Legal Blog

Wrongful Dismissal

Mohamed v. Information Systems Architects Inc. 2017 Ont SCJ

Dependent/independent contractor (whom we will refer to as an employee) fired when employer’s client, as was its right, requested that employee not work at its project for security reasons. Before employer had retained employee, employee had informed employer that he had been convicted of assault with a weapon 17 years ago when in high school. Employer relied on the termination clause in the employment agreement. Judge held that the termination provisions were vague or uncertain and struck the provisions. They were vague because one part of termination provisions allowed the employer to terminate for breach of the agreement and another part allowed the employer to terminate if it were in the employer’s best interests. The employer wanted that clause to be interpreted as if employer had ultimate discretion to do anything it wanted. The judge noted that, if this were the case, there would be no need for the clause allowing termination upon breach of the agreement. In essence, the judge held that the clause was vague and inconsistent because the termination clause was “illogical and inconsistent.” The judge also held that there was no need to mitigate because the employer had terminated a fixed term contract. The judge held that there was no difference between an employment contract and independent contractor contract with regard to mitigation.

Written by Jonathan Speigel Jonathan Speigel, the founding partner of Speigel Nichols Fox LLP, leads the litigation and construction practices.