Before Agreeing to a Seasonal Layoff, Know the Risks, Experts Say

Workers in industries that experience typical slow periods during the year might be faced with a seasonal layoff from their employer. But experts say workers should know the risks before signing up to be laid off temporarily. “The idea is that the relationship is going to resume,” said Brittany Taylor, an employment lawyer and partner at Rudner Law. While the employee still remains on the roll, services and compensation pause for a period, she added. A seasonal layoff, which is embedded in employment law across several provinces, allows employers to put their staff on pause for a limited time as they weather slowdowns in their business or off-seasons. This is different from employment termination, where there’s no promise of bringing back the worker....