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
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.