“Generally speaking, a full and final release [at termination] means that you’re releasing for all claims that could arise out of the employment relationship – harassment, either sexual, physical, or just straight-up bullying, is part of an employment law claim. If an employee signs a release, they are letting go of all of those potential claims, even if they have legitimate ones.”
So says Charles Millar, a senior associate lawyer at Achkar Law in Toronto, after an Ontario court dismissed a worker’s workplace harassment claim because he signed a valid release as part of his termination package.
The worker was employed with Lafarge Canada, a building material company based in Mississauga, Ont., as a quality control technician. He was hired in October 2014.
