The employment law practice at Laughlin & Company Lawyers Mediators is in service to Tri-Cities employers and employees. Our function is to prevent disputes before they arise through corporate advice on employment contracts and conditions of work. When conflicts do happen, we represent clients on issues such as wrongful dismissal, human rights complaints and contractual litigation.
Comprehensive Employment Law Practice
In British Columbia, workplace relationships are governed by the common law (judicial decisions) and legislation. For most employees, their working terms are based on the provisions of the Employment Standards Act and the Human Rights Code, which deal with specific rights and responsibilities in the workplace. Some employees are subject to an individual contract that lays out key elements of the workplace relationship.
Many employment disputes are based on wrongful dismissal. Employees take action against employers to receive compensation for a dismissal that was unjust. Constructive dismissal, where an employee was not fired but was in essence forced to quit because of factors caused by the employer, is another element of dismissal claims.
Beyond the basic terms of work, such as duties, pay, vacation time and benefits, contractual elements may also include terms of nondisclosure and noncompetition. These two, as examples, place an obligation on the employee not to disclose certain internal pieces of information about the employer and to cease from engaging in other work that directly competes with the employer.
Litigation around employment law often arises on the basis of these contractual agreements. While going to court to resolve these issues is a possibility, for most businesses the intent is to minimize the disruptive element of any legal proceeding. To that end, we offer clients out-of-court options to resolve their workplace disputes.
Contact Us
To speak with an employment law lawyer at Port Coquitlam’s Laughlin & Company, contact the firm to arrange a meeting. Call us at 604-239-0800 or get in touch online. Clients of the firm come from throughout the Tri-Cities, including Poco, Port Moody, and Coquitlam.
