuring your adequate compensation package.
Temporary layoffs are illegal
If you have been placed in one temporary layoff and now looking for new work in the meantime, you should know that these layoffs are usually illegal in BC unless your employment contract specifically allows it. For most non-union employees, a temporary layoff is considered a terminationand as a consequence he is entitled to severance pay.
If you are looking for a new job while on temporary layoff, your former employer may have already violated your rights, which means you owe compensation as if you were permanently fired.
2. Employment Contracts and New Jobs
When you attend Vancouver job fairs or interview for new positions, you will likely be asked to sign an employment contract. Understanding the terms of these BC contracts is essential to protecting your rights.
- Please review the terms carefully: Employment contracts may include clauses that limit your ability to claim full compensation if you lose your job. For example, many contracts attempt to limit severance to the minimum amount, which can leave employees with far less compensation than they are actually entitled to.
- Key clauses to look for: Pay attention to clauses related to termination, non-compete agreements and trial periods. These clauses can significantly affect your future employment prospects and financial compensation if things don’t work out with your new employer. Consult with an employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP before signing it can help you understand whether the terms are fair and help you negotiate a better deal.
SEE: Labor lawyer Lior Samfiru explains what you need to know about employment contracts at the Labor Law Show.
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