In March 2021, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (the Board) ruled that FDM Group, could not charge their former employees a $30,000 fee arising from job-training costs for ending their contract during the two-year commitment period. The Board found that the $30,000 charge constituted a fee within the meaning of the Employment Standards Act, which prohibits temporary help agencies from charging workers a fee in connection with them becoming an employee of the agency and in connection with them being assigned work through the agency. The Board held that charge was illegal and ordered FDM to remove provisions enforcing the fee from its agreements.
The four former FDM employees represented by Parkdale Community legal Services (PCLS) and Downtown Legal Services (DLS) were happy with this victory, not only for themselves, but for other workers at FDM and temporary help agencies.
If only that was the end of the story.
PCLS and DLS have heard from recent employees of FDM that their current contracts, contain a similar prohibited fee, in direct contradiction of the Board’s order.
This cannot continue.
If you are/were an employee of FDM (or another temporary help agency) whose contract contains a prohibited fee for training, PCLS and DLS want to hear from you. See PCLS and DLS contact information below:
Jennifer Fehr
Supervising Lawyer, Employment Law Division
Downtown Legal Services
jennifer.fehr@utoronto.ca, (416)934-4535
John No
Staff Lawyer, Workers’ Rights Division
Parkdale Community Legal Services
noj@lao.on.ca, (416) 531-2411, ext. 227