Glossary - Employment and Work
When an employer fires you or lays you off, they usually have to give you notice ahead of time. The amount of time can depend on many things including how long you’ve been in the job.
If they let you go right away, they must pay you the money you’d have earned if they had told you ahead of time. This is called pay in lieu of notice or termination pay.
In Migrant workers, Immigration Law, Income Assistance, Refugee Law
A permanent resident is someone who has the right to live permanently in Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents can be ordered to leave Canada for reasons given in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
A permanent resident is an immigrant or refugee who has been given the right to live permanently in Canada. A permanent resident is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents can be forced to leave Canada for reasons given in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
In Employment and Work, Health and Disability, Housing Law, Human Rights
A personal characteristic is a quality that a person has. A personal characteristic can be something that is important to your sense of self. And it’s usually something that you cannot change about yourself.
Ontario’s Human Rights Code protects people from being treated unfairly because they have certain personal characteristics. These are sometimes called “protected grounds”.
There are 17 personal characteristics protected by the Human Rights Code, related to:
- age
- race
- disability
- religion
- sex and gender
- sexual orientation
- family and marital status
Two personal characteristics are only protected in certain situations. These are:
- getting government income supports (housing only)
- having a record of offences (employment only)
In Employment and Work, Health and Disability, Housing Law, Human Rights
Personal characteristics are qualities that a person has. Personal characteristics can be things that are important to your sense of self.
Ontario’s Human Rights Code protects people from being treated unfairly because they have certain personal characteristics. These are sometimes called “protected grounds”.
There are 17 personal characteristics protected by the Human Rights Code, related to:
- age
- race
- disability
- religion
- sex and gender
- sexual orientation
- family and marital status
Two personal characteristics are only protected in certain situations. These are:
- getting government income supports (housing only)
- having a record of offences (employment only)
If you’re a temporary foreign worker in Canada, physical abuse means that your employer harms you, or causes you pain or physical injury. For example, your employer might:
- hit, slap, punch, or burn you
- lock you in a room and not let you out
- force you to live in a dirty or unhealthy place
- force you to work in unsafe conditions
- force you to use drugs or alcohol
In Employment and Work, Tribunals and Courts
If you sue someone in court, you are called the plaintiff. The person you are suing is called the defendant.
When you’re paid premium pay, you get 1 1/2 times your regular rate of pay. People often call this “time and a half”. The rules about public holidays give some workers the right to get premium pay when they work on a holiday.
If you’re a temporary foreign worker in Canada, psychological abuse means that your employer threatens you, insults you, or scares you so they get what they want. For example, your employer might:
- threaten to have you deported
- call you names
