Rogers Resolves Major Outage—What It Means for Workers
Rogers has officially resolved a major service outage that disrupted mobile and internet connectivity across Canada on June 25. The issue, which began around 11 a.m. ET, affected thousands of users and sparked widespread complaints.
According to third-party site Downdetector.ca, over 8,100 problems were reported during the peak of the disruption. Users faced difficulties with mobile phone lines and data services—leaving many remote workers unable to perform their duties.
With services now fully restored, questions are being raised about the workplace rights of non-unionized employees during such outages. If you work remotely or rely on internet services for your job, here’s what you need to know.
Can You Be Fired If You Miss Work Due to an Outage?
In Canada, non-unionized employees can be let go even if the outage wasn’t their fault. This is known as a termination without cause. Employers don’t need a specific reason, but they must provide full severance pay, and the dismissal cannot be discriminatory.
However, being fired for cause in this situation is extremely difficult for employers to justify. That would require proof of prior warnings, documented performance issues, and evidence that no lesser penalty would have sufficed. In most cases, this threshold is not met—so the employee may be entitled to severance.
Do Remote Workers Have to Make Up Lost Time?
That depends on how you are paid:
Hourly employees: You are only paid for hours worked. If you couldn’t work, you simply won’t be paid for that time.
Salaried employees: You’re typically expected to work a set number of hours each day. If a service outage interrupts your work, your employer may reasonably ask you to make up for lost time.
Can Employers Penalize You for Connectivity Issues?
Your employer cannot change your job description or impose major alterations to your role just because your internet or phone was down.
Such changes are considered fundamental modifications, and under Canadian employment law, this can amount to a constructive dismissal. In such cases, you’re entitled to full severance compensation, and you may have grounds for legal action.
If you feel your employment terms were unfairly changed or you were penalized due to connectivity problems, an employment lawyer can assess your case and protect your rights.
Know Your Rights Across Canada
Whether you’re in Ontario, Alberta, or British Columbia, legal protection exists for non-unionized workers. Since 2007, the legal team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has assisted thousands of Canadians facing workplace issues, ensuring they receive the compensation they deserve.
If your job was impacted by the Rogers outage or similar technical failures, now is the time to get informed and act.
Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for more on workplace rights, employment laws, and tech-related updates affecting Canadians.
