PROTECT YOURSELF
It is important to be prepared in case your rights are violated at work. Use this checklist to protect
yourself. This information will help you defend yourself, recover wages you are owed, file complaints,
and qualify for benefits and entitlements that you deserve.
Checklist for Workers
- Ask for time to read a contract before you sign it. If your boss pressures you to sign your contract
without reading it, try to get a copy of the contract or take a photo of it. Keep copies of any contracts
you receive. - Keep your own record of the hours and dates you worked, and the details of the work you do every
day. Keep this record at home. - If you don’t have a Social Insurance Number, valid Work Permit or you get paid in cash, write down
the wages you have been paid and hours and dates worked. The employment standards law applies
to you. - Write down any information about your boss and the company that you can find: name, title, work
and home address, phone numbers, license plate number. - Keep records of any communication you have with your employer: texts, emails, phone calls, letters.
- It is illegal for your boss to fire you for speaking about your rights. If this happens to you, write down
the details of how and when you were fired. Your boss may also force you to quit by harassing you at
work. Write down the details of the harassment. - If you are fired, forced to quit or laid off, you may still be eligible for Employment Insurance. Your
detailed records will help when applying for EI benefits. - Keep copies of every document you receive from your employer: contract, pay stubs, cheques,
Record of Employment (ROE), termination letter, etc. - Keep copies of any document you receive from the government, such as any forms that you have
filled out for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) or Employment Insurance (EI). - Your boss cannot fire you for taking a leave (paid or unpaid) or for being injured or sick. If this
happens to you, write down everything your boss says. - Make sure you apply for Employment Insurance (EI) within 28 days of your last day of work, even if
your employer has not given you a Record of Employment (ROE). If you have been working for cash,
write down the dates and hours you worked and apply as soon as you stop working. You may still
qualify for EI. - If you think your rights have been violated, call the Workers’ Action Centre to get help.
WorkersActionCentre.org | 416-531-0778 | Toll Free: 1-855-531-0778 | updated February 2019
