fbpx

Labour & Employment Law Blog

Resumé Fraud and the Law

Zeilikman Law

Zeilikman Law

Case Summary

When faced with the prospect of a new and exciting job, the temptation to “sell” oneself beyond one’s true worth may be irresistible.

It is not uncommon to embellish one’s credentials in the course of an interview or through a resume in order to “get one’s foot in the door.” To a certain degree, most people are guilty of some form of self-aggrandizement when employment is within reach.

However, in addition to the obvious ethical drawbacks associated with misstatements of reality, lying on one’s resume or obtaining a job through actual fraud or misrepresentation may have serious legal consequences.

On the other hand, the law views misinformation in the context of employment on a continuum — from benign misstatements to the most disreputable and deleterious forms of deceit. Depending on where an individual finds himself or herself on that continuum, employment could not only be terminated for cause and without reasonable notice or pay in lieu thereof, but legal action from the employer becomes a reality if the misrepresentation actually causes harm.

As a matter of course, employees in Ontario and throughout Canada are regarded as vulnerable entities in the eyes of the law. Traditionally (though not always), employees have had little to no bargaining power when applying for a job.

Things have not changed tremendously: in most cases, the employer will present the employee with an employment agreement which the employee will feel obliged to sign, usually without the benefit of legal advice.

However, one thing an employer normally does not have immediate and palpable control over (subject to a diligent verification of references) is knowledge of the employee’s professional and, more commonly, personal past.

In those instances, the employer has to rely on the employee’s word. Trust, therefore, is very much a requirement of the employment contract, and an employer has the right to expect honesty and integrity from present and future employees.

To understand the implications of deceitful conduct in the context of an employment relationship, it is important to know that at common law, an employee is not entitled to his or her job and, as such, dismissal can happen any day. However, an employer wishing to terminate an employee has to provide reasonable notice that a termination is approaching.

In addition to the notice formula set out in Ontario’s Employment Standards Act  and in the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the to-be dismissed employee could be entitled to receive further common law notice that his or her employment will come to an end on a certain future date.

The length of such notice depends, among other things, on the employee’s age, character of employment, length of service and prospects of finding new work. If the employer decides to dismiss the employee without notice then, subject to the employee’s obligation to find alternative employment, the employer would have to pay money in lieu of such notice.

However, an employer could legally avoid the obligation to provide notice of termination if there is just cause to fire the employee. Insubordination, incompetence, insolence and breach of trust are just some examples of conduct that can constitute grounds for dismissal.

If the employee materially misrepresents various facts when being hired and if such misrepresentations go to the very root of their employment relationship with the employer, such distortions could amount to a just cause and disentitle the dismissed employee of notice or compensation.

For instance, an employee lying on an application that he or she has a valid driver’s license would amount to cause if carriage of a license is intrinsic to the job requirement. Misrepresenting one’s education level and qualifications could also amount to cause. Likewise, representing that an employee was employed with another employer (when this, in fact, was not the case) when applying for a job with the current employer could constitute cause for termination.

Further, if an employer suffers as a result of an employee’s misrepresentation — for instance, if the employer incurs expenses due to the employee’s hiring or is exposed to liability to third parties — the employer can successfully sue the deceitful employee to recover their losses. Admittedly, the law is not without subtlety and, as such, not all acts of dishonesty will expose an employee to liability or even amount to cause. When misstatement is at issue, the law takes a contextual approach before reacting. Thus, for instance, mere innuendo, puffery or exaggeration would normally not amount to cause so as to deprive the terminated employee of notice or compensation, especially if an employer was not lured into hiring an employee because of such misstatements.

By way of an example, where an applicant — even though an introvert — decides to state on their resume that they are a “people’s person,” and the job requires little interaction with others, he or she is unlikely to be the subject of a successful dismissal with cause. If an employee misstates his or her previous employment location (for instance, Vancouver as opposed to Toronto), depending on the circumstances, this too would unlikely amount to termination with cause.

Although all cases are inherently fact-driven, one thing is clear: the law will not allow an employee to benefit from his or her wrongdoing. Lying to an employer is bad; seriously lying is worse.

Although the law will carve out exceptions in cases where an employee’s dishonesty is not significant, serious forms of deception can be fatal not only to one’s reputation and integrity in the workforce and the community at large, but also to a person’s financial well-being. Therefore, when applying for a job, the best advice is the simplest: be honest.

The above article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have concerns with regard to the foregoing issues, please make an appointment with one of our lawyers or a qualified legal practitioner elsewhere.

This article originally appeared in The Bottom Line, Mid-October 2014 Issue

The above article is for general information purposes only, does not constitute legal advice or create a solicitor-client relationship. Because each case is unique and factually driven, if you have concerns with regard to the foregoing issues, please make an appointment with one of our lawyers or a qualified legal practitioner elsewhere. We represent clients in the Greater Toronto Area including Toronto, North York, Markham, Vaughan, Thornhill, Newmarket, Aurora, Brampton, Mississauga, Barrie, Ajax, Whitby, Pickering and Oshawa.

Legal Receptionist

Zeilikman Law is an employment law firm located in Vaughan, Ontario. We are looking to hire a legal receptionist to join our firm. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working as a receptionist at another law firm.

Location: Vaughan, Ontario.

Start Date: Immediately.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Full time. In-person only. This is not a remote work position.

Wages: 35,000 to 40,000 per year.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Manage our firm’s multi-line telephone system to receive incoming calls.  Screen incoming telephone call inquiries to determine the nature of the telephone call and provide standard information related to our legal services.  Take and deliver messages and route incoming telephone calls to the appropriate staff person.
  • Answer general inquiries coming from the firm’s social media and website email.
  • Welcome in-person visitors upon arrival.  Direct visitors to the appropriate staff person and / or office or boardroom.
  • Organize in-person visitor schedule to prevent overlap and multiple bookings.
  • Receive, sort, and distribute daily mail and deliveries.
  • Arrange for couriers.
  • Keep front reception, kitchenette area and boardroom tidy.
  • Perform various clerical duties such as filing, photocopying, and faxing on an as-needed basis.
  • Process client or other payments.
  • May be asked to run minor errands outside of office such as attending post office to arrange a courier or pick up mail.
  • May be asked to assist other law clerks or lawyers of the firm as required and as appropriate.
  • Any other basic administrative duties or tasks as deemed appropriate.

Required Skills:

  • Basic knowledge of general office procedures including filing, faxing, and printing and copying.
  • Basic word processing computer skills.
  • Proficient in receptionist and telephone practices, etiquette, and decorum.
  • Professional attitude and appearance.
  • Excellent organizational skills.
  • Positive customer service attitude is a must.
  • Must be able to maintain confidential and sensitive information.

Education and Experience:

  • Highschool diploma or equivalent.
  • 1 – 2 years’ experience in an office setting with an emphasis in accounting, reception or clerical work is required.   We would prefer experience in a law firm environment.

Applications for this position should be sent via email to jennifer@zeilikmanlaw.com. All applications should include a cover letter, resume and at least two references. Only successful candidates will be contacted.