Joe has worked for 20 years as a sales representative for a successful, non-unionized major fashion retailer and is an outstanding employee. He is in his late forties and was recently told by his manager that he just doesn't "fit with the culture any more" and his position is "more suitable for a younger person". Joe was terminated the following week.
What laws exist to potentially protect Joe?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Human rights laws: These laws typically prohibit discrimination in employment based on certain prohibited grounds. In the Canadian Human Rights Act, which applies to businesses governed by Federal laws prohibits discrimination in employment on grounds such as Age, which appears to be the issue in this case. The Canadian Human Rights Act and each of the provincial human rights codes govern human rights issues and provide detailed procedures for investigation and resolution. An employee who feels her employer has discriminated against her on a prohibited ground may file a complaint with the appropriate human rights tribunal and seek a remedy, including lost wages and reinstatement, if she has been dismissed for discriminatory reasons. The prohibitions on discrimination in employment apply through the life of the relationship, including: hiring, terms of employment, and dismissal.
Also consider Termination laws: Common Law Rules Requiring Notice of Termination: All nonunion employees in Canada have an employment contract with their employer. Sometimes the contract is written, but if it is not, then the parties have a verbal contract. Disputes about what an employment contract says, or how it should apply in a given situation, are resolved by judges in courts of laws. One rule that judges created, and that forms part of the common law of the employment contract, is a requirement for employers to provide employees with 'reasonable notice' of the termination of the employment contract. How much notice is 'reasonable' is decided by judges, and depends on a number of factors, including length of the employee's service, the employee's age, and the type of work the employee performed.

Joe Has Worked for 20 Years as a Sales Representative