Proposed class action lawsuit seeks $10M from Sudbury staffing agencies over unpaid training
A proposed class-action lawsuit filed by a Toronto-area firm is seeking $10 million from two Sudbury-area staffing agencies.
The suit alleges workers were unpaid for training hours, in contravention of the Ontario Employment Standards Act. The class action suit has not yet been certified, and the law firm is looking for others in the same situation to join.
The claim alleges Workforce Inc. and SOS (Sudbury) required employees to complete training but did not pay them, and sometimes demanded they pay any costs associated with the training out of their own pockets, again contrary to the Employment Standards Act.
Monkhouse Law Employment Lawyers in Toronto has applied to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to certify the claim by a former client of both agencies.
"Monkhouse Law is also actively seeking others who were not paid for undertaking training programs in contravention of the Ontario Employment Standards Act," the email said.
“At this stage, we are looking to the court to certify this as a class action and to allow the court to deal with the action for the group because there are many others in the same situation,” lawyer Alexandra Monkhouse said in the release.
“This is the first step of the legal journey toward justice because the Employment Standards Act is quite clear about this. Time spent in training that is required by the employer or the law as a condition of employment will be considered working time and must be compensated.”
The claim alleges Workforce and SOS systemically required employees to complete training but did not pay them and sometimes demanded they pay any costs associated with the training out of their own pockets.
“Individually, they could never afford to hire legal counsel and to mount this case but that’s what Class Actions are for,” Monkhouse said.
“This is a group of people who were wronged by the actions of these companies and they deserve compensation. It also sends a strong message to employers not to take advantage of employees.”
The claim seeks $10 million to cover lost wages which includes $4 million in punitive damages.
Anyone in a similar situation in the north is asked to contact their office and share their details at monkhouselaw.com.
Toronto-based Monkhouse Law is an employment law firm specializing in wrongful dismissal, human rights law, labour law, employment insurance claims, and denied long-term disability claims.
None of the allegations in the proposed lawsuit have been tried in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.